Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
i tighten the knot on my black apron, the fabric scratching against my skin as i pull it a little too tightly. a sigh slips past my lips, and i glance over at the table where rafe, kelce, and topper sit, deep in conversation. ruthie's perched on topper's shoulder, her pink nails tapping on his arm as they joke about something i can't quite hear. my stomach tightens, but i push the feeling aside. i need to focus. i'm working.
grabbing the cold pitcher of water from the counter, i take a deep breath, letting the chill of the liquid seep into my palms. i try to keep my gaze steady as i walk toward their table, deliberately avoiding looking up. the last thing i need is to make eye contact with rafe—not when we've been sneaking around for weeks, hooking up in secret.
i still can't believe i'm doing this. we hate each other. we're supposed to hate each other. we were literally born to be enemies. but i can't fight the way he pulls me in, like a magnet i can't resist. it's infuriating, but i can't shake it. so, i push the frustration down and focus on getting through this. just keep it together. no one can find out.
as i approach, i can feel the heat of rafe's eyes on me, burning through the air between us. of course, he's staring. he always does. i swallow hard and pretend i'm immune to it as i reach the table.
i keep my head low, focusing on the water glasses in front of each of them, hoping they're too busy with their own conversation to notice me. but i know better. it's impossible not to feel the pressure of his gaze—his piercing blue eyes tracking my every move.
"y/n," topper calls out with a smirk, his voice loud enough to make me wince. "come on, where's that smile? you know, the one that gets us to tip you?"
i flash a fake smile, my lips pulling tight as i fill kelce's glass first, then move to topper's. "there. happy?" i force the words out, hoping they'll just leave it at that.
out of the corner of my eye, i could've sworn i saw rafe try to hide a smile at my words. the quiet intensity between us makes it harder to focus, but i do my best to keep my attention on the task at hand.
topper scoffs, his grin widening. "wow, y/n. that's not how you treat your customers. isn't that right, kelce?"
i nearly drop the pitcher. i can't do this.
he slaps his hand against kelce's chest to instigate him, and kelce laughs, shifting in his seat. ruthie laughs too, her voice light but mocking as she leans further into topper.
"yeah, you're right, top," kelce chimes in, leaning forward with a smirk. "it sure isn't. remember, y/n, you're on kook turf. better learn to watch your mouth. you actually have to show respect around here."
the words hit harder than they should, but i keep my face blank, refusing to let them see how much it bothers me.
"maybe i'm just not in the mood for your shit," i mutter under my breath, my voice colder than i intended.
