Beloved Evil

TWO

Tara looked after the man until he disappeared from her sight. The unknown feeling was still pressing down upon her, but she didn't remember why or when it had come. She had spoken normally with the man as he had drunken his coffee. Why did she suddenly feel like this? And why had he apologized? She shook her head, trying to get rid of the headache that was suddenly forming.

"Why do I never get the hot costumers?" Nettie asked as she appeared by her side, looking out the door even though the man was completely gone.

Tara didn't answer.

"Are you okay?" Nettie asked, waving a hand in front of her friend's face.

Tara cleared her throat and picked up the almost full cup of coffee that the man had been drinking.

"Yeah, just have a headache," she said as she walked to the kitchen to give the cup to the young boy who handled the dirty dishes.

Nettie followed her stubbornly, sending Cal an apologetic look as he passed them and rolled his eyes.

"What did you talk about? Did you get his number?"

Tara wasn't in the mood for all the questions. She was stressed enough about the talk with Cal, she didn't need strange headaches or questions about hot costumers apologizing out of nowhere.

"Just small talk," she said as she spotted a family ready to order."Nothing special."

She found her notepad and walked over to the table, hearing Nettie mumble something about missing her chances behind her, but Tara ignored her. She put on her best smile and got back to work, but the headache didn't disappear, not even after she was forced to take some aspirin. The pain just kept banging against her skull, like someone was trying to get out of there, and it didn't help that her shift moved by slower than she thought possible.

When the clock neared midnight almost all of the guests had gone home. A couple was sitting in a corner booth and a man was sitting alone at the bar drinking a beer. Tara was just about to jump with excitement when she saw the couple pay the bill and leave, but then she remembered that even after all the guests had left, she still had to speak to Cal.

"Shit," she mumbled as she cleaned one of the tables.

"What are you cursing about?"

Tara turned around and saw Nettie. She had her leather jacket on and her bag swung over her shoulder.

Nettie clearly saw how Tara's face fell.

"I'll stay here if you want," she offered. "Until you've spoken with Cal."

But Tara smiled and shook her head.

"Thanks, but you really don't have to. I just need to get it over with."

"You sure?"

Tara nodded and Nettie accepted. She gave her friend a quick hug before waving at Cal, telling him she would see him tomorrow. As she walked out the door, her back to Cal, she pretended to stick two fingers down her throat and throw up. Tara couldn't hide her laugh, but she quickly continued cleaning the table when Cal sent her a confused look. 

As the clock neared one, the last guest finally stumbled out of his seat. Tara knew that the last bus to her apartment left in about twenty minutes so she hoped that Cal would be quick about it. But deep down, she knew he would take his sweet time. He always did.

"You wanna come to my office?" Cal asked as soon as the man had walked out the door.

Tara plastered on another polite smile.

"Sure."

They walked to his office in silence. He held the door for her and as she walked in, her nose instantly filled with the smell of overheated printers and old papers.