Chapter 1

My eyes darted up to the door meters away from me when a family of three entered the café. They sat on the spot at the corner where the pastel blue wall and the well-polished glass window meet. I stood up and carefully folded the page I was reading into half and closed the book down to the counter table.

I picked up the menu from beside the book and brought it with me. My feet strode on the distance between me and the costumers, I sucked in a deep breath before greeting, “Good afternoon, may I take your orders?”

“We’ll have—”

“No, mommy, I thought you agreed that it would be my turn to order today,” the little girl’s wavy blonde curls that were tied into twin tails bounced when she jerked her head up to face her mother with a glare.

“Alright,” the mother snorted and she handed the menu over to her daughter.

In nervousness, my feet tapped together with my uncomfortable sneakers against the pastel purple, glossy tiles. The little girl sure did take a long time to look at the menu and decide what she’ll be ordering. Her parents—who were sitting across each other—have both kept attacking each other with jokes I couldn’t understand.

“Okay, we will have 4 chocolate mousse cheesecakes—two cheesecakes on my plate—and, 3 iced caramel macchiatos,” she said as she stuck her tiny finger to the menu and dragged her finger across the thick paper as she read. When she finished, her grey orbs looked at me.

“Got that,” I winked and smiled, “But before I go, may I please know how old you are?”

Her face lit up; she smiled and she flashed her 4 missing teeth on the front at me, “I’m six,” she bobbed her head once which resulted to her blonde waves to bounce. The letters ‘s’ and ‘x’ came out not like their own sound due to her missing teeth.

I held back a chuckle as I pushed my hand to her cheek and fondled softly as I didn’t want to hurt her, “Aww, cute.”

“Yes, I know but please don’t touch me,” I caught sight of her hand reaching up to her face and she slapped my hand away. I heard her mother gasp and she whisper-yelled to her daughter.

My eyes widened at her action; I withdrew my hand and rubbed it with the other, “Sorry.”

“We apologize for her action, miss. She was raised by her father and made her spoiled.” The mother placed a hand over her chest and she glared at her husband.

The father scoffed and snorted, “Don’t blame me, she’s got that personality from her mother.”

“Oh, really?” His wife cocked an eyebrow at him and they once again, began attacking each other with words I clearly cannot relate to.

“Would you like to have something as you wait for your orders or—,” I bit my lip in embarrassment. They didn’t hear me talk as they kept attacking each other, “A’ight.”

I turned on my heel and walked to the kitchen to tell Richard personally about the orders of the costumers. I sighed heavily when they burst out in laughter that echoed inside the café. The soft music that has been playing from the small speakers attached to every top corner of the room were now covered due to the laughs.

My body turned to the kitchen and I was greeted by a chef sitting on his seat beside the refrigerator with his face down on his phone.

“Roland?”

“Yes, Sky?”

“It’s Xyla,” I corrected.

This man that aged five years above me just couldn’t stop teasing me with my name; he has always preferred the name ‘Sky’ than my real name. He said that the name suits me better because of my sky-like eyes which I agree but would rather have my real name spoken since it was given to me by my late aunt.

“The cute little blondie ordered for 4 chocolate mousse cheesecakes, two on her plate and one for each her parents then, 3 iced caramel macchiatos.” I informed him as I halted in front of him with a smile.

“Well, time to go back to work,” Ronald chuckled briefly after his slight muttering. He stuffed his phone back to his pocket as he stood up and he moved aside.

“You apparently were not meant to take a break, Ron.” I plummeted my body down to his seat and slouched my back.

“I sure was,” he narrowed his eyes at me as he opened the refrigerator.

“Nah, you weren’t.”

“Says the one who spends most of her time of working hours reading books,” muttered Ronald.

“Hey!” I growled, “It’s way better than planting my face on a phone!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes and began rummaging inside the fridge.

An invisible puff of air escaped from my lips and I left Roland alone to do his work. I went straight back to my spot from whence I came from. As I sat down, my eyes met with beautiful hazel orbs from a buff man in a uniform who just got in. He was absolutely and undoubtedly stunning. His dark brown hair was cut and styled to a pompadour and I didn’t notice that his eyes were on mine and so did mine on his.

I shook my head and intended to stretch my neck as if I’ve been looking from behind him. I felt entirely awkward; chills began running throughout my body, making me to want to shake but I restrained myself. I lifted the book from the table and brought it up to my face—but I didn’t forget to add a little space for my eyes to feast on him. He swayed his head from side to side with an amused smirk on his face.

I narrowed my eyes on the words on the book to add a bit drama. I could be the best actress for the year. Someone, give me an Oscar or maybe, 10 Oscars and a massive mansion with a huge garage filled with latest fancy cars.

I so deserve them all.

My eyes lifted up a bit and spied on him as he walked towards the spot on the other side of the room. He was serious looking at the menu. I couldn’t stop staring at him; God, please do forgive me.

Go get him, tiger. Rawr at him.

What? No! I wouldn’t. My aunt never taught me about this. I forbid myself; I’ll never do such a thing.

A quick ring of a bell pulled me back to reality. I immediately dropped the book to the table and stood up to go back to the kitchen. It was a perfect timing that Ronald have finished the orders whilst I could not pull my eyes out of that stunning man.

Or maybe, Ronald and his fabulous homosexuality have finally taken control of my inner peace.

