Chapter 3

"And you're sure you don't mind?" I sighed, looking at Tori with shameful eyes.

Tori scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Of course not. We work the same days anyway, I'd just have to come in thirty minutes early." Tori shrugged.

When Tori found out I planned to walk thirty minutes to and from work, she insisted to giving me a ride everyday. I wasn't used to people wanting to help me, so the gesture made me feel like crap.

"Let me at least give you gas money every week." I frowned, fidgeting with the tight uniform we were forced to wear.

While my Saturday was spent completing the project Alec and Kade refused to do, today was Sunday and my first day of work.

The first half of the day was rather slow, but the people in this town seemed to tip well. I seemed to fare well, only spilling things on myself rather than everyone else.

I was thankful the uniforms consisted of a black t-shirt with the restaurants logo and a pair of tight black slacks. All of my spills were unnoticeable on the black shirt. My chocolate hair cascaded in waves down my back.

Tori and I stepped back inside the restaurant, our thirty minute break had just ended.

I peeked my head from the kitchen doors and looked out at the restaurant. It was around 5 p.m. and there were a lot more people coming in the front door. My shift ended in two hours and I was counting the minutes until I could fall right into bed.

My heart nearly stopped when Kade and Alec came through the doors with Grace and another beautiful girl. I felt a strange sharp pain radiate through me at the sight of them with two girls, but I shoved that deep down. Now wasn't the time for my stupid conflicting feelings. They approached the hostess and I audibly groaned when she placed them in my section.

Kade and Alec looked even more delectable outside of school. Kade wore a black sweater rolled up to his elbows, a pair of dark jeans, and some black boots. Alec wore nearly the same thing, but he had a leather jacket thrown on top. I caught myself gawking at them and scolded myself. The last thing I needed was to go all doe eyed and play right into their game.

I watched in confusion when Kade's eyes scanned the room, stopping when he noticed my head peeking out from the kitchen doors. A smirk formed on his perfectly chiseled face when he caught my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Tori frowned, peeking out the door.

I sighed, "Kade and Alec of course."

"I don't know what you did to get on their radar, but I feel for you." Tori shook her head with a sad chuckle.

I grimaced down at my hands, "I didn't do anything. I ran into them one time by mistake and they decided to make my life hell."

"I'd tell you to go to the principal but they seem to have everyone wrapped around their fingers." Tori frowned at me.

I sighed and quit complaining. They wanted a reaction and I refused to give them one. I wasn't interested in playing their games. All I needed was to hold out until I turned eighteen next February and I would be out of this little town.

"Do you want me to wait on them?" Tori asked.

I shook my head, "Nah, they'll never let me live it down."

I let out one more sigh and chuckled when Tori gave me two thumbs up and an encouraging smile.

"Here we go." I mumbled to myself.

I could feel all four of their eyes on me as I approached the table they sat at.

I plastered a fake smile on my face and kept my eyes on the girls. I wanted to look at the twin's as little as possible. Grace sat along side Kade while Alec had a beautiful raven haired girl on his side.

"Hi, I'm Aurora and I'll be your server today." I nearly grimaced as Grace shot me with a sneer. "Can I get you anything to drink this evening?"

"Aurora. What kind of name is that?" The raven haired girl snickered, causing Grace to let out a nasal laugh.

I kept my smile in place and stared at the two.

"I'll take water." Grace sighed, "But I'm going to need something a lot stronger if I have to look at your freaky eyes for too long."

I couldn't fathom what was so 'freaky' about my condition. Was it really that weird to have two different colored eyes? Rare yes, freaky no. Having one brown eye and one blue eye made it nearly impossible to find a color that suited me perfectly. Inconvenient? Definitely.

I couldn't help but glance at Kade and Alec, almost grimacing at the stupid smirks that were on their faces.

The twin's ordered sodas, while the girls ordered water. I practically ran from the table and helped two others in my section. Finally, I rushed to the back to grab them their drinks.

Before I could run back out, I was stopped by Tori and one of the cooks, Kyle.

"How's it going with the twins?" Tori asked, a frown playing on her lips as she glanced out into the seating area.

I rolled my eyes, "Always pleasant when dealing with them.

