The War God's Woman

45. The Stormy One

Two months later...

Many things were stressful for Zahira. MANY things. They were stressful because other people didn't realise how flustered she was. Working out where to sit on a bus was stressful. She always worried about what people were thinking. If more seats became free and she was sat next to someone, was it ruder to move to a double seat on her own or was it ruder to stay sat there? What if they wanted her to move?

When her colleagues invited her out for drinks, did they want her to say yes or were they just being polite?

When she was washing dishes next to Markus at the Cafe, and they were working in silence, was he happy in the silence. Or was he angry at her and not speaking with her?

The question Zahira ended up asking herself everyday was, are they mad at me? 

It was her constant biggest fear, people being angry with her.

The café, Eros and Psyche, was chaotically busy that day. Zahira weaved between customers, her head bowed down, smiling shyly and apologising in a small squeaky voice.

"Sorry. Sorry. Excuse me, sorry. Here's your drink, sorry." She wasn't even sure why she apologised as she handed the drinks over, she just did out of fear. The customers thanked her without looking up, and Zahira breathed more easily, happy with the interaction.

"Trouble, can you help me with this table." Cesar called, headed for a table that was laden with a previous customer's rubbish and where fresh people already wanted to sit.

"Yep!" Zahira responded eagerly.

"Here, you take this and this." He filled a tray for her, so that he had space to wipe the table clean. Zahira carried the rubbish into the kitchen and smiled softly as she did so. Cesar had given her the nickname Trouble when she'd first started. It was an ironic name. Zahira liked it. She liked Cesar; he was less scary than the others.

There was a stir in the café, signalling that one of the cafes' 'attractions' had walked in. Zahira was slicing a cake but she glanced up to watch the Star Immortal's entrance. Orion walked in as if he owned place and girls cooed excitedly. 

He was beautiful. As beautiful as the stars in the sky.

"You keep coming back." Jaz, the café's manager, commented – not sounding particularly thrilled.

"I find myself missing your coffee cake." Orion replied, in a deliciously smooth voice. Orion smiled cheekily and Zahira wondered how Jaz's knees didn't go weak.

Zahira thought that the city's new top celebrity was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He stopped in front of her and waited for her to serve him.

"Errr..." Zahira's mind had gone blank for words.

"A slice of coffee cake, please." He requested. Zahira blushed.

"Sorry."

He frowned.

"You don't have coffee cake?"

"No, we do."

"So, you're sorry because...?"

"Nothing, sorry." She apologised again. 

She awkwardly manoeuvred a large slice of coffee cake onto a plate and handed it to him. Their eyes met as she passed over the plate.