HOPE

Chapter 01

"Hope, You have to finish this fast." Mr. Travor screams at me to clean the dishes. 

They keep piling up no matter how fast I clean. It's crowded today more than a normal tuesday. Mr. Travor is going insane with this huge crowd. I wonder what the reason could be for this rush here. It's not like Martine's a famous restaurant. Food is good, thanks to our chef but come on... There are way better places to eat lunch than here. Maybe there's a conference at the-

"HOPE! You have to do this fast girl!" He is going insane and going to drive me crazy as well.

I normally work at the kitchen so most of the time I'm messy, sweaty and dirty. Right now, I feel so clean. 

"Hope, we need you in front. Some tables aren't even waited once." Beth tells me. Her cheeks are red and I can see a light sweat on her forehead.

"I can't come. I'm not dressed like a waitress." I complain cause I really can't go looking liked a wild cat. I wasn't told today that I might need to waitress so I didn't even bring the clothes. 

Mr. Travor comes towards us looking exhausted. "It doesn't matter. We need you. Serve tables 5 and 18. Get the orders. Now!"

Beth gives me a smile and a thumbs up before disappearing behind the doors to the front.

Removing my apron after cleaning my hands, I get a notebook and a pen. I take a deep breath before opening the door from the kitchen.

It's like a Bee-hive, except it's people buzzing around. Most of them are dressed formally. I've never seen this much of a crowd here. Not once in my 3 years of working here.

I scanned the place for table 5 first. Much to my relief there's a middle aged woman staring the phone so contently that she doesn't even flinch when a glass breaks across from the table.

Oh good! Another mess to clean. 

Right as I was about to go back to get a broom,  Mia gets to clean it.

"Hello miss. What would you like to order?" I asked politely hoping she wouldn't snap at me for the delay.

"About time" she glared at me. What else can I do but smile and apologize?

"Whatever. Just get me tuna salad and a glass of soda lime." She says in a boring voice.

Table no.18 wasn't that different from this.

I worked the whole afternoon waiting tables so I had to stay till late to finish cleaning. After everything's done, I left Martine's to come home at 1am.

Home is not my real home actually. It's just my apartment. I lost my home a few years ago. So now I just live alone.

Going inside my apartment, I was extremely tired that I just lied down on the couch and instantly fell asleep.
.~.

I woke up to the sound of keys rattling. Probably the guy next door just came in. He is a weird person. He is never there at night,  just comes in the morning and leaves 2 hours later. To this day, I haven't spoken to him even once.  He doesn't do small talk, so I guess we will never talk anyway.

It's 8.30am. I worked will late last night so I get to go back from 11 today. Since it's only a 15 minutes walk, I have time for myself.

Deciding on having a shower, I head to the bathroom and remove my clothes. I can see my reflection from the mirror. My body is so thin that I can basically see my rib cage with each breath. I had a quick shower and got dressed in sweats. I would love to stay more in the water soaking but hot water ran out quickly and cold water is just too cold to be in.

Making my usual black coffee, I walk into the living room.  It's not much of a living room but living room/kitchen plus bedroom. It's basically a one room apartment with only a half wall dividing the living room from the bedroom. This is better than most other places I went to. This place is more homely.

I don't really have much channels in my TV, just one. But I've got a poor internet connection. I logged onto my Facebook page from my phone, I love browsing thought my friends Facebook pages mostly cause they post literally everything. I didn't go to college after high school cause I had to work. So seeing these posts makes me feel like I'm living their lives with them. I can imagine myself with them. I miss them so much. If I was able to, I would be with them everywhere they go as well. 

There's a guy I knew from high school named Veron, whom I've had a crush on since we were little, is in the same college as my friends along with his girlfriend Ronica. Honestly though, their names are weird like Veron+Ronica = Veronica. Maybe one day they could name their daughter that.

Even if I say I have a crush on Veron, it's more of a fantasy, like in novels where a poor girl falls in love with a rich guy, face problems and live happily ever after kind of way. Except, I won't fall in love cause it will never he happily ever after for us. Also, from what I know, he hates me now. I don't knew why exactly but I can name a possible reason. Half the high school hated me for that.

A notification popped up on my screen reminding me its... Oh! It's my birthday? I checked the date and well... it is. I forgot about it completely. It's not like my birthday matters anyway. I've got no one to wish me or celebrate it with. 

Finally, after checking through more photos, I got ready to go to work, everyday is pretty much the same way for me. Work, come home, sleep. (Even if my apartment isn't exactly my 'home', it's all I've got.)

Today, it's a little less crowded but Beth's on sick leave so Mr. Travor was like "Hope, you have to help today to fill the gap for Beth." I don't always get to wait tables but these days, I did it nearly everyday. I have a feeling I like cleaning more than waitressing.

People come and go in a steady pace. It isn't crowded or noisy so work is going smoothly.

Well... It was smooth until Veron stepped in through the door. He is wearing normal black jeans and a blue T-shirt. The restaurant stays the same but my mind is frantic. There's like warning sound and everything going on in my head.

Why am I panicking? It's just Veron to eat lunch at... 4 p.m.? Doesn't he have football practice at 3? Maybe he skipped it cause he is hungry.

Ohh... That's my table he sat in. 

Great! I was planning to avoid him but now I have to serve him.

Taking a menu from behind the counter, I walk toward his table in a slow pace. 

I hope no one notices my legs shaking. I grip the menu tighter to stop my hands from shaking. He didn't see me until I reached his table and even then I had to clear my throat to get his attention.

"Good evening sir." 

I swallow hard to get my voice to stop shaking. Why I'm on the edge with him I don't really know. I hand him the menu with shaking hands. "Here's the menu. Call me when your ready to order." 

I was suppose to say my name and introduce but I didn't really want him to know me if he didn't already recognize me. I hope he didn't.

"Hey Hope." He says looking directly at my eyes. His voice sounds hoarse and I can't really understand the emotion behind it. 

Well... There goes my hope for thinking he wouldn't remember me. 

I look at him to see him smiling at me. It's really unnerving the way he is looking. It's as if he is trying to gaze directly at my soul. 

"So, I wanted to see if you are good at waitressing as much as fucking up other's lives."