Roses and Flames

R&F - 14

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It's a gloomy day in the café and Pinky is busy fixing the displays of food at the rack. She heard one of the staff saying "Mukhang hindi darating si Boss ah." pertaining to Teddy.

"Kasi nandito ako." she said proudly.

Pinky bend down to put two slices of cake inside the rack when she saw someone coming in. Because she's a staff there, she greeted good morning without looking at who it was.

The smile faded when she saw the man approaching the counter.

"What can I get you?" Pinky said looking so irritated.

The man fished their menu before looking at her. "One chocolate cake and one strawberry cake. Dine in."

Pinky raised her brows, "Chocolate cake?"

The man smiled, "Yes, it's for Mrs. Salcedo." Then he handed her the bill.

She was about to give him the receipt when he gets a beeper. "What's that for?" Pinky asked him.

"A beeper?" The man answered her, "For our orders?"

"No need, I'll serve your orders." Pinky said so she could say hi to Pia.

"No thanks, I can handle." he said before leaving the counter to find a perfect spot.

"No thanks, I can handle" Pinky murmured with so much irritation. "Leche."

She didn't set up the timer for the beeper he got, instead, when she saw Pia enter the café, she served them their orders.

Pia then furrowed because Mark is a man and he should be the one getting the orders instead of asking Pinky to do it.

"You should've asked him to fetch the orders." Pia uttered.

"I told—" Mark was about to answer her when Pinky glared at him and cleared her throat.

"I insist." Pinky said while smiling. "Besides, you can't always expect men to be gentlemen." she added meaningfully.

"Excuse me?" Mark looked at her.

"Dadaan ka?" Pinky rolled her eyes at him. "Go. Maluwag ang daan."

"Pinky, stop." Pia warned her.

"I'm not doing anything bad."

"That's why go back to your work before you do anything bad."

Mark laughed to tease her.

"What are you laughing at? Stupid asshole." Pinky said.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Pia can't help but raise her voice because Pinky is not helping to ease the situation.

"And you're shouting at me now?" Pinky said while her eyes are now teary.

Pia didn't answer her back and instead talked to Mark to start discussing something.

Pinky walked back to their position and then asked the head staff if she could leave earlier today. The scene of Pia with that man made her feel sick.
"Bakit?"