The Four Letter Word

CHAPTER ONE

Beep! Beep! Beep!

How I certainly hate that sound and having to go to school for another day.

My name is Amanda Cira, I'm from South Africa. A place called Johannesburg. Most people call it the City of Gold! At least that's what I thought as well when I first came here looking and hoping for a better life.

I won't say I didn't get that better life, I did get the better life. Working part time at a local restaurant, going to a nearby university on bursary, and as well as having my own place out of campus.

The reason why I prefer staying out of campus is because I don't really want to get to know people, you know how it is. You get a roommate, roomie thinks you friends, next thing roomie's are now all over your place thinking you all friends.

As I finished my morning routine of bathing, brushing my teeth, fixing my hair and pulling on some black skinny Jean and a tank top paired with simple pair of boots. I make myself coffee as I pack my bag. Once the kettle water is hot enough after making that ready click sound I pour in my water in my travel mug and head out to school for my first class of the day.

School is a walkable distance and with my headphones plucked on, that all makes it easier to ignore the outside world.

I make my way to my first class and settle down. As always, I'm always the early bird, with only three to four students already gathered in class preparing for the class.

The day goes well enough, and at four I'm already heading down to the resrurant that I work at since I have to host a group of special customers who are required to come dine at the restaurant tonight.

Now I may be very quite at school and an isolated somebody, though when I'm required to speak up, I do just that. When I'm required to host a couple of people, I definitely do that to the point that people enjoy my company and come back for me. Though once they make it out of that door, I don't want any people thinking we friends and be busy calling me up to hang out or whatever.

Once I settle in at the restaurant with my apron tied across my waist, we are then required to stand by the door and wait for any customer coming in then walk them over to their clean table. It doesn't even take me five minutes to get my customer as I place my most joyful none fake smile on.

"Hello, welcome. Would you like a table?" I ask a family of four with both parents, one daughter and one son.

"Hello, a table for four please," the husband replies.

"This way place," I gesture as we start walking with four menus in hand, "and to top it off I will place you next to the jungle Jim for the ones to play while you keeping an eye on them."

"Oh! That would be lovely darling! It's like you know that this two need to be kept a close."

As we find a table a few tables from the reserved tables knowing that the group will arrive way later and I place the menus on the table.

"Brother and sister love!" I say they take their seats.

I look at the kids who are already eyeing the mini jungle jim, the son already asks in excitement "Mommy! Mommy can I go play?"

"Easy now tiger! Tell you what!? How about you order something to drink and let mommy order you something to eat then you can go play, but only if you nice to your sister here," I said.

At first he looked at me like he's calculating his options, "Then what if we scratch out the nice part?"

I raised an eyebrow, amazed at this little cute pale, blue eyed, heart shaped face little fellow! Is he trying to negotiate with me?