5

Laura

"Hey, Laura," Kate greeted as she walked in and I answered with a nod.

"You look different. I would say you look bright," Andrew said with a scoff and my cheeks flushed.

I knew conversations with them meant no good and for the first time, I wished Peter was around.

"I..." I let out an awkward smile before I continued. "I look the same." I took off the gloves in my hands and dumped them in the trash can.

Kate had moved closer to me and as I turned back around, I almost bumped into her.

She intensely stares at me with her breath fanning my face but I couldn't move away from her. I held my breath while she stared.

She trailed her finger across my face and rubbed my cheeks.

"Why are your cheeks flushed?" she finally spoke.

"That's just..." I coughed, almost choking on my spit. "That's just how my cheeks are."

"Come on, Kate. Let the poor girl be. Her shift is almost over. She needs to go hang out with the deadbeat Peter." he laughed and Kate looked back at him, laughing as well.

"He's not deadbeat," I muttered and Kate, who had moved away from me, moved closer.

"You said what?"

"I doubt she said anything," Andrew chipped in.

"I said Peter isn't deadbeat!"

I glared at Kate and I could see the shock mixed with maybe anger on her face. Oh, I might have made a mistake.

"You said what again?" she dared me with a stern stare.

I glared at her with tears settling at the corners of my eyes and I hated myself for that. I cry way too much!

I was going to say something when Rick walked in.

"What's going on here?"

Kate looked away and Andrew walked towards the changing room.

"We were just having a little discussion, boss," Kate replied before walking after Andrew to the changing room.

"George, see me in my office."

I sniffled back my tears before answering. "Okay, sir."

I wiped the corner of my eyes with the back of my palm before breathing out heavily and then walking to Rick's office.

I arranged my shirt before I knocked twice. "Come in."

As I got in, his eyes were fixed on his laptop with his chin resting on the back of his palm. I looked over at him, waiting for him to notice my presence.

Then soon, he looked up from his laptop.

"Ahh. I was just wondering. I mean, I might be mistaken or seeing things but this looks like you." he said, turning the screen of his laptop to face me.

I looked away from his face to the screen of the laptop and gasped at the sight before me.

"You seemed as shocked as I am. So I'll guess. That's not you."

I was trembling in my stance with my hands placed above my mouth.

"I'm...I'm sorry."

"I mean, would you do a thing knowing it was wrong? Obviously, working another job with mine is not allowed. Did you read the employee's guide?"

"Yes...yes...I did."

My heart was beating heavily and my palms were beginning to sweat.

"You know what happens when you have another job aside from working at the diner?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good."

"I'd like to have your vest and your ID before you leave," he said before returning to his screen.

"Please..." he stopped me by raising his hand.

I felt defeated and I must have been insane to think things were going well with me after just a kiss. I almost thought the universe was finally on my side and that miraculously after the kiss with Adlan, after meeting someone as wealthy as he was, I could have a shot at life. I was stupid to think that.

After leaving Rick's office, I walked by Kate and Andrew and the smirk on their faces pierced through my skin. They knew something about this. They blew my cover.

I wiped the tears in my eyes, walking to the changing room. I dropped my ID card and vest before taking a defeated walk out of the diner.

"Laura," Peter called as I bumped into him by the doorway. "Are you..." I walked away before he completed his statement.

As I got home, I rushed to my bed and soaked myself in my tears. If I had no power over the jobs I do, at least, I have the power over my tears.

****

The loud buzzing of my phone woke me. I groaned and turned in bed and at that time, a migraine kicked in.

"Arghh!!" I groaned.

I looked outside my window and it was already pitch black. I checked my phone to see the caller and I saw it was Adlan.

I shut my eyes before picking up the call at sitting up in bed.

"Hey," I said.

"Can you step out for a while?"

"What?"

"I'm outside your place."

My eyes jerked fully awake and I jumped out of bed to the window at the other side of my room and truly, his car was parked outside.

I dropped the call and rushed outside.

"Hey." he greeted.

"Get in the car!"

"Why do you always show up unannounced?"

"I have called several times and I dropped a text. I told you I was on my way."

"You did?"

I checked my phone and saw tons of calls from him.

"I was totally knocked out."

"What did you do today?"

"I huhm...well...nothing. How about you?"

"I did nothing. I was unproductive. My day was slow. The board meetings were killing me. I wanted an escape but I needed to check the samples of our products."

I sighed.

I guess I wasn't the only one who had it rough today.

"What's wrong though?"

He stared at me and then held my hands in his hands. I stared at his hands then at his face then the next words that slipped out of his tongue caught me by surprise.

"Marry me."