Chapter Two

SELENA'S POV

   "Enjoy", I beamed at the customer. He got the cup from me, his fingers brushing against mine slightly.

Irritated shiver

   "Are the straws free?", he asked as he pointed at the stack of straws next to the cash register.

   "Yes", I nodded.

   "Are numbers also free?", he winked at me coyly.

This idiot.

I held myself from giving him a very big eye roll.

   "I'm sorry I don't understand", I smiled.

Maybe if I acted oblivious, he could leave me alone.

   "Just wanted to know if you had plans this night"

Nope, never lucky.

Should I use the savage card.

Nah, he's not worth it; mentally looking him from head to toe; well..... abdomen, sensing he's on a stool.

   "I have plans"

Plans of snuggling on my bed while binge watching episodes of Tale of the Nine Tailed, Lee Dong Wook really knows how to hit the eye.

   "That's a shame, really hope I could spare some of my time for a pretty girl like you", he laughed at his attempt of a joke.

   "Heh..heh", I chuckled awkwardly with him giving him a weird smile.

Now, get out.

   "Maybe next time?", he asked.

I laughed even harder this time before giving him a straight faced 'no'.

He was shooketh, sorry shocked, maybe not used to being turned down.

Pity

I flashed one of my beautiful smiles again before saying, "Thank you for stopping by at Nico's Cafe, come back again....."

Never come back again.

   "And have a great day "

I can't be bothered.

He winked at me as he strolled out of the café leaving my smile to fade into a scowl of disgust.

That's the eleventh guy in three days, probably even more, but hey.. who's counting.

I glanced at the clock and cursed, realizing that that that weirdo had eaten into six minutes of my lunch break.

A solid six minutes!!

What?.... I like to savour my meals.

I headed into the employee locker room after telling a colleague to take the next shift.

Grabbing my bag from my locker, I opened it and removed a half eaten bag of potato chips and a small flask of mom's soothing camomile tea.

I know right.... Who drinks camomile tea with potato chips.

Potato DNA, I'm I right.

I need a life.

I took a sip of my tea and stuffed a few chips in my mouth when my phone rang earning me a frustrated sigh.

I removed my phone from my pocket and looked at the Caller ID, unknown number.

I swear, if it's one of those guys.......

   "Yeoboseyo?", I held myself from snickering. This is one of the times I wondered if I was built different, how I would turn out.

But, it's not my fault...... I watch too many Kdrama series. But

   "Hello?", the person on the other end said with a hint of panic in her voice.

   "Who is this?", I put more chips in my mouth.

   "I'm Layla, we live on the same building, my apartment is opposite yours", she said briskly.

No need for introduction....I know I asked who she was.

   "There's a problem"

   "If it's the landlord, tell him I said I paid and that he should....."

   "Is not the landlord......it's....."

††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††

   "Nico!", I said as I saw him, my boss standing by the door of the storage room with a clipboard in his hands.

He turned to me slightly to take in my presence then returned his attention to the clipboard.

   "Ummm.... Nico... I-I wanted to ask if I could skip the remaining part of my shift, s-something u-urgent just came up", I stuttered.

I wasn't one to get nervous easily but right now my mind was in turmoil. I have to leave this place now..... I...I can't lose my mom.

   "I promise to make up for the shift, please"

He finally brought his face back to me, his eyes some sort of emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on, but now's not the time for that.

Nico is a good guy, I know he'll understand my reasons and let me be.

   "Sure", he muttered causing a small smile to flash across my face.

I whispered a thank you and turned to leave, when I heard....

   ".... And while you're at it, don't bother coming back"

I'm trying not to believe if I heard that statement well or if it was being directed to me, but either way I stopped in my tracks.

Turning slowly to meet the lowered head of Nico.

   "No", I whispered shaking my head slowly at him.

   "I'm so sorry, Selena"

   "You're f-firing me?..... because.....", I trailed off but pointed my finger slowly at the door.

   "No, it's not that", his eyes widened then he took a deep breath like he was fighting with himself to say what he had in mind.

   "Selena, I've been getting a lot of complaints since you started working here.....", he palmed his forehead.

   "Customers, especially female customers have been complaining that you are taking too much attention from their respective boyfriends and husbands, they wanted you removed or they'll never come to the café again"

I balled my hands into fists by my side.

   "Look Selena, you're a really good employee and friend but I'm really sorry I have to let you go if I want to make my business thrive and I really need that to happen"

   "You can't fire me Nico, please I need this job... okay you can remove me from the counter...umm..I could work any other place that doesn't have to get me involved with customers.... please Nico", I pleaded desperately.

Desperately?.... what that the right word?.....I mean..I am desperate.

Desperate for a job

Desperate for a life

Desperate to be put out of my misery

Desperate to bathe in the feeling and comfort of not having to wake up to any duties or responsibilities.

I chuckled bitterly as I ran my hand through my hair as I briskly walked out of the café.

If I wasn't in such a bad mood, before leaving the café, I should have yelled..

   "You people wouldn't know true beauty even if it hit you in the face, learn to appreciate it"

It would have been fun to get a couple weird stares and glares from the customers.

....

I quickly walked towards the reception in the hospital with a stressed out look on my face.

   "Samantha Brando!", I blurted out scaring the nurse a bit.

   "Room 431", she gulped.

C'mon, I didn't look that scary

Tell that to your face....or your hair.

Thanking her, I ran to the nearest elevator bumping into someone on the way.

   "Sorry!", I yelled without looking back and getting into the elevator.

....

Getting out from the elevator, I searched for the room 431 and barged into it to find my mom sleeping on the bed with tubes attached to her, an oxygen mask on her face...her beautiful frail face.

I slowly walked up to her not even knowing what to do. I found my hand slowly finding its way towards her hair as I gently stroke it.

I snapped by head towards the sound made by someone clearing their throat. It was the doctor I didn't notice had been standing there for a while.

   "I'm sorry... I'm her daughter", I extended my hand to the doctor for a handshake which he accepted.

   "Miss Marano, a word if I may", he nodded towards the door. I nodded my head, with one more look at my mom's sleeping figure, I followed the doctor to his office.

....

I sat on a stool beside my mother's bed, my mind wrapped around so many things.

The doctor told me that she has a heart condition and needed immediate treatment but the treatment caused fifty thousand dollars and I don't have that kind of money.

The last money I had was used for rent and I just lost my job. I couldn't get a loan from because of certain reasons and even if I was able to get a loan, I would be indebt for the rest of my life.

Normally, normal people would be crying by now but weird potato people like me didn't, instead a small smile tugged at my lips.

I haven't cried eversince I was six years old and I must say it has brought me this far, for someone of my personality, I would have been a broken mess.

   "I'll save you mom, I'll do everything in my power to get you that money so you can be well again", I whispered softly to her sleeping form.

Burying my face in my palms, I muttered under my breath, "Even if it means going back to the devil"