Chapter 2
Apricity Shae Buenavista
My body ached when I woke up in my bed. I checked the time on my cellphone beside me and saw that it was already 5:30 am.
I got up even though my waist throbbed and my wounds from Mama hurt. I went into the bathroom and took a shower.
I also cleaned my wounds so they would heal quickly. I applied cream to prevent scars from forming. It was almost empty, so I needed to buy a new one again.
I left my room after showering. I would get ready later after eating because it was already late, and I still needed to cook breakfast.
Mama might add more bruises to my body if she saw that there was still no food.
Only vegetables and chicken were left because I couldn't go grocery shopping, and I didn't have any money yet. I just fried the chicken to make it quick because I might be late for my first day of work.
After cooking, I ate and went up to my room.
The house was quiet. Mama seemed to be still asleep.
I got dressed and ready to go to work. I just applied concealer again to hide my bruises so they wouldn't be noticeable. I also put bandaids on my wounds.
I just left another note on the table and left.
When I arrived at City's Haven, there were already quite a few customers eating. I greeted the guard who helped me yesterday.
I went to the manager's office first to get the uniform I would wear and my work schedule.
I knocked before entering completely.
"Good morning po, ma'am," I greeted.
"Good morning," she replied and took something from under her table.
"This is your uniform and your schedule. Please note that your schedule includes two shifts: from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM as a waitress, followed by a shift as a janitress from 8:30 PM to 12:00 AM. Is this acceptable to you?" she explained.
"Yes ma'am, that's fine with me," I replied.
She smiled and handed me the paper containing my schedule and my uniform. I excused myself to start working since it was almost eight in the morning.
I read my schedule and saw that my day off was every Sunday.
That was good. At least we would have some money to spend.
I went to the first floor but changed into my uniform in the bathroom on the second floor first.
When I went downstairs, I saw my colleagues who were already busy serving the customers because they were gradually increasing.
It seemed like they were having breakfast here, and the customers were obviously wealthy because of their formal attire.
The restaurant was also near several companies.
I went to the kitchen to get the customers' orders and deliver them.
I did this for several hours, and it was really tiring, but it was also worth it because our weekly salary ranged from 5k to 7k. Maybe the salary was quite high here because this restaurant was gradually becoming popular.
When lunchtime came, we ate first. I also met some new friends here.
"Hey beh, did you know that the owner of this restaurant is so handsome?" I looked at Lira when she said that. We were eating at the side of the restaurant.
"Oh, here you go again, Li. Don't just focus on handsome guys. It's not like he'll notice you," Ryle said. Lira rolled her eyes at what he said and hit Ryle's arm.
"Can you not, Ryle! Don't be a killjoy. You're just like that because your crush rejected you," Lira retorted, rolling her eyes.
Ryle didn't say anything but I saw him roll his eyes at Lira too.
Lira then looked at me.
"Asha, by the way, I noticed earlier that you were limping. Did your 'pearl of the orient' get taken?" Ryle flicked her forehead when she asked me that.
"You're such an idiot, Li. Just because she's limping, that's what you immediately think?" Ryle said.
I shook my head.
"Oh no. I don't even have a boyfriend, and I slipped yesterday, so that's why I'm walking like this," I said.
Lira said "ahh," and we went back to eating because our free time might run out because of Lira's chatter.
When we finished eating, we went back to attending to the customers.
While we were serving food, everyone's attention was drawn to the person who entered the restaurant.
A man entered the restaurant. I wasn't planning on paying attention to him, but his face immediately caught my eye.
He was a vision of masculine grace, a masterpiece sculpted by the gods themselves. His face, chiseled and strong, was a study in contrasts – the sharp lines of his jawbone juxtaposed with the soft curve of his lips, a captivating shade of crimson that begged to be kissed. Broad shoulders, a testament to years of disciplined exertion, filled out his white polo shirt, the fabric straining against the taut muscles beneath.
His eyes, the color of gray, held a mesmerizing intensity. They were captivating, their shape – long and almond-shaped, like a feline – drawing the eye irresistibly. Yet, there was a coldness in their depths, a chilling intensity that made him seem both alluring and dangerous. It was a gaze that could pierce through your very soul, a gaze that seemed to have witnessed things most mortals could never comprehend.
And then, when our eyes met, a flicker of something else – a hint of recognition, perhaps, or a fleeting emotion that was quickly extinguished, leaving behind only the chilling indifference. It was a fleeting glimpse into a soul shrouded in mystery, a soul that both intrigued and terrified me.
I wasn't certain if it was just a figment of my imagination, but I thought I glimpsed a flicker of both admiration and amusement in his eyes as they met mine.
The world seemed to slow down when he started walking in my direction. I held my breath as he slowly approached me until he was finally right in front of me.
I just stared blankly until I didn't realize he was already close to me.
"Excuse me, miss," I snapped back to reality when I heard his cold voice.
"A-ah y-yes sir?" Oh no, Asha, why are you stuttering?
"You're blocking my way." My face flushed as I moved to the side.
"S-sorry." I apologized in a small voice while bowing my head in embarrassment. He passed by me and sat at a nearby table.
My cheeks burned even more with shame when I heard laughter beside me.
"That's what you get for blocking the way," I heard a woman say. I turned to look and saw a group of friends who I thought were the ones I heard laughing earlier.
I left my spot and went back to work.
I found Lira in the kitchen, heading out with orders. She looked at me with a teasing expression.
"Asha ah, you're becoming a young lady." she said with a teasing laugh before finally leaving the kitchen. I blushed again because of her teasing.
Several more hours passed until it was evening. I rested for a while because I still had to clean the restaurant. I was sitting on one of the chairs here until I decided to start cleaning because it was already late.
While I was cleaning, I felt someone staring at me. I looked around, but I didn't see anyone looking at me.
I just ignored it and continued cleaning. Only a few of my colleagues were still here.
Lira and the others had already gone home. They even insisted on taking me home after my shift, but I refused because they might get home even later.
After cleaning, I immediately changed and said goodbye to the guard before leaving.
While I was waiting for a jeepney home, I felt someone staring at me again, so I got nervous because it might be a kidnapper, but I calmed myself down.
Luckily, a jeepney passed by after a few minutes.
When I got home, the lights were off, so Mama was surely asleep.
Good thing she didn't think of locking me out.
I went inside the house and locked the door. I went straight to my room and lay down on the bed. Because of extreme exhaustion, I immediately fell asleep.
But that man was really handsome.