Love Was When I Loved You (Completed ☑️)

Chapter 03: The Start of Something New

New wakes up with a headache.

He wasn't able to have a good sleep because the events of last night brought back unpleasant, hurtful memories.

"That fucking guy," he whispers as he presses on the part of his head that's hurting. He gets up from the bed and proceeds to the bathroom. He looks at himself and sees his reflection with red eyes and the bags are swelling, caused by his heavy crying.

He turns on the faucet and washes his face, trying to wash away, too the physical manifestation of his miseries.

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New is busy wiping the table of the last customer that just had left. He guesses that that would be the last one for the night.

Suddenly, he feels a pat on his left shoulder.

Customer?

"Good e—oh. You." His wide smile suddenly disappears when he sees who it is. It was the guy last night who made him lose sleep.

"Hi," Tay greets him with a charming smile, hoping to appease New but the latter just rolls his eyes and walks away.

"Hey, wait!" Tay says as he follows him but New doesn't stop.

"What do you want?"

"That's how you treat customers here?"

"Yes. Especially when they're being a pain in the ass."

"But I haven't even done anything yet!"

New turns abruptly which made Tay take a step back, "Okay, so what are you going to order?"

"Uhmm..." Tay looks around and sees no displayed menu, "You don't have a menu?"

"No. We don't. Because we only sell three things here which the patrons— all three of them— have already memorized: Beer, grilled squid, and crispy pork cutlets. The other things, they can just get in the vending machine over there."

"T—that's it?" Tay asks, bewildered, as he looks around.

There's only one table filled out of three. Tay notices that the ambiance is not fit for a bar— it looks rundown and the bar's name "Cheers" is written only on a green board hanging on the wall. The kitchen can be seen because there's no door and Tay can see that their cook is not wearing any gloves, hair cover, nor an apron and he's currently on his phone while he combs through his greasy hair.

"Look," New puts the tray of used wares and bottles of beer on the table, "The likes of you—" New looks at him from head to toe, "shouldn't be in this side of the beach. You don't belong here."

"Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

"Because you annoy me."

"I've been here for less than a minute and I'm already annoying you?"

"You have that face."

Tay sighs, "Look, I just wanna talk to you."

"Aren't we already talking?"

Tay slumps his shoulder defeatedly, "I meant I wanna talk to you pleasantly."

New puts a hand on his side, "Well, as you can see, I'm working. It may not look like it but I am. So, whatever you wanna say, say it now."

Tay purses his lips for a second, "Well, I just want to thank you for last night."

"Okay," New picks up the tray, about to leave when Tay stops him.

"Wait, wait wait!"

"What?" New snaps.

"Uhmm, can I invite you for dinner?"