A stranger
“Hey Ava! Table 10. The same guy from yesterday! Hurry up!” Jessica shouted from the other end of the burger shop they’re working as waitresses.
“Okay! Coming!” She shook her head and quickly finished cleaning the table. The man Jessica is talking about is the same creepy man who kept on staring at her yesterday. He ordered all the food in their menu but didn’t eat any of it. All he did the whole time he was there was stare at her and observe her every movement.
After mentally noting that he is just another one of their hundreds of customers every day, she prepared a smile on her face and walked to the lone man on the farthest end of the resto just to find him already looking at her way.
She studied his appearance in a subtle way. Black leather jacket over white shirt, black jeans, and rubber shoes. Pretty ordinary attire for the biggest diamond stone she had ever seen on his ring.
She almost rolled her eyes. A married man and yet had the gall to openly flirt with other women.
“Excuse me. Can I take your order, sir?” She looked down at her small notebook in hand and waited for him to dictate his order.
“Ava,” he read her name that’s written on her name plate. His voice is deep like it’s coming from the bowels of the earth.
She gave him a wide smile. “Yes, that’s me sir. What would be your order for today, sir?”
“Hmm.” He stared at her. Ava stared back and was taken aback for a second
Why does he seem so familiar? Have they met before? Another thing baffled her when she met his gaze and noticed something on his expression. Why is he looking at her with fire in his eyes as if he’s angry at her?
“Sir? Your order, please,” she repeated.
“Black coffee,” he finally said after seconds of just gawking at her.
“Would you like to add anything sir? We have sandwiches, burgers, steak, perhaps salad?” she said trying to sound friendly even when all she wanted to do is ask him why he’s looking at her hand instead of her face.
“I’ll call you later for a sandwich, a chicken sandwich.”
“Okay, sir. Black coffee coming right up.”
She turned her back and hurriedly went into the kitchen to get his coffee.
“Are you okay?” Jessica asked when she stopped to get knives and forks. “Did he hit on you?”
“No, thankfully. I think the guy’s married!”
“Ew! Nasty men! But I admit that he is one scorching man. Good catch. He owned the Bentley outside.”
Ava just shrugged and came out again to serve the coffee on his table. “Enjoy your coffee, sir.”
He nodded, his eyes traveling down to her hand again. “Thank you.”
She released a small smile. “Your welcome, sir. Call me again if you want anything.”
“I surely will,” he replied while sipping on the coffee.
“The man’s really weird. Maybe he’s got a hand fetish,” she murmured before going back to her position.
Noon came and people started filling in but the man stayed in his seat unmoving. She just let him be and concentrated on doing her job. Her shift’s ending at six. Two more hours left to run for the subway to go to her other part-time job.
Bills are due. Apartment’s rent rose last month plus her medical bills are not going to let her slide for at least a day to relax. Being literally mentally sick is sickening. Double kill.
Jessica opened the door of the locker and called her. “Hey, yo man is looking for you again.”
“Huh? What man?” she answered while massaging her legs that hurt from standing all day.
“The creepy one.”
Surprised, she peeped outside to find the man at his table in the same seat sipping his third cup of black coffee. “He’s still there? He didn’t leave?”
“Obviously he didn’t. Good thing he let me pour him a cup of tea. Man’s got a shot on you.”
Ava elbowed Jessica’s arm. “Please, don’t say things that might be true. Yep, there’s no stopping for that dude to be a total creep. What is he? A stalker?”
“A loaded stalker. I heard he’s a regular in the district’s branch. Friend of the owner.” She pulled her outside. “Now go before he tears this place apart because his favorite waitress just clocked out of schedule.”
Straightening her black uniform shirt, she braced herself to approach the man who must have had a sixth sense because he immediately spotted her.
“Sir, anything I can serve you with?” she inquired, her attention already on the paper to write down his order.
“Yes, I want my chicken sandwich.”
She lifted her head. “Just a chicken sandwich?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Alright. Just a bit, sir.”
She can still feel his stares on her so she ran to the kitchen to get away from his sight. Customers like him who think they can take home a girl from here are not new for Ava. She’s got worse by almost being kidnapped by an old man. The man outside, although a certified bugger, seemed to be different from all those men who just wanted to hook up. Strangely, she doesn’t feel scared enough.
“Here’s your chicken sandwich, sir.” She placed the plate on the table. “Enjoy, sir.”
Turning around to greet the entering guests, she jumped to her feet when she felt his hand over her wrist.
“Why won’t you sit down and have a little chat with me, Ava.” He spoke her name distastefully.
She pulled her hand away from his grip, her brows raised in discomfort. She’s taking back what she thought of him. He’s just another one of those who wants to get into her pants.
“I’m sorry sir but I still have work to do.”
He set down the fork beside his uneaten sandwich and clasped his hands together, his dark eyes never leaving her face as if trying to gouge out something in there.
“How long are you going to keep doing this act?”
Her nose crinkled in confusion. “I’m sorry sir but what are you talking about?”
His patience ruptured when he stood up towering over her while reaching for arm to pull her to his body.
“I don’t want to play with your games anymore. I’ve had enough of it for years I spent searching for you. Now answer me or I will wring your neck broken. Do you really not remember me at all, Devon?” he asked in gritted teeth.