“What were you doing? I have been pressing on that cursed bell for a minute.” Ronald’s fists were now placed on his hips and he glared at me.

“I was taking care of the costumers!” I yelped.

Ronald raised his eyebrow at me and smiled, “You mean… eyeing that hot cop over there?” He giggled and he took a quick slap on my shoulder, “I never thought that you’re mature enough to think like that! Your hormones are kicking out, girl!”

“Disgusting,” I pretended to vomit briefly and slid my fingers under the wooden rectangular tray where the orders were placed. “Goodbye, Ronald.”

“Go get him, tiger!”

Funny, since that was what my mind told me earlier.

I went back to the corner where the family sat. I could feel an intense gaze from one pair of eyes from the other side of the café. I chose to not think that he looked at me or did I really just assume that he looked at me?

When I noticed I have already reached the spot of the family, I carefully placed their orders on their table. On the tray, a small white paper gazed up on me innocently. With this one small paper, it would help me with my daily needs.

“Oh! Thank you, we’ll pay later,” She smiled at me.

“Of course,” I smiled sheepishly. These gazes from the unknown cop just couldn’t stop tickling my side. He seems like a pervert, a dirty cop. I felt vulnerable and small.

My feet dragged me first back to the table where I placed my book and I gently put down the tray. I sighed heavily. Guess what? I’ll be facing and talking to him. I scoffed at myself. Why feel so nervous? I mean, he’s a cop and just a costumer I have never seen before in my life stepping inside the café.

Pulling all out the fake courage I’ve put up in my long sleeves—in which I don’t have any since I’m wearing a black apron with a white T-shirt underneath and paired it with jeans that are quite large for me—and made my way towards the stunning yet annoying cop.

“Hi,” my voice croaked. Well, that was a great impression. I cleared my throat and started again, “Good afternoon, sir, may I take your order?”

“You—”

My breathing hitched, “Pardon?” So, he has a liking on me?

“You read your book upside down earlier.” He finished with a loud laugh. Though he may be handsome and his laugh may be wonderful to hear but he just laughed at me.

I felt my cheeks and the tips of my ears warm up due to embarrassment. Seems like ‘getting him’ was undoubtedly a bad idea. I just kept my body erect as I waited for him to shut up.

My ears caught him clear his throat as he intended to stop from laughing, “You’re gorgeous, would you like to have a gorgeous body such as mine on you?” He placed his chin over his palm and smirked at me.

This was getting out of hand. So, he took me as a candy for the eyes. Utterly disappointing. I pushed a brow higher as possible it can reach and scoffed, “May I please take your order so we can finish this?”

“No. Sit down, please,” He gestured on the seat in front of him while his eyes didn’t leave me.

“Sir, this is a café, a waitress is not supposed to sit with her costumer not unless the shift is done.”

“What you’re trying to imply is you would rather sit on me once your shift is done?” The smirk on his face pulled itself more heavenwards. He was still smirking ridiculously at me.

I don’t like his personality. Excuse me, sir but I just crossed your name off my list—not that I know your name anyway. “No, I said with not on the costumer. If you don’t wish to take an order here and rather flirt with a waitress, please get out of the café and go to a bar or a club or whatever they’re called.”

It did sure take me a lot of time arguing with that flirty, dirty, pervert cop. I pushed out a lot of oxygen from my lungs and felt my tensing muscles relax. My shift is done. Angel, my coworker, had come to the rescue but it was a bummer since I was inches away from making my fist meet the cop’s face with a big kiss.

I swung my aunt’s shoulder bag over my shoulder. I patted softly onto it to feel the hard cover of the book, to make sure I really have it with me.

I no longer wanted to hear Ronald’s teasing and giggling because of that cop I just crossed out of my empty list earlier. I allowed my soul to drag me to the back door of the café; I deserve a long nap once I arrive back home.

My hand met with the circular cold knob and twisted it to unlock the door. I pushed it open and I was greeted with the same massive wall of bricks of the 5-star hotel.

“Xyla, baby…”

His voice was chilling; my body immediately shivered. It was Ralph and he’s here again. He couldn’t stop pestering me. On my first day of my shift, I met him once and he said he knew what I went through. He was there for me since then but, I never liked him. And, he never dared to stop bothering me.

My head jerked to the direction of his voice and I saw him on my left leaning against the brick wall of the café. He has that bad boy appearance and wears a fraud soft heart. I never wanted to get near him again.

“How was work?” He asked, sugarcoating his venomous mouth.

“Oh, it’s fine,” my lips applied a small smile to feign my nervousness and I started to walk away to the other direction. Of course, he knows which direction I would take to go home; he knows where my house is.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Xyla,” he growled.

 I scoffed at him, “shut up, Ralph.”

“Oh?” I heard his shoes tap loudly against the cemented floor and so, I started to run.

I realized that how long his legs were and how fast he can run, tears started to well up in my eyes. The walls and the alleyway seemed to stretch farther away from me. Something grabbed on my hair and I was pulled back, causing my body to crash hard against the cemented floor.

“I told you to not walk away from me, Xyla,” he hissed. Ralph stood in front of me with bad intentions I thought he planned on doing.

“Nice show you both got there,” the familiar voice boomed across the alley.

I witnessed Ralph whip his head to look at the person and he frowned, “Nothing to see here, officer, I was just helping her to stand up since she tripped over a banana peel.”