Anticipating Hurt

Chapter 15

Strangely, the atmosphere in the diner had lightened up the night after I saw the distraught part-timer running out of the locker room a few minutes after our redhead waitress had entered. After that night, I saw the two of them together in the open without the air of secrecy that I usually sensed during my first few months in the diner.

It was also unexpected that I would see Nina with a minute smile on her face, smile that was so beautiful and genuine. In a way, seeing her smile was almost uplifting knowing that the slight lift on the sides of her lips was a rare sight to see. 

It was hard to admit but seeing her smile was probably one of the most stunning sights that I had ever seen. Seeing that she was no longer as expressionless as before also meant that she was happier in her life.

As for the brunette part-time worker, I almost performed a celebratory dance when I found her handing in her resignation letter to our manager. What happened in the locker room that night must have shocked her for sure. And, I realized that she still had an ounce of dignity that she had decided to leave her post as a waitress after engaging in such a disgraceful act.

If Nina and Sygrid were actors in a TV drama then I would have already cheered for them as a couple. Moreover, I would have already displayed a banner in support of their love story. Then again, I had always had that secret imaginary banner in my head with the sole purpose of upholding their very own one-of-a-kind romantic tale.

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It was not only me who noticed the gradual change in Nina’s behavior at our workplace. Somehow, some of us felt as though the aura around our head waitress had gone warmer as compared to before. As a matter of fact, it was a little easier to move around Nina unlike before when she was all business-like to the point that she was almost stiff and frigid. Nonetheless, she had remained the strict head waitress who had a high regard on professionalism in which she preserved her firmness.

Like the usual, she would scold some of my co-workers whenever she caught them using their mobile phones during working hours. Even with their effort to hide their mobile phones, Nina always had the way to find out if they had it in their pockets or if they had left it in their locker.

“Ms. Adams, did I not tell you to leave your mobile phone in your locker?” Nina said in her tone that was as domineering as ever.

Lily Adams had just started working a month ago and she still had not gotten used to the redhead’s belief in the importance of discipline at work. The new waitress shook her head at Nina, denying that she did not have her phone with her.

“I left it in my locker, Ms. Stone.” She muttered.

And so, she had a taste of the red-haired woman’s penetrating gaze, which each and every one of us had always tried to avoid. Nina had that way of looking at people as if she could see right through them.

Even though I was not the receiver of that look, I still shuddered at the memory when I was also given the same kind of piercing look. In my case, I felt as though I was so small that she could crush me anytime she decided to press me between her fingers.

Nina walked right in front of Lily until there was only an inch of space between the two of them. She looked right into the newcomer’s eyes and it still held the same intensity.

“If I ever catch you take that phone out of your pocket, I would grab it from you and flush it down the toilet. Do you understand?” Nina warned the new waitress.

All Adams could do was nod at Nina and it was the signal for Nina to go back to work. I almost snickered when I saw the newbie as she swallowed so heavily as if she had successfully removed the intangible object obstructing her throat.