FIRST ENCOUNTER I

"I want to speak to your manager!" the uproar of Janet's voice attracted the eyes of other diners at the restaurant to Eleanor who happened to be the unfortunate waitress in service to the furious client.

Eleanor's face flushed red in embarrassment as her eyes darted sideways to the onlookers. "There's no need to create a scene, miss Janet, your meal was served just as requested." Her calm words came in almost a whisper, as her eyes came in contact with the furious girl's.

These were one of the moments where she hated her job- the part where she had to condone some uncivilized attitude from clients, yet this was inevitable.

The loud thud on the table had Eleanor's brow crumble in slight agitation, and she took a few steps away from irritated Janet who stood to her feet, "Are you deaf? I said I demand an audience with your manager!" Her frantic eyes peered directly into Eleanor's.

Pushing her seat further away from the table, Janet took two steps forward, so that she was standing in front of Eleanor, but with every step the girl took that brought her closer to Eleanor, Eleanor took a step back.

Eleanor looked into the girl's disgruntled eyes unfazed. Her soothing words only seemed to have added more fuel to Janet's anguish. "Miss Janet, I'd appreciate it if you don't make a fuss over nothing cause of our dis... "

The splash of water on her face which trailed down her clothes cut her off as her eyes widened in shock.

Furious Janet who stood a few feet from Eleanor, still holding the cup in her hand took a few steps again closer to Eleanor, but this time, instead of retracting, Eleanor stood firm on her feet, her eyes scorching in annoyance.

"I said I demand an audience with your manager. If I needed your opinion, don't you think I would've asked?" She took another step closer to Eleanor, making sure there was no space between them, "Do you have a death wish?"

Anger bubbled in Eleanor's blood as she stared at Janet who seemed to want to do more horrible things other than pouring some water on her face, with clenched fists.

Her anger didn't only come from being insulted and humiliated before everyone at the restaurant whose eyes were on both of them, but from the fact that Janet was causing a fuss in her working space because of their unresolved long-term dispute.

She had seen the sinister grimace on her face when she had walked into the place with her friends earlier today and had seen her attending to other customers.

On-demand, Eleanor had been asked to serve them, and she had been diligent with it because she didn't want this girl to start a charade here, but now she knew she had been wrong all along. This girl had planned to start a dilemma here from the start, with her being the center of attention.

~~~~~

Once upon a time, they were both college sweethearts who did almost everything together- from matching outfits and hairstyles to living in the same apartments and majoring in the same course. Most people even mistook them for twins.

Those beautiful memories all ended when Janet for some weird reason started feeling insecure about not gaining as much attention as Eleanor.

She became so low, and pathetic and it worsened as the days went by. From crushing on her best friend's boyfriend to cheating with him. Her disgusting attitude led to the discontinuity of their friendship, and the long-term dispute.

~~~~~

This wasn't the first time Eleanor was being humiliated by Janet in public, but she had tried to be the mature one, and ignore her. From the way things were going now, Eleanor knew this girl wasn't going to ever stop the humiliation if she wasn't put in her place.

She brushed away the water that slid down her cheeks with one of her hands as a scoff escaped her lips. "The only death we'll be seeing here today is your death in my hands when I strangle your suffocating face."

Janet's mocking laughter as she placed the cup on the table, made Eleanor more upset. "What makes you think I'm scared of your petty threats, El?"

The anger that Eleanor had been trying to suppress flickered in her eyes and Janet frowned on seeing the grievous look in her eyes.

"It seems to me that you're no longer interested in your job, otherwise, you won't be threatening a client," Janet added, clicking her tongue, "since I'm a nice person, I'm just gonna do you a favor, and take it away." She smiled.

Eleanor's lips broadened, engulfing the smile on Janet's face, "do yourself a favor and stop with your unsophisticated temperament. Look around you," Janet's eyes trailed the room, "this is a five-star restaurant, not the slum. Bitch."

A side of Eleanor's lips curved into a smile when she saw the burning fury in Janet's eyes. She was enjoying this- Janet's livid face.

Unable to control her wrath, Janet projected her hand to Eleanor and was about to hit her face when Eleanor's hand caught hers in midair, countering her attack.

