The Waitress and the Wolf (Book 1 of The Guardian series)

Chapter 2. Appearances

"Venus, mind taking out the trash before Marge kills me?" Moira called as she handed a soda to a little kid at a booth. I rolled my eyes at her. "Sure, but you'll owe me," I told her with a sinister grin. She gulped nervously and turned her back to me to finish handing out her drinks. 

Every time Moira, Will or I had something to do and we asked the other to do it, they always owed something in return, and you had to do it. One time I asked Will to wash the dishes and in return he made me serve a party of 12 little girls for a birthday party. I'd never seen that many pink sparkles on a dress. 

I walked to the trash, hauled it out of the can and began to walk to the back. Opening the door, I dragged the huge trash behind me and came to the dumpster. I hauled it over my shoulder, and prepared to throw it.

"Venus?"

But instead, I jumped and the bag fell over my head, trashes of all kinds drowning me. I fell on the ground, my nostrils filling with the scent of week old pasta. 

I grabbed a banana peel off my head, and flung it behind me, then wiped off the ketchup from my face. "Do you mind?" I hissed, getting up. I looked at the stranger, and felt myself do a double take.

"Demetri? W-what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise. He looked me up and down. Oh great, I probably smelt like crap, and just about had the looks to match. He wore a black shirt, with a black jacket, some dark jeans and dark boots. His dark eyes met mine. Meanwhile I wore a dress that had now had yesterday's lunch smeared all over. 

"I wanted to check up and make sure you were alright," He said, looking me from head to toe. My face began to heat up faster than a burrito in a microwave. I was a complete mess.

"I'm just peachy," I stated with a blank face. "Oh, sorry," he walked over and reached for my hair. I studied him in awe. He seemed so confident, unwavering. I was awkward, and covered in old food. He brushed my cheek, and grabbed a shrimp from my hair. If that wasn't embarrassing I didn't know what was. I just wanted the ground to swallow me up right here.

Anxiously, I bent down to start picking up the mess. 

"I also wanted to ask you something," He said, as he bent down at my side. I gave him a look.

"Did you get a yesterday? From someone?" He asked. I said nothing, feeling my palms begin to sweat. What if Demetri really was apart of a gang? And I knew something I wasn't supposed to know?! Oh God, he could totally kill me right here, right now. 

"What do you mean?" I asked, avoiding the real question. He sighed and stood up. I did the same, throwing away the cans and food into the dumpster. 

"Just a phone call."

I didn't answer.

"You can tell me, it's okay," he ushered, coming closer. I took a step back as he did. His chiseled jaw clenched. A tingle ran down my spine as I looked him in the eye. He frowned and studied me. At his words, my heart beat slowed down and I didn't feel the urge to run.

"Yes," I told him. "It was, the guy was freaking out, like really freaking out. And the two guys he mentioned were the ones that I seated at a table, and then in the alley . . ." I trailed off, unsure if I should be telling him this.

He nodded as he clenched his jaw. "Thank you," He said, looking at the ground, as if trying to solve some sort of a math problem in his head. 

"Are you alright?" I asked him. My questioned seemed to stun him. He stared at me in shock before his dazed look returned.

"Yes," he said, but he cast me one last glance before he began to walk away. "Wait!" I called out. He froze, and lightly turned his head to look at me. "I . . . I still have more questions about last night .  . ." I revealed, looking down at the ground.