First Angel: The Source {Goddess Class Creation Series: Book Three}

FA:TS- Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

For the next few days Dawn managed to stay perfectly busy. She still thought of Mark, but told herself that he was just toying with her. That she didn't need him. She had been fine by herself for so long. She even stayed away from her favorite spot in the park as he had found her twice there.

Now she was at the restaurant busing tables. Her hair was pulled back and braided so it was out of the way. She wore her black shirt and jeans as her uniform. An apron tied around her waist. She never bothered with makeup. She found it worthless and not worth her hard earned money.

She stayed forgotten as she worked. No one looked at the one busing tables. Thats why she took the job. People even bump into her because they don't even see her. Most never bother saying sorry. She mumbled it from time to time just to satisfy them. Never looking them in the eyes either. She wanted to stay invisible.

She stood up from wiping down a booth when someone bumped into her causing her to fall to the side and smack her hip into the hardwood floor. There were snickers from those who saw.

Soon hands were helping her up. One on her waist and another on her arms. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there." Her head snapped around to see Mark was the one who bumped into her.

She shrugged out of his hands and took a step back. "Not your fault. Sorry." She picked up the tray of dirty dishes and escaped as fast as she could.

Mark stood there stunned. He had accidentally bumped (literally) into Dawn. And she was bussing tables. He wanted to run after her, but knew it wouldn't do any good. Still, he was going to try to do something for her when he could.

"Mark?" Patience snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned and found everyone at a nearby booth. He sighed as he walked over to the table.

"Sorry." He mumbled to her.

Patience looked concerned by his low mood. "Who was that?"

He took his seat at the end of the booth. "That was Dawn. I guess she works here." He stared at the swinging doors she had vanished through. He so wanted to jump from his seat, sprint over to her through those doors, and beg her to let him in. But he wasn't going to. He was going to let her have time and go slow with her.

Patience smacked him over the back of his head. "Stop looking. You'll freak her out." He gave her a lopsided smile in thanks.

Mark looked at their party and sighed a bit. He felt only partially out of place. Next to Patience was her husband, Darius Stark. The guy he realized she was always meant to be with. Beside him was Targ. She calls him her brother because the same guy had injected them both to make them creations. It was the four of them this evening.

Mark was still Patience's friend and they would hang out once in a while. After her wedding, their friendship become stronger, more comfortable. He had to just let her go and let her be happy. And she was beyond happy now. Her job, her artwork getting its justice, and loving her husband. Mark felt at peace with the whole situation, though he was lonely. His eyes drifted for a second to the swinging doors not feeling completely alone now.

Ever since Patience's wedding to Darius, Mark just doesn't see the point in one night stands. Or just sleeping with someone. He wants what she has. He wants to find someone to really be with. Not just physically, but fully.

Mark found it funny when Darius told him what happened after Angel Kat and Darien Price married. That he was the same way as Mark is now. Mark just hoped it wouldn't take two years for him to find someone so special to him.

Mark glanced at those swinging doors and Dawn came out. He didn't looked for long as not to spook her like Patience had told him. He wondered if she was going to be that girl. That woman that could complete him. He so hoped so because thats how he felt right now. Even seeing her with barbecue sauce on her shirt.

The night stretched on and Mark stole glimpses at Dawn. Sometimes catching her eye and seeing her sharply turn away to clear off the table as fast as she could and leave the dinning room. Mark noted how fast she could go. Faster than he ever saw anyone other than a creation move before. He just shook it off and thought it was impossible. Just his imagination.

Dawn groaned internally again as she caught Mark looking at her for the hundredth time that night. She was working and he had to be staring at her. Why did her heart quicken every time their eyes met? Why was it betraying her too? She just wanted things back the way they used to be.

Dawn sighed. She had wanted that after her twenty-first birthday. She wanted her happy life back, but that wasn't possible. Not after they betrayed her. After they let that sicko violate her like that.

Dawn was carrying her tray back to the back when a man rose in front of her. She stopped like she always did in order to not bump into him accidentally. She stepped around him, but he smirked as he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her to him making her drop her tray. It cluttered to the floor making heads turn their way.

"Now where do you think you're running off to sweetheart?" He spun her around so they were facing each other.

"Please release me." She scolded up at him.

"Nah! I think I will keep you. I find your shabby look quite a turn on." He purred down to her.

Mark was watching this with clenched fists. How dare he touch her like that! He was feeling sick watching, but he couldn't help. Patience had her hand on his shoulder and stopped him when he was about to help. He so wanted to clock the guy out for the night.

"You can't take him on Mark. Not in your state of mind. Her co-workers will help her." Mark looked around and he saw none of them moving to help her. Even the manager looked like he didn't care. She was being manhandled and they didn't care!

"I demand you release me at once." Dawn cringed when she heard her old way of speaking filter through. She had managed over time not to sound like her southern bell self. But when she was really angry at a man, it slips out. She had let her revert back.

The guy raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh ho. You demand do you?" He pressed her closer to him and held the back of her head in his free hand. "And what if I don't?"

The guy jolted not breaking his hold when he saw her eyes flash and shimmer. She twisted around and out of his grip. When she twisted more, she took hold of his hand and moved it behind him getting him to grimace and fall to his knee. She pushed him away from her and marched toward the back.

The manager caught her by the arm and made her spin around to look at him. "How dare you treat a customer like that!" He didn't shout but his harsh whisper was just as strong to her ears.

"How dare I? What about him?"

"I don't care. If the customer wanted you, you should let them."

Dawn angrily took her apron off and shoved it to him. "Fine! Then you bus those tables. I quit!" She went into the back, grabbed her stuff, and marched out of the restaurant.

That wasn't the first time things like that happened to her. Those kinds of men are everywhere and they always find her. She was like a magnet for them. As a result, she learned how to defend herself from them. Since she had time, she could learn everything. Defense was the a priority.

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