5. Chapter Five
Chapter Five
K endra
I couldn’t contain my excitement as I clocked in for my first shift at Molly’s Diner. The fresh mountain air from my earlier hike still lingered in my lungs, leaving me energized, and meeting Tina had only added to my good mood.
Even though the job opening at ABS was still uncertain, I already felt grateful to her. Hopes cautiously high, I tried not to dwell on what could go wrong. And my earlier encounter with Antonio? Practically forgotten, buried under the anticipation of new possibilities.
As I adjusted my apron and prepped for the shift, Lily, my boss, approached me with her usual warm smile. "Hey, Kendra! Table 12 just ordered two beers. Can you take care of that?"
I nodded. "Of course! What kind do they want?"
Lily chuckled. "They weren’t picky. Just tell Mike to give them two tumblers of our special. He’ll know what to do."
I grabbed a tray and headed to the bar where Mike, our charming Italian bartender, was polishing a glass, his white cloth moving in rhythmic circles. He glanced up with a warm, familiar smile, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Hey, Kendra! What can I get for you?" he asked in his soft, melodic accent.
I smiled back, trying to stay composed. Mike was undeniably attractive—a tall, lean man in his mid-forties with dark hair and a meticulously groomed beard. His friendly nature made him easy to talk to, though I suspected his charm wasn’t limited to just casual conversations.
"Lily said Table 12 ordered two beers," I said, hoping my professional tone masked any hint of nervousness.
Mike raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eye. "Ah, two beers, huh? What kind of beer do they want?"
I hesitated, realizing I hadn’t asked. "I’m not sure. Lily said just to get the special."
Mike’s deep, amused chuckle filled the air. "Ah, don’t worry about it, Bella. I know exactly what they need."
He turned to the taps and began pouring, his hands moving with the grace of someone who had been doing this for years. The aroma of dark beer soon filled the space, rich and heady with hints of coffee and chocolate. I leaned in slightly, breathing in the comforting scent.
"What's this beer called?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
He flashed a grin, his pride evident. "This is Midnight Eclipse. It’s our special stout, brewed right here in-house with hints of coffee and chocolate. It’s a favorite among our regulars."
I nodded, impressed. "It smells incredible, I can smell the coffee and chocolate from here."
"Ah, Bella, you’ve got a good nose," Mike said with a wink as he garnished the beers with chocolate shavings, adding a final touch of elegance.
"Here you go. Two Midnight Eclipses for Table 12. Buon appetito… or should I say, buon bere?"
I balanced the tray carefully and started toward the table, determined to deliver the drinks without any issues. The cozy diner's atmosphere hummed with life. Classic rock drifted softly in the background, mingling with the murmur of conversations, the clinking of glasses, and the clatter of dishes. The warm, golden glow from the vintage light fixtures made everything feel a little magical, like I’d stepped back in time.
As I approached Table 12, completely focused on not disrupting Mike's beautiful creation, I didn’t notice Antonio standing up—until I walked right into him.
The tray tilted precariously, and before I could react, both glasses of Midnight Eclipse tumbled forward. Time seemed to slow as the dark, rich liquid splashed out, drenching Antonio’s pristine white shirt and my own uniform in cold beer.
I gasped, the chill shocking me out of my daze. Antonio stared down at the spreading stain on his shirt, his expression slowly shifting from surprise to fury. His jaw clenched, and his eyes flashed with anger.
"Watch it!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the diner, drawing every eye in the room.
Startled, I stepped back, barely holding on to my composure. Antonio’s outrage was so over-the-top that for a second, I couldn’t speak. Then, my own frustration bubbled to the surface.
"Hey, I didn’t do it on purpose!" I shot back, my voice rising. If it had been anyone else, I might have apologized profusely, but Antonio? His condescending attitude ignited my temper like nothing else.
Antonio’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, his anger palpable. "You’re going to pay for this!" he snarled, his words biting.
I stared at him, seething. We always seemed to meet like this—in the worst possible situations. He was already on edge before this accident happened, that much was clear. But why did he always have to take it out on me?
"Oh, I’m shaking in my boots," I replied sarcastically, unable to hold back the jab.
The diner fell silent. Everyone was watching now, some patrons looking uncomfortable, others intrigued by the unfolding drama. I spotted Jake out of the corner of my eye, his expression a mix of worry and disbelief. He took a step forward, but Antonio shut him down.
"No, Jake," Antonio said, his voice cold. "I’m not leaving here until she apologizes."
