MASK STAYS ON :: anonymous x reader

TWO - TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

In the days that followed, Anonymous and I texted more often. They often switched phone numbers, but always seemed to find me again. I didn't ask why- I already understood the need for burner phones.
But I did find it awful sweet that Anonymous kept in contact with me. I sort of wondered if they were lonely. Maybe they needed a friend and a social life just as badly as I did.
That day, I was working my shift as a waiter/waitress, taking orders, delivering orders, being hospital, doing that fake super duper happy smile. However, currently waiting on an order to be up, I perked up when my phone vibrated in my pants pocket. Checking it, I almost smiled when I saw it was from Anonymous. They had sent me their location. At first, confusion riddled my thoughts. Why would they want me to know where they were?
But when I saw it, my heart dropped. They were here. In this building.
'You mentioned wishing you could meet us. Here we are. Guess who.'
I furrowed my brows.
'Give me a clue.'
'We're in a booth.'
The order bell rang- for the fifth time.
"L/N! Get your ass moving!" Now, normally one wouldn't like hearing that. But the cook here and I were pretty close friends, having been in the same graduating class. This was his family's restaurant, so they basically handed me the job.
"Right, sorry!" Putting my phone back into my pocket (after almost dropping it), I picked up a platter for table four, and was headed out of the kitchen. I was rather distracted the whole way, however soon made it to table four. I was in time for the brunch rush, so I was putting down plates of buttered pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and other breakfast-y items.
One of the men at the table seemed to stare at me, a soft smile on his face.
"... Have we met before?" He queried, his brown curls falling slightly to the side. Was this Anonymous? Just the idea of that made me laugh nervously.
"I don't believe we have." He sighed, shrugged it off, and I was soon headed back to the kitchen.
'Was that you?'
'Non, but he was a miserable flirt.'
Only then did I realize that guy had been flirting with me. Then I felt embarrassed- knowing I had totally thought he was Anonymous... and been a little hopeful that he was. After all, he was a handsome individual.
However that thought was in vain, since it had already been proven that he was, in fact, not the guy I was searching for.

'You might want to hurry, Y/N ;)' They sent, and I smiled softly.
With each order, and each time checking on customers, I looked desperately for whoever Anonymous might be.
'Non.'

. . . Ugh.

'Nope.'

. . . Seriously?!

'Nada'

. . . Oh my god!

'Not even close.'

. . . Dammit! Why is this so hard?

'Please please PLEASE give me another clue.'
'There's more than one of us here.'
'... What?' Of course, I was surprised to hear there was more than one member of Anonymous here. More than one? How many? Two, three, four? How had I not realized, they kept saying 'us' and 'we'? Of course there's more than one!
So, my search continued.
At around eleven o'clock, I received a text.

'Time's up. You got close a few times though, maybe we'll play again.' I furrowed my brows, immediately scampering out of the kitchen in an attempt to see who was leaving. No trace of anyone leaving- however five seats that had previously had people in them (all at different booths) were completely empty.
I had completely overlooked five people.
Five members of anonymous, right under my nose... and I could hardly even remember what they'd looked like.
'Although we will admit, we did have an awful fun time watching you try to find us <33'
Beneath that text, one by one, came pictures of me. All from different spots in the diner. I shuddered. Honestly, I didn't think it was a 'fear' sort of shudder.
'Let's play again sometime, okay? I want to find you for real next time!'
I needed to meet them. Perhaps it was the way they dangled themselves in front of me, and then took it all away, but... I felt like I absolutely needed to meet Anonymous.