Games Of Hearts

9. Heartbeats and Heartaches

"Hey young man, what's your name?" I ask the teenager in front of me, trying to sound friendly and approachable.

"My name is Alex!" he replies, blushing slightly as he hands me his order. "Can you please order coffee and... um... a veggie burger with potato fries?" he stammers, looking a bit nervous. "Also chicken burrito."

I smiled and nodded, taking the order from him. "Okay! I'll do your billing," I say, trying to put him at ease.

As I head towards the counter to process the order, my eyes scan the restaurant and land on a familiar name on the order screen. "Joshua Beck" - my heart skips a beat as I freeze in place, my eyes narrowing in his direction.

I raise an eyebrow, my mind racing with questions. What is he doing here? Is this some kind of coincidence? "Can you tell me where he is sitting?" I ask Alex, trying to sound casual despite my growing unease.

"Oh, he's sitting over there," Alex replies, pointing towards Joshua, who is busy talking on his phone, oblivious to my gaze.

"And what did he ordered?" I asked him awkwardly with a smile "He ordered a veggie burger and potato fries"

I nod curtly, trying to maintain my composure. "Okay, sir, I'll bring your order," I say to Alex, forcing a smile onto my face.

As I head into the kitchen to prepare the order, my mind is racing with thoughts of Joshua and the past. What is he doing here? And why does he have to be sitting in my section?

The anger and unease from the party still simmered inside me, making my skin crawl as I thought about our dance, our chats, and that stupid kiss. Joshua had tried to approach me countless times since then, but I had ignored him, not wanting to fuel his ego or encourage his behavior.

As I handed him his order, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing I had added an unbearable amount of spicy sauce to his meal. His brother, on the other hand, received a normal order, and I made sure to give him a friendly smile as I served him.

"Here's your order, sir," I said curtly to Joshua, trying to hide my disdain.

As soon as my shift ended, I quickly changed out of my work purple shirt and cap into my comfortable pink tshirt. I nodded to Drake, who was taking over my shift, and rushed outside the restaurant, eager to escape the tension and drama that lingered inside.

I sneak a glance outside the restaurant window, hiding behind the curtain to observe the chaos I've unleashed. Joshua takes a big bite of his burger, and suddenly, his face contorts in agony. He starts jumping up and down, crying and sputtering, as the spicy sauce sets his mouth ablaze.

I feel a surge of pride and satisfaction, knowing I've finally taken my revenge. The managers come running, looking frantic, and Joshua's brother points towards the counter where I was standing. But when they look around, they seem confused, staring at each other in disbelief. They search the area, but I'm long gone, vanished into thin air.

I walked back to my home, my head held high, feeling empowered and vindicated. I know I've made Joshua cry today, and that's all that matters. The memory of his suffering will stay with me, a reminder that I won't let anyone walk all over me. I've taken back control, and it feels amazing.

As I walk into my home, my dad greets me with a warm smile. "Eva, I told you; you didn't need to take on that part-time job," he says, shaking his head.

I nod, feeling a mix of emotions. I had joined the job just two days ago, hoping to keep myself occupied and distracted from the drama with Joshua. But the staff and manager had been biased and rude, making my time there unbearable.