I Am Not Your Maid! (On Hold)

Chapter 15 - Actions Have Consequences

Chapter 15

Actions Have Consequences

I walked the rest of the way to work, silently fuming and allowing the cool air and exercise to clear my mind.  It was a forty-five minute walk from where I stormed out of Dash’s car, but it was a walk I needed.  I had thought about hopping on the subway, or grabbing a bus, but I kept marching forward instead.  Each step I took was a step forward—away from the past, away from Dash, away from his egotistical and manipulative ways.  Walking allowed me to burn off some steam and pent up frustrations.  It was almost as satisfying as punching Dash in his stupidly good-looking face.  Almost.

I noticed Dash’s car parked in the lot behind the café.  Of course he would have gone ahead to see Elizabeth.  That didn’t surprise me. 

For some reason, it still made me angry though. 

I marched through the front doors and spotted Dash and Elizabeth from the corner of my eye a few feet away to my left.  I simply walked passed them and headed for the staff room.  I greeted Genie on my way, ignoring the look of confusion on her face. 

Did I look angry?  Probably. 

I didn’t care if Dash knew I was purposely ignoring him or not, but knowing him and his absorption in Elizabeth, he probably didn’t even notice me enter.

I threw my backpack on one of the plush chairs in the staff room and rolled my shoulders.  Although the walk burned off some steam, the thirty-pound backpack did very little to improve my physical wellbeing.  I needed a massage.

I sighed and rummaged through the maid outfits, selected one, and took it to one of the change rooms.

Sakura appeared to be out for the day and now more than ever before, I longed for her kindness and encouraging words.

I parked myself in front of the mirror and starred at my reflection.  Anger still held my jaw tight and narrowed my eyes into livid slits.  I knew that for the sake of getting through the night with this rage still burning like a fire, I’d have to apply more makeup than usual to make my eyes look larger.  I picked up the eye shadow brush and began to apply darker hues than I have ever worn before.  I skipped the blush and applied a dark red lipstick—the shade of dried blood.  I brushed my bangs to one side and gelled them.  I skipped the hair curler and reached for the hairbrush and teased my mane until it was nice and big and thick.

Today I was going goth, just to spite him.

It was a look I hadn’t seen any of the other girls attempt, and I worried that Sakura might not like it because it was too extreme. 

I was too angry and upset still to care.  I wanted Dash to see how his words and actions had affected me.  He had to learn that he couldn’t use people to his advantage.

When I was finished, I didn’t even recognize myself in the mirror.  I did not look like Yuriko or Emiko.  I lifted my chin and decided that today I would be called Fuyumi.  Cold as ice and just as deadly.

I glanced at the clock.  I wasn’t expected to start for another ten minutes, but decided I would start early anyway—just in case Dash decided to leave before my shift started.

I snafued a pair of elbow length black lace gloves in the accessories drawer and tied a black ribbon around my neck.  I turned this way and that in the mirror; made a stern face, pouty face, and bored face to see how I should appear to customers—especially Dash.

I took a deep breath and walked out of the staff room.

Genie was the first to notice me as I walked behind the counter to see if there were any dirty dishes that needed to be washed.