"Whose always pleasant?" Kyle appeared beside me and draped his arm over my shoulder. I felt myself stiffen. Kyle was one of those guys who flirts with every girl he sees and has absolutely no concept regarding personal space.

I laughed at the number of times Tori had to tell him to get away from her in one afternoon. I never thought I'd be on the receiving end of his attention.

Kyle was definitely attractive. He had sun kissed hair that swooped across his head in a superman type hairstyle. His nose was sharp and spattered with freckles. He looked like a surfer in Cali rather than a cook in Georgia.

"Why do you feel the need to put your grubby hands all over everyone?" Tori huffed, placing her hands on her hips while she stared at Kyle accusingly.

Kyle smirked and tightened his arm around my shoulders, and I could feel my face turn red.

"Alright, alright." I swatted him away, feeling much too warm at the moment.

Kyle smirked and walked back to the kitchen, "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Tori."

"Vermin." Tori sneered at him, shaking her head. Her red bouncy girls jostled with the sudden motion and resembled a lit flame.

I never had time to be interested in boys before. I was too young to notice them when I lived with grandma, and when I moved in with Melissa I was too busy taking care of myself.

"Grace really has it out for you, huh?" Tori shook her head.

I pouted, "Seems like it."

I grabbed their drinks while I still had the chance and tried to still my breath as I approached their table. I nearly cheered when I managed to make it all the way there without spilling anything.

I set their drinks in front of them. As I went to set Kade's drink down, his hand flicked forward at the same exact second. The glass of soda tumbled over, spilling onto the table.

My voice caught in my throat when a smirk formed on his full lips. His dark eyes twinkled mischievously as they burned into my face.

"I apologize for that." I kept my voice as polite as possible. "I'll clean that right up and grab you another."

I pursed my lips as I pulled out a rag and mopped the soda up. I couldn't help it when my eyes flickered across the table.

I'd have to get close to Kade to clean that. Much closer than I wanted.

"Don't be shy, sweetheart. You made the mess." Kade gave me a sly smirk and watched the heat rise to my cheeks.

I could feel the butterflies swarming in my stomach, and my heart nearly pounding out of my chest as I leaned across the table.

Kade's face was inches from my own and I could smell the husky cologne he was wearing. I had never smelled something so intoxicating before. It was earthy and husky with just a tiny bit of sweetness to it. It had me wondering what Alec smelled like.

"Why do you smell like cologne?" Kade demanded in a low voice, causing my eyes to snap up to his own. Kade's eyes flickered over to Alec and both of them looked at me with the same demanding expression on their faces.

Confusion and disbelief formed on my face as I processed what he was saying.

I felt myself stammering for a response, unsure why I even wanted to give them one.

"I don't see why that matters." I murmured, butchering almost half the words as their eyes gazed at me with a strange intensity.

Eager to get away from the intense and borderline angry glares of Alec and Kade, I rushed back into the kitchen for a replacement drink.

"You alright, Aurora?" Kyle stopped me with a sandy eyebrow raised.

I huffed, "Yeah, Kyle. I'm fine."

I grabbed another drink and sped from the kitchen, desperately wanting to be anywhere else.

I placed the drink down in front of Kade and felt relieved when it wasn't knocked over.

"Is everyone ready to order?" I asked, my smile much more forced this time.

Kade and Alec's mood seemed to drastically change. Neither of them were looking at me with their patented smirks, and quite frankly they both looked pissed. I could hear Grace's nasal laugh from across the dining room, as well as the glares from the twin's thrown in my direction.

The rest of my shift went as expected. Grace had at least sixty things wrong with her salad that needed replacing, while Kade and Alec directed little insults my way.

I grinned through each insult and bit my cheek, pretending I hadn't heard a thing.

I let out an audible sigh of relief when the four of them got up to leave.

I ran back to their table and grabbed the check before retreating to the back to clock out for the day.

My eyes widened as I looked down at the check. Those twins were definitely playing some kind of game, and for whatever reason I was their target.

Their bill had been almost $70.00 and they left me a $60.00 tip.

They had to have been rich or somehow managed to find good paying jobs. Judging from their incredible looks and their cocky demeanor, I'd guess they were rich.

The tip wasn't the most concerning part of the check. What concerned me more, and sent butterflies and nausea rushing through me was the little note at the bottom of the receipt.

'See you soon, doll.'

A&K