Valerie

10 - Thomas

The last thing I expected to happen today was seeing Valerie in my family's penthouse after hockey practice, bent over a table, placing down plates and cutlery. 

I knew it was her from the second I stepped out of the elevator. I would recognise that hair anywhere. 

I didn't realise she was working though. I thought this was some joke from Marcus, like bringing her here was his twisted way of saying happy birthday. I didn't care, all I could think about was that her being here was the best birthday gift I had gotten so far.

I stood, stunned, just looking at her. She was humming a song and her hair was in a neat ponytail, the soft waves falling down her back.

I leaned against the wall, some way behind her, arms folded over my chest, watching her until it hit me that I probably looked like a massive fucking creep. 

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to give into what I really wanted and I went over to talk to her. 

Now I was sat at the table she was setting only a couple of hours ago, my eyes glued to her as she served my table.

She told me that someone on this table had requested her as our waitress. I looked around at the table that was filled with my brother, cousins and children of family friends. I remember my whole body going stiff when she told me. She caught me off guard. She always does. I don't like anyone, literally no one, and yet I felt like I had to apologise to her. I drove her home. Twice. And voluntarily. 

The thought of liking a girl scared me and the fact that she hated me made things ten times harder than they needed to be but a small part of me stopped caring and just wanted to imagine what her hair would feel like around my fingers. 

I looked round the table again. One of these fuckers had requested her which meant that one of them had their beady eyes on her. Knowing the activities most of these people got up to on the daily, the thought of any one of them near her had me involuntarily clenching my fists under the table.

None of these people were my friends. I wasn't even allowed to invite Marcus to my own fucking birthday party. They were just distant family that I tolerated once or twice a year or they were the children of people my father used to do business with. 

I looked at Valerie again and she met my eyes for a second before abruptly looking away. 

Suddenly, someone clapped me on the back and I turned around to see my cousin, Tyler saunter over to his seat at the table. I detested the guy. 

As he moved past Valerie, she shuffled away so subtly that anyone except me wouldn't have noticed. Her body went rigid and she looked like she was having a battle with herself before she took a breath, and put her serving smile back on.

I flicked my gaze to Tyler who looked way too pleased with himself, an expression he wore often. Something was going on and I was going to figure out what. 

"Can I take your order, sir?" I looked up from glaring at Tyler to Valerie's expectant face. She was shifting on her feet awkwardly, like it pained her to call me 'sir'. I smirked at the thought.

After I gave her my order, I watched as she walked off. She strode quickly, like she wanted nothing more than to get as far away from this table as possible. She hadn't made it ten feet when Tyler was suddenly beside her. She then forced herself to slow down as he was now next to her. Warning signals started firing off in my head. 

"Can I help you, sir?" She asked him in a calm voice but her hands that were still clutching the notepad with our orders were shaking slightly. 

Something was definitely not right.