Deceptions of the Heart

Jealousy

For the next few hours Richard and Roxanne spent their time getting to know each other. Richard had invited the waitress to sit with him at his table, he ordered a drink for her and started asking her questions.

"So, how old are you?" He asked as he took a sip from his second glass of whiskey.

"21" replied Roxanne.

"21? I thought you were younger than that" Richard was caught by surprise due to the revelation of the girl's age.

"Why's that?" Asked Roxanne.

"You look younger than that. With this porcelain skin and those silky long hair... Anyone could have thought you're a school girl!"

Roxanne chuckled at Richard's comment even if it was one of those cliché complements we see in movies.

"Come on. I don't seem that young" the girl was still chuckling.

Richard started laughing alongside with her.

The time was flying by just like that. Richard was making cliché complements which Roxanne found oddly amusing. She couldn't help but laugh with each and every of the taller than her man's jokes.

"I see you like cliché stuff" said Richard to add more to Roxanne's amusement.

"You're joking! I like everything but this!" Replied the waitress still laughing.

"Mind if you tell me one or two things about yourself?" Asked Richard with a teasing smirk on his face.

The young woman started sharing a few things about herself with Richard. She mentioned her family and friends. She mentioned how she started working at this bar. She also mentioned a few things about her past which Richard listened carefully.

"Interesting" was the last thing Richard said.

There was a comforting silence between them for a couple of minutes when Roxanne decided to speak.

"I wonder, how did you deal so easily with that drunkard earlier?" She asked Richard.

"Just a few threats here and there" replied the elder man.

"Threats?" Roxanne froze.

"Trust me m' lady. I'm not someone people want to mess up with" replied Richard with a serious tone in his voice.

"Why's that?" Asked Roxanne. "Who are you?"

Richard though his words for a moment before he spoke.

"When I told you my name didn't it ring any bell to you?" He asked the girl.

Roxanne tried her hardest to think but couldn't come up with an answer.

"No, not really" she said with a frown of her eyebrows.

Richard sighed before he replied.

"I am Richard Lawrence, a wanted criminal" he said with a serious expression and a slight cold tone in his voice.

Roxanne gasped.

"You're what!?"

Richard then started explaining his background and past to the young waitress. A few meters away from them and behind the backstage door of the stage of the bar stood another young woman with curly blond hair, crystal blue eyes and pale skin. She was watching the scene between Richard and Roxanne in annoyance. She let out a 'hmph' sound and went back inside the backstage.

"Who does she think she is!? Not only does half of the male customer population flirt her but she also chit-chats with that handsome man!" She complained to one of her assistants.

"Well there's a reason for that. She's the prettiest among the personnel so no wonder she's everyone's most favorite" her assistant replied.

"What are you implying!? Am I not pretty enough!?" The woman yelled at her assistant.

The assistant hesitated.

The girl gazed each and every of her assistants with fury in her eyes. They all were trembling and sweating nervously. She sighed and growled in irritation. Before she could say anything else another assistant appeared who told her that she should get on stage. She took a deep breath and gazed back at her other assisnatnts with a meanancing look.

"I'll be back soon and then we can have a word" she threatened and disappeared.

The young woman got on stage. The lights in the bar dimmed and the lights of the stage fell upon her. The customers of the bar turned to look at her. The pianist started playing a soft jazz melody and soon she started singing. Richard and Roxanne were still talking when the male heard the voice of the unknown singer. He turned his gaze on the performer and was stunned by her appearance and voice. As if the young performer had noticed that she made her performance even more seductive and lively. Richard's gaze was always on the mysterious woman's figure. He was so absorbed that he hasn't noticed Roxanne's annoyed expression.

"That bitch... Thinking she has everyone wrapped around her little finger..." She mumbled and left Richard's table.

Once the performance ended all the customers were applouding for the singer and even whistling. The blond girl bowed and blew kisses at every man in the bar. Her eyes soon fell on Richard who was applouding alongside with the crowd with his mouth wide open in awe. There was a moment of eye contact between them until the young performer winked at the man and went backstage.

It was time for the closing of the bar. Every customer had left except for Richard who stayed deep in thought at his table. He noticed that it was time to go once he saw Roxanne cleaning up the floor with a mop. He left some tips and stood up to say a proper goodbye to the girl. He approached the waitress.

"Well, its time for me to go. It was nice meeting you Roxanne" he said.

The young waitress didn't turn to face him but replied anyways.

"Yeah, nice meeting you too Richard" she replied almost ironically.

"Focused on cleaning I see" Richard tried to tease.

This time Roxanne turned to look at him.

"Not my fault that sanity rules are mandatory" she hissed.

Richard just shrugged it off and approached the exit door. Before he stepped out he turned to Roxanne.

"May I ask one last thing?" He asked.

Roxanne lifted up her head from the floor and stopped the cleaning process. She replied with a nod.

"Who is that pretty singer?" Asked Richard.

Even if the waitress didn't want to answer she did so anyways.

"Elizabeth Rider or Lizzy. She's the singer of this bar" said Roxanne with a lazy tone in her voice.

Richard nodded and excited the bar.