I got into character, smiling forcefully, balancing trays of champagne and attending one arrogant customer to another. The smell of rosemary and curry filled the air, making my stomach growl with hunger.
Fuck.
Not now, I took a deep breath and looked around making sure no one heard it.
Just as I went to get the order of one of the customers, Daniel, one of the senior waiters snapped his fingers at me.
"I'll help you with the order, go and serve an important client in private room, number eight. They requested for a new server"
I frowned, there was a waiter specifically for each private room, so why would the client ask for a new one? I think Dianel read my mind cause he leaned in and whispered.
"They had him fired, he coughed while serving them. Apparently, the cough contaminated his food."
I blinked in disbelief. The previous waiter was trained to serve high-end clients so why was Daniel sending me that wasn't a professional?
Daniel rolled his eyes "you've worked here for two years, don't look at me with those eyes. By now you should have learnt everything needed to be learnt" he handed me a notepad and pushed me towards the direction of the private room.
"Be careful, he is a very important client"
I gulped and headed to the direction of private room number eight.
I entered the room and my eyes came in contact with the most breathtaking man I have ever met.
Sebastian Devereaux.
The man who I only saw on the news. His face was perfectly sculpted by God, his suit probably cost more than three years of my salary and his commanding presence made me want to escape.
Daniel didn't tell me I was serving Sebastian Devereaux, the man who literally owns the world.
When his piercing gaze locked onto me, I realised that I was just staring.
I cleared my throat and tightened my hands around the notepad. trying to keep my voice steady, I said "Good evening sir. Welcome to La Vienne. May I take your order?"
Sebastian didn't talk. He just watched me like he was accessing me. God, has he already found out that I wasn't a trained waiter? I knew this was a bad idea.
Seconds later, he shifts his eyes to the menu in front of him and points to a few dishes. I quickly jotted them down and fled.
I gave his order to the front desk then went to find Daniel.
"I can't go back there. If I go back there with his food I might be too nervous and make a mess, please send someone else" I pleaded.
Daniel scanned my face, when he saw that I looked so nervous that I could collapse anytime, he sighed in annoyance.
"Fine, I'll find someone else"
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thank you"
I went back to my task of taking orders and serving meals.
Then my phone buzzed.
I don't have the habit of checking my messages during work but something made me check this one.
Bad idea.
It was a message from an unknown number.
"Hello Little Dove, I'm out. Miss me?"
My heart stopped for a second. The tray in my hand tilted and the champagne slid off the tray shattering. I didn't notice, all I could see was the text in front of me.
No, no, no.
Little dove.
Only one person calls me that.
My hands trembled as I reread the text.
Fabian.
He shouldn't be out yet. He's supposed to be in prison. There were still two years left for crying out loud.
One of the waiters rushed towards me. He was saying something to me, maybe calling my name. I don't know, I wasn't listening.
This isn't real, this can't be real.
"Liam" this time I heard my name clearly. It was my manager's voice.
I blinked, realising what I've done, there were broken glasses on the floor with spilled expensive champagne and dozens of eyes on me.
I panicked and went down on my knees and began packing the broken glasses back on the tray. I ignored the pain as they pierced my hands.
"Don't bother," the manager said coldly. "You're fired. Get out" he turned away and snapped at another waiter to clean up the mess.
I stood up, my hands and legs were trembling. Just like that I've lost my job. Fabian hasn't even appeared in front of me yet but my life was already taking a bad turn.
I saw Sebastian come out from the private room. His face is still as cold as ever. His gaze lands on me then at the mess at my feet.
He didn't say a word, he just walked out.
Not like I cared.
Fabian was out. I needed to get out of here. I needed to go home to collect my thoughts.
I turned on my heels and ran.
I was gasping for air when I reached home but I didn't mind. I slammed the door shut, putting the locks in place. I need to buy more locks.
I slid down the walls and wrapped my arms around my knees and let the tears flow.
Fabian is out.
He's out. I don't know how long I cried but I slept off in that position.
When I woke up the next morning, my head felt like it was splitting into two.
My body was stiff from curling up for a long time. The room spinned as I stood.
I entered the bathroom to prepare for school. When the water touched my hands, I winced, I had forgotten that I had cuts from picking up the broken glasses last night. The wound stung with every movement.
Fuck.
If I had known I was going to be fired on the spot, I wouldn't have picked them in the first place, I sulked up my complaints and endured the pain.
My movements today were slower, my limbs ached and every step I took felt like I'd been hit by a car. By the time I reached school, my head was pounding so hard that I felt like I would collapse any minute.
Every noise made the ache worse, from the teacher's voice to the rustling of papers.
I laid on my desk when we had free period and as If I wasn't suffering enough, the universe had to send Damien to test me.
"What's up pet?" I didn't respond. I was too sick for this shit. I was jobless with no money to spare for drugs, a psychopathic ex after me and now Damien wanted to add to my troubles.
"I'm talking to you" I could hear anger in his voice. I sighed and forced myself to sit up.
I saw him standing over my desk with his hands in his pocket and a smug smirk on his face.
I muttered what I always say whenever I saw him.
I pray your family goes bankrupt so that I can get back at you.
"Yes?" I replied. I stared blankly at him, his face seemed to blur in and out of focus.
I think he noticed I wasn't my usual self cause unexpectedly, his hands brushed against my forehead.
"Shit, you're burning up"