I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest. "You’re always looking for someone to pounce on, aren’t you? What did I ever do to you?"
Antonio’s eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
"You heard me."
Before Antonio could respond, Lily hurried over, her face pale with concern. "What is going on here?" she asked, her eyes darting between us.
I opened my mouth to explain, but Antonio jumped in first, explaining the situation in his usual condescending tone, painting me as the sole culprit. I felt my frustration rising again, but I didn’t get the chance to defend myself.
"Kendra, please apologize to Mr. Michaelson," Lily said softly, her eyes pleading. "He’s one of our best customers."
My stomach dropped. Lily hadn’t even asked for my side of the story. Of course, it was "the customer is always right". But this time, I wasn’t going to let Antonio win. I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction… even if it meant losing my job on my first day.
I shook my head firmly. "No way. He started it."
Lily’s face tightened. "Kendra, I’m asking you nicely. Apologize."
"You can cut my pay or make me work extra shifts," I said, my voice steady. "But I won’t apologize to him."
The silence stretched between us, the tension thick. Lily’s expression shifted, sadness flickering in her eyes. "I’m sorry, Kendra," she said quietly. "But I have to let you go."
I nodded, my decision was made. "Fine. At least I’m not the only one leaving with a stain today." I shot a glance at Antonio’s ruined shirt, and a small, defiant smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
As I turned to leave, I caught sight of the guilt flashing in Antonio’s eyes. But I didn’t care. I was done with him—at least for today. Lily turned to Antonio and said, “please let me apologize on behalf of my staff…” I heard her say something about getting him a fresh glass and taking care of the shirt as I turned and walked away.
After returning my uniform to the kitchen, I stormed out of the diner and headed straight home, anger radiating through my entire body. I slammed the door behind me as I entered my apartment, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened.
In a huff, I made my way to the kitchen, where I poured myself a bowl of cereal, trying to focus on something mundane. But my hands were shaking, and the milk spilled all over the counter.
"Stupid!" I muttered, wiping up the mess.
I needed to vent, and there was only one person who could calm me down—my brother Tom. Grabbing my phone, I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.
When his face appeared on the screen, his brows furrowed in concern. "Hey, Kendra. What’s going on?"
I launched into a detailed account of everything that had happened. Tom listened quietly, his expression growing darker with every word. Lucinda, his wife, joined the video chat, her eyes wide with sympathy as I finished my rant.
"That’s so unfair!" Lucinda exclaimed. "You didn’t deserve that at all!"
Tom nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sis, it sounds like that guy’s a complete jerk!"
I let out a heavy sigh. "You have no idea." I can’t believe Antonio Michaelson is such a big jerk.
Lucinda’s expression shifted, and she turned to Tom with a thoughtful look. "Wait… didn’t you mention a guy Kendra had a crush on in college? What was his name again?"
Tom’s eyes widened, and he stared at me with a knowing smile. "Kendra, you don’t mean—"
I groaned, cutting him off. "Yes, it’s the same Antonio Michaelson. But that was years ago. It doesn’t matter now."
"Doesn’t matter?" Tom said with a teasing grin. "You’re still talking about him like he gets under your skin, sis."
Lucinda raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he still does?"
I rolled my eyes, trying to deflect. "Whatever. The point is, I’m out of a job now because of him."
Lucinda gave me a thoughtful look. "Maybe it’s more than that, Kendra. Maybe you need to think about why Antonio’s still affecting you so much."
I scowled, feeling a little defensive. "I'm not angry about him, okay? I'm just angry about the situation."
Her words hit a little too close to home. Was I really that affected by him? I brushed the thought away as we ended the call. But deep down, I couldn’t shake it. Was Antonio really still the same guy I’d crushed on all those years?
I have to focus on my immediate problem: finding a new job. But as I sat down to eat my cereal, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this was only the beginning of a complicated and messy situation.
As I took a bite of my cereal, my phone buzzed with an incoming text.
"Hey Kendra, hope you're doing well," the text read. "I just wanted to follow up on our conversation earlier. I think I might have some good news for you...
Tina”
I felt a surge of excitement, wondering what news Tina had. As I began to type out a response, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was an unknown number. I answered it just in case it was Tina calling with a different number.
"Hello?"
There was a pause on the other end, and for a moment, I thought it was a wrong number.
But then, a low, smooth voice spoke up. "Kendra... we need to talk."
My heart skipped a beat as I recognized the voice. It was Antonio Michaelson. But why was he calling me?
I hesitated, and then, I did the only thing I could think of.
I hung up.