Windows on the World (OLD VERSION) [BEING REWRITTEN]

[⁴] ᵍⁱʳˡˢ ʷᵃⁿᵗᵉᵈ

Phoebe hurried the drinks up and took them to the girls so she could reach Walter right after he was seated at the bar.

"You look distressed." Was the first thing he said to her.

"I am." Phoebe nudged her head in Kaylee's direction.

"Oh-oh. Some kind of nemesis?"

"Mhm," she mumbled. "This is a strange hour for you to be here." Phoebe pointed out to him.

"Figured I could use a little break."

Phoebe brought Walter a black coffee and a piece of almond cake that he hadn't ordered.

He didn't question it-he was aware that she was trying to make up for both his monotony and her past discourtesy.

Instead, he enjoyed the cake and finished it all, hoping it would further calm the seas between them.

Phoebe approached him again, casually leaning back against the bar at his side.

She noticed the constant side glances from Kaylee and the occasional one from Chloe or Yasmine.

The girl grunted and scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Walter moved aside the empty coffee cup and plate to also lean on the bar, placing his elbows on it and turning his face to the side to talk to Phoebe.

"Is she that bad? Do you have a bone to pick with her?" He then smiled before suggesting another option. "Or is it more like this senseless feud between us?

She pouted, then answered the most honest thing she could muster.

"Let's just say I'd pick you over her any day."

His eyes magnified as his eyebrows went up, almost not believing what he'd just heard.

"That's saying something." He chuckled. "We should team up and rub it in her face, then." Walter went through his wallet, getting out two bills, each a hundred dollars. He made sure to leave discreetness out of the picture this time.

Phoebe couldn't hold back the indulgent grin on her face while accepting the money. This time she took it with pleasure if it meant making Kaylee mad.

But when she went back to her with the bill, Kaylee's reaction hadn't been what she was expecting.

"Why are you still here?" Phoebe asked, annoyed that she was lingering after paying—and omitting the tip. "What do you want?"

Kaylee looked around.

"I'm considering working here. I heard they're still looking to restaff."

Phoebe's jaw dropped.

One would think that Kaylee, who came off as a wealthy, spoiled girl wouldn't need to work. But as Jenny had let her know, Kaylee didn't come from money. Very few people at the school actually did. Fact was, most of them didn't even live in lower Manhattan—they couldn't afford it. Stuyvesant only meant good grades, not money.

Either way, Kaylee wasn't exactly short of it either, not at Phoebe's level, for sure. Her clothes weren't Chanel, but they weren't hand-me-downs. Unlike the ripped jeans and worn-out The Who t-shirt Phoebe had been wearing that day.

"We manage just fine without you. There are other restaurants you can look at."

"You think I didn't see the tip that man just gave you? I wanna make that kind of money too."

"Well, you can't. At least not with him. He's mine." Phoebe glanced at him in the distance. He made a wink in her direction, completely oblivious as to what was going down. Phoebe shook her head in return, letting him know things were bad. But she wouldn't easily give in. "And the feeling's mutual."