I was looking for a Job, not Love! (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Twenty: Reconsider as Friends

(Chapter Twenty: Reconsider as Friends.)

"Good afternoon, Hindi ba sinabi ko na wag na kayong bumalik dito?" Pinanliitan ni Iziriah nang mata ang dalawang customer, na sa tingin nya ay suki sa café na ito.

"W-waah! Izi-chan!" Sabi nung lalaki at akmang lalapitan sya pero binigyan lamang sya nang waitress nang Masamang tingin at akmang hahatawin sya nang tray na hawak nya.

"Close ba tayo?" She snarled, "Take a seat if you're here for the food, I'll kick your ass if you're here to flirt!" And tumalikod na sya papunta sa counter.

Nakasalubong nya naman si Sylvia sa daan.

"Hmm? Iziriah, mukhang bad trip ka a." Sabi nito at tinitigan lamang sya nang babaeng may kulay blue at pink na buhok.

>////<!!

"H-hindi naman sa may pakialam ako, bahala ka na nga dyan!" At nag-walk out na ito papunta sa bagong dating na customers.

Nang makarating na sya sa counter, naabutan nya naman si Kayden at Sean na nagluluto, habang si Raven naman ay nakaupo nanaman sa stool.

"Uhm..." Iziriah fidgeted nervously. May gusto syang sabihin sa manager, pero hindi nya lang masabi dahil... Dahil... Sa totoo lang hindi nya alam kung ano ang dahilan.

?___?

"Do you want to say something, Iziriah-chan?" Tingin sakanya ni Kayden na tumigil sa paghiwa nang ingredient.

"U-uh... No-- I mean. Haayy. Actually yes." She looked away, her cheeks heating up slightly.

"What is it?" Tanong naman ni Sean habang si Raven ay nanatiling nakatingin sakanya.

"H-hindi ba nagagalit ang mga customer dahil ganito ang ugali ko sakanila? I believe customers were supposed to be satisfied... Yet here I am, treating them like the garbage they are." Sabi ni Iziriah at nagkatinginan naman yung tatlo.

"Iziriah. Come and meet me at my office." At tumayo na si Raven.

Iziriah glanced at the cooks and followed the manager nonetheless. Pagkapasok nya sa isang kwarto, which is yung office, agad syang pinaupo ni Raven.

"Listen here, Iziriah. I know that customers deserves the best care, but then, just like what I told you, this café is not just your ordinary café." Panimula ni Raven at ngumiti nang kaunti kay Iziriah na hindi man lang nagbago ang bagot na mukha, kahit na sa kaloob-looban ni Iziriah, sobrang nagi-guilty sya at nalulungkot dahil sa way nang pakikitungo nya sa mga customers. She feels like hell! "You are not the only one who felt like this, almost everyone did, especially Aria." Dagdag pa nito.

"In this café, you don't need to think what they are thinking about you, all you need to do is to do your job. There is a specific attitude in every character, waitress and waiter and once they had stepped in my café, they MUST be aware that in this anime haven, there is a lot of people with different personalities, and all they can do is to love, adore and enjoy my waitresses' and waiters' attitiude, whether they like it or not. And the thing that makes this café extraordinary, is the various and different kind attitudes of my waitress and waiters." Raven smiled slightly.

By this time, pinipigilan ni Iziriah ang mga luha na nagbabantang bumagsak mula sa kanyang mga mata. Somehow... Somewhere in his gentle and enlightening voice, it lift her spirit up and cleared all the frustrations in her head.

Ayaw nya man aminin, napakalma ni Raven ang naguguluhan nyang isipan, kahit na itinuturing nya itong mortal na kaaway kahit na sya ang kanilang manager, (hindi pa kasi nakaka-move on si Iziriah kung paano sya pwersehang bitbitin papunta sa café). Pero kahit na ganun, thankful pa rin sya dahil nagkaroon na sya nang trabaho, well part time job.

"So don't let these raw emotions get the best of you, instead use them as a fuel, a booster, to surpass every challenges that comes along in your way." He finished, looking at the now sniffing waitress in front if him. For the first time, she let her guard down, she let herself look vulnerable in front of her mortal enemy, well what can she do? He broke her walls easily, breaking them down effortlessly, the wall that she built to keep herself safe and isolated, she let him saw her vulnerable state, so raw... Fragile... So tender and gentle.

Tumayo si Raven sa kanyang upuan at dahan dahang pinulupot ang kanyang mga bisig kay Iziriah.

"T-thank you... Raven." Kumalas na si Raven sa yakap at tiningnan si Iziriah na nagpupunas nang kanyang mukha gamit ang panyo nya.

'This is the first time that she called me my name...' Hindi alam ni Raven kung bakit, pero parang may nangyari sa loob nang tiyan nya, para bang nagra-rumble ang mga ito nang marining nya ang kanyang pangalan na banggitin ni Iziriah. Biglang bumilis ang tibok nang puso nya, sobrang lakas, to the point na natatakot na si Raven na baka marinig ni Iziriah ang maingay nyang puso.

"Y-you're welcome, Iziriah." Gustong sapakin ni Raven ang sarili nya nang nautal sya,

'Dammit! Keep it together Raven!'

Tumunghay na si Iziriah, Medyo namumula ang mga pisngi at ilong dahil sa pag-iyak, walang nagbago sa bagot at malamig na mukha, ngunit ang dati nyang malamig at walang kabuhay-buhay na mata, kahit papaano ay nagkaroon nang sigla't saya.

Tumayo na si Iziriah at naglakad papunta sa pintuan, pero bago sya umalis, lumingon sya kay Raven na matamang nakatitig sakanya.

"You're not as bad as I thought you are, and I might reconsider you as a stranger..." She smiled slightly, cold eyes warming lightly.

"Stranger? Now why is that?" Raven asked, amusement lacing in his husky voice.

"... So that I could introduce myself to you again and maybe... Just maybe, have a new fresh start... As friends." And with that, she closed the door, leaving her bewildered manager behind as he slumped in his chair, looking blown by the blue and pink haired girls' natural attitude.

0_____0

"D-did she... Did she want to be friends with me??" Slowly... A smile started to stretch into his face.

^____^

"Haaay. Iziriah Clover Enderson...  She's one crazy waitress. Damn."