THE OTHER SIDE. aa

drei.

     THE RESTAURANT STOOD tall and proud underneath the darkness that blanketed the whole sky. its bright neon sign bested the stars that twinkled and the lampposts that were dimly lighted along the sidewalks. you took a shaky breath in hopes of calming your nerves, reading the sign that was colorfully displayed at the top again and again.

     meer unter sternen, you read. you liked the restaurant's name when you first found out about the place, which meant 'sea under stars'. it fits with the restaurant's main dishes and theme; which were plates of seafood and galore. the name was aesthetically pleasing and a change of pace from the other restaurants downtown with the french language that showed off how luxurious it is, serving a meat and red wine to their rich customers.

     you sighed to yourself and got rid of the creases on your casual clothes, trying to get rid of your nerves and anxiousness. even if you had already worked there for more than two years, you were still awkward and shy whenever you were talking to the customers and your co-workers. reiner wondered why you chose to work as a waiter if you were going to be shy all the time, especially since your job needed to communicate with strangers. it did pass your mind once in a while but you also had an answer every time.

     the pay wasn't that bad but it was enough to get by for a month. your parents were already paying your college fees and bills so you manage the rent and groceries yourself. you also wanted to see what it would be like to live alone and work for yourself without relying too much to your parents. how could you learn if you wouldn't try? living alone was tiring and new at first, but at least you managed to keep yourself alive since then. reiner, upon hearing your reasons, insisted that he'd help you in communicating with the customers more despite declining his offer.

     it was hard to follow at first but reiner and your other friends helped you in the process. you managed to improve bit by bit (but you were still anxious) but they were all proud of your small success like parents on a graduation day. you were glad to see that they cared enough about you and your little flaws; just thinking about it made you tear up.

      you checked your watch on your wrist, eyes widening when you saw you were already a minute late. groaning, you pushed the glass doors open and trudged inside the building before heading to the employee's room. you quickly placed your bag on your locker once you entered, changing to your uniform in less than three minutes.

     "y/n!" a co-worker greeted with a warm smile as you fix your hair to a simple hairstyle, "your table for today is four, six, and eleven!" you nodded and smiled, grabbing your notepad and pen from your locker. you exhaled deeply as you squared your shoulders, attempting to calm your nervous heart down and gain some courage. you pushed the door that separates you from the restaurant, a welcoming smile that you practiced multiple times already plastered on your face.

     you looked around and sighed in relief when the restaurant wasn't packed, unlike the past few nights. you immediately walked towards table eleven, the only table in your list that was occupied.

     "hello! i'm y/n, y-you're waiter for today!" you greeted, too cheerful for your own taste. "is everyone ready to order?"

     you head back to the kitchen and give their orders to the chef with a shaky voice, slightly thankful that you managed to get their order without asking them to repeat it, unlike last time. you shook your hands and breathed in and out repeatedly when more and more people started to dine in late in the night.

     time passed by as you take their orders, serve them their food and give them their receipts. it was the first time that you managed to serve them without messing up badly, your only mistake was stuttering a bit (like almost every day).