After struggling for some seconds to free herself from Eleanor's tight grip, she yelled, "let go," still staring into Eleanor's frantic eyes.

Eleanor had never felt more content in her life as she stared at the girl's puzzled face, which was obviously from her actions. She knew this girl never expected any of this and that thought made her grin in satisfaction. She was about to let go of her hand when she heard a familiar voice from behind.

"What's going on here?"

"F**k" Eleanor swore under her raged breath as she slowly let go of the girl's hand. She knew who asked the question as well as the expression on the person's face, and right now she couldn't afford to look at his face.

Janet's gaze withdrew from Eleanor to the figure standing behind her who asked the question and she turned to face him. "Are you the manager?"

"Yes miss, do you have any complaints?" The huge man asked as he stared at Eleanor whose head was bent to the floor with furrowed brows.

"Yes, about this employee, but first, I have a question for you." He nodded in affirmation, and she continued, "this is a five-star restaurant, and I've read about the implication of a staff humiliating a client, which is immediate termination of their jobs, right?"

The man's brows folded in confusion as he wondered where her questions were leading, but he answered, "yes, in special cases."

She folded her arms to her chest as she raised her chin to look into the eyes of the man in front of her with a smile of triumph on her face. "Then I want this employee fired."

"I think there must be some misunderstandings here." His gaze shifted from the girl to Eleanor and back.

"Misunderstandings?" the grin on the girl's face vanished. "I guess I have to spell it out for you since you're so slow-witted. Your employee here," she pointed to Eleanor who stood behind her, "is humiliating me before everyone. I. want. her. fired."

The man frowned at her words. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience caused by my employee today, I promise it won't repeat itself. I'll get another waiter who will be able to satisfy your dem..."

"You obviously weren't listening to what I was saying," she interrupted, "I said I want her fired here and now," she raised her chin, even more, to look into the eyes of the man standing in front of her, waiting for him to obey the order.

"Miss, I apologize again for my employee's spiteful attitude, but you have no right to tell me how to treat my employees."

"Oh really?" She asked sarcastically. "Let's see what your boss has to say about this. Where is he? I want to speak with him."

"I am the owner of this place, Adrian Welsh." His words were calm as he tried his best not to rile the girl up even more, but he could see from her face that his calm words only made her angrier. "I apologize again for the inconvenience, you will be well compensated for the humiliation."

"Compensated!" She barked as she turned to look at Eleanor behind her who was now staring at them both. Her friends who had been sitting, watching the drama unravel before them, stood to their feet and rushed to where the girl stood.

"That's enough, Janet," one of them placed her hands on her shoulders as she forced a smile, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Yes, Janet," the other said "it's enough. Let's just go back to our seats," she pleaded as she rubbed her left arm gently, trying to calm her friend who didn't want to let anything go, "everyone's watching."

Noticing the tension between the three friends, Adrian looked at one of his waiters and the man came immediately. "George will take care of your orders. Feel free to order as you please, the bill's on the house. Please accept my sincere apology."

Janet's gaze shifted from the man standing before her to El, then to everyone at the restaurant, and she frowned. This wasn't what she had planned to happen tonight. She had wanted the immediate termination of Eleanor's job, but she ended up embarrassing herself before everyone at the restaurant.

As if noticing her hesitation, her friend whose hands were placed on her shoulders leaned into her ears, "let's not embarrass ourselves anymore," she whispered.

Furious Janet who didn't seem to care about the free meal angrily picked up her bag and stormed out of the restaurant hastily.

Everyone's gaze was on her as she stormed out, including her embarrassed friends, until she was out of sight.

"I'm so sorry about my friend's attitude, Sir," one of her friends said to Adrian whose attention was now drawn to her with a smile.

"It's okay," Adrian smiled. "George can still take your orders if that's fine with you guys."

"Of course," the other butted in with a smile.

"Well then, enjoy your meal."

The other waiter hurriedly attended to them.

"I am so sorry for the inconvenience everyone, please continue with your meal and free champagne for every table as a token of my apology." Adrian raised his voice so everyone could hear him. With that, he turned to the figure standing behind him with a frown and walked away.

Eleanor understood the meaning of the look and followed him reluctantly.