Chapter Two
10:03 am, 22nd May 2015, Bristol, United Kingdom
“Hey pretty boy, come here!” Paxton calls out to me from his usual table. He and I have become good friends after I helped him from being mugged outside of our diner. It could have turned into a romantic love story just like the movies if he were a woman, eh? Still, it formed a firm friendship between us. He and his little group have been coming in this diner almost regularly ever since. I sometimes even help them in their studies and according to them I’m a genius and I should get into the school with them. But they all know that’s literally visionary for me. Go figure! That doesn’t keep them from coming up with various suggestions though. They even think I would be great at marketing industry. Yeah! That sure sounds like a pretty good idea but that’s rather illusory as far as I’m concerned. Nevertheless, I feel blessed to find such friends, I don’t even fit in their group yet they made me one of them. They were the only people who were always generous towards me without any selfish motives since I came here. They even helped me mingling with the crowd and become somewhat outgoing.
“Hey big boy, I’ll take the usual!” Bethany purrs and I roll my eyes. Bethany Taylor technically is the owner of the diner I work in. This diner is one of her father’s many businesses. She’s been hitting on me from the day I started working here. She doesn’t have anything to do here. Still, she comes here every day to mess with my head. She’s immensely pretty with her big brown eyes and long tanned legs. But she’s boss’s little daughter and I don’t want any trouble. Oh sure I’m a guy; but not the one whose gray cells are always connected to his groin when it comes to girls.
“Hey Paxy!” I acknowledge him placing their orders on the table. “Don’t Paxy me Dom. You know how I hate the name!” He says fuming.
“Exactly!” I say priggishly. Paxton’s mother has always called him Paxy and he always hated it. According to him Paxy sounds very gay; but his mother never listened. He eventually got used to her calling him that. But other than his mother whoever dares calling him the name, he goes all vile and vicious on them.
“Whatever! Anyways, this is Jason, a friend of my sister’s.” He says motioning to the smug looking blonde guy sitting beside him.
“Hey mate!” he nods in my direction. I acquiesce smiling politely never leaving his dark gaze. “Actually one of Jason’s friends needs a place to stay and since he’s staying with my sister and you mentioned that you needed a roommate, I thought it would be best if she stays with you.” Paxton spouts. I look at the guy named Jason and try sizing him up.
“Where is she from?” I ask him directly.
“We both are from Yorkshire, came here to do our internships.” He answers in his peculiar accent. I think for a while about all the complications of living with a totally unknown person, especially with a girl. But getting to share the costs of the apartment with someone is quite tempting for me at the time. So shrugging all the “what if”-s off, I nod my head; yes. Jason’s expression turns into relief.
“Okay! She’ll move in tomorrow morning then. Only if that’s fine by you?” he asks. “Cool!” I say turning around to leave their table.
“Do you fancy going out with us tonight, mate?” Jason asks suddenly.
“Nope! I gotta go work after my shift ends here.”
“Come on dude! It’s Friday!” Paxton says exasperated. I do understand his exasperation, but skipping work wouldn’t do any good to my already broken financial condition.
“I know I know! But I seriously can’t make it tonight. There are some works pending at Joey’s. But we could go out after you guys are done with your semesters and I could also save some money by then. What say?”
Mr. Anderson enters the diner and motions for me to join the cash counter; making our conversation hanging. With him it’s always like this; he without exception comes and goes as he pleases and he’s continually annoyed with something or someone, particularly me. I don’t really understand what I ever did to offend him.
“You get paid to serve the customers; not to chit-chat.” He says glaring at me. I fight a scowl.
You’re the manager so why don’t you ever do your own duty instead of lounging around with your stinking butt! I think in my mind but don’t say anything. Nodding I settle at the counter.
The guys come to pay and I ask Paxton the same thing I asked before Mr. Anderson came strolling in. He sighs, “Fine! But you better not forget or I’ll drag you out of your house if need be.” I nod and control my urge to roll eyes.
They leave the diner and I get back to work.