O P H E L I A ' S P O V
I can't believe that Kace is actually here. It was almost surreal how I was thinking about him just a few days ago.
Sticking my tongue out the corner of my mouth, I carried the two cups of coffee to Table 9 where Kace and Mr. Morterez were seated.
"There you go, K." I sent him a small smile but it then disappeared when I realized that I called him the nickname that I used to when we were in high school.
"I meant Kace," I mumbled embarrassedly as I set the mug in front of him.
My eyes met his and he smiled at me adoringly, the smile that I always loved, "It's okay, Angel." He said softly.
I blushed at the nickname and smiled without maintaining eye contact.
Placing the other coffee in front of Mr. Morterez, I avoided eye contact once again, suddenly feeling nervous.
He was just really intimidating to me and I didn't think that will ever change. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't thinking about him for the past few days since the time I last saw him.
He was constantly on my mind and I had no idea why.
"Y-Your order, sir." I stuttered foolishly and afterward, I mentally scolded myself.
Stop stuttering Ophelia.
Making eye contact for a quick second, I saw a frown on his face as he looked at me but I quickly looked away.
See what you did? He probably thinks I'm a weirdo now.
"Oh! How rude of me. Levi, this is a friend of mine from high school– Ophelia." Kace introduced.
"We've met before." Mr. Morterez spoke.
Kace looked confused as he looked between us in which Mr. Morterez explained that I was his waitress the last time he came.
"Oh, that's great." Kace sipped his coffee. "Hey, Ophelia, why don't you sit and we can catch up on old times." He suggested.
I looked nervously in the direction of Rachel's office, "I don't know..." I squirmed under Mr. Morterez's gaze.
"If it's about your boss, I'm sure she'll understand." This time it wasn't Kace that spoke. His voice sounded gentle, soft and different from how it sounded when he was talking to anyone else.
Great, now he thinks I'm dumb.
Deciding that I would already be in trouble, I slid into the booth hesitantly, between Mr. Morterez and Kace.
I scooted closer to Kace, knowing that Mr. Morterez wouldn't want me invading his personal space.
I tried to ignore the burning glare that I felt in the centre of my head from the girls across the room.
"Angel, what have you been up to?" Kace's soft voice spoke as I looked at him.
"I-I tried calling you but you never answered." I cleared my throat at the end of the sentence as I hope that I didn't let any vulnerability seep into my tone. I can feel Mr. Morterez's gaze fixated on me.
I know that it was quite annoying that I followed Kace around in high school. I had no other friends and he was in the popular group.
He had even told me once that I needed to make my own friends.
I knew he didn't mean it in a bad way but it still hurt me.
"Don't you want to talk to me anymore?" I questioned softly.
I looked out the window when my eyes started to burn. I wished that I could stop annoying him but I felt like I needed him in my life.
I saw the guilt in his eyes as he stared back at me. He gulped before he spoke. "I'm sorry, Angel. I got a new phone, that's all. Of course, I want to talk to you." He wiped away a tear that slipped. It's the wind, I wasn't crying. Yes, the wind.
I let out a little sniffle as I wiped my nose. It was one thing letting Kace see me cry but I didn't want to be any more embarrassed by letting Mr. Morterez see me cry.
"I-I've gotta get back to work," I mumbled as I avoided eye contact with both of them.
Kace immediately got up to let me slide out as I scurried off to get back to work.
L E V I ' S P O V
I could tell from a mile away that he was lying.
Watching until Ophelia disappeared behind the closed doors, I turned my attention to Kace as he ran his hands down his face.
"You didn't actually change your phone." It came out as a statement, rather than a question in which it should've.
"Yeah, I didn't," He replied tiredly. "I just couldn't tell her that I had blocked her number," He admitted in which I rose an eyebrow.
"Why the fuck would you block her number?" Curiosity got the best out of me.
"I was young okay?" He sighed. "She would always follow me around and never made friends. It was almost unhealthy. When I switched schools, I blocked it hoping that she would just forget about me." He shook his head as he sipped his coffee.
"So let me get this straight." I relaxed in my seat trying to control an emotion trying to be set free. "Correct me if I'm wrong, will you?"
I cleared my throat before speaking again, "You were probably the only one she trusted and her only friend and instead of suggesting that she try to make more friends, you blocked her number like the pussy you are?" I asked to clarify.
"Sounds just about right." He mumbled ashamedly. "It was even more fucked considering the fact that she lived in an orphanage after her parents died and would always have nightmares. I can't imagine how she coped after I left." He ran his hand down his face again.
I sat up straighter at this, "She's an— orphan?" I questioned astonished.
"Yeah, parents died when she was 5 in a plane crash, orphanage treated her horribly." He stated.
I massaged the stubble on my chin thoughtfully at the newfound information.
If what he said is true, a few things didn't add up in my mind.
"Kace, do you know where she lives now?" I questioned thoughtfully.
He shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair, "With her situation, I wouldn't be surprised if she was on the streets." He admitted.
He shook his head before continuing, "I admit, I was young and dumb and thought that she was pulling down my life a little but I always thought of her as a little sister. But you see her now?" He tsked as he jabbed a thumb in the direction that she left.
"I mean, she always had a pretty face, believe me. But she lacked other assets. Looked like a twelve-year old in a sixteen-year old's body. Now, she's sexy as he—" I cut him off.
"Hey, watch it. Show some fucking respect," I warned him.
Not only was he talking about her like she was a piece of meat, but I didn't appreciate him looking and thinking about Ophelia in such a way or anyone for that matter.
I admitted my attraction toward her and what he was saying was really beginning to piss me off.
He obviously looked taken back as he relaxed back in his seat, his lips forming in a thin line, "You like her, don't you?" He questioned monotonously.
"That's not the fucking point, just don't talk about her in that manner in my presence, or anyone else's for that matter." I gritted out as my hands clenched in my lap tightly.
He raised his hand in surrender, "She's known me longer, I don't think she'll take too kindly to you. She's obviously afraid of you already. She'll always choose me before you in any circumstance," He challenged me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath so that I didn't pounce on the asshole in front of me. However, it isn't that simple to control my anger, especially pertaining to the topic of Ophelia.
"Stop talking about her like she's a fucking object to be won." I pointed a finger at him as I stood.
He too stood up and we both stared each other down menacingly, the tension surrounding us like a thick bubble.
I felt eyes stick on us as murmurs can also be heard throughout the diner.
"G-Guys, people are watching." We both snapped our eyes toward Ophelia who was now standing before us with a frightened expression on her face, having absolutely no idea that this had to do with her.
Sending one last glare in Kace's direction, I turned and stormed out of the diner, leaving him there to figure out how to get his own damn self home.