The Bet [COMPLETED]

Chapter 21: Enough

Our long ride to work occurred in silence. Robin didn’t dare to utter another word at me, and I didn’t want to make matters worse. It wasn’t until after we stepped off at the restaurant that I brought her to Rhonda. Even so, that happened without either of us exchanging a single word. I didn’t stick around to hear whether she got accepted or not, either. Besides, I was already late for work.

I quickly changed my clothes and went into the dining area. Not long after that, Robin came out as well. Judging from the notebook in her hand and her shiny new black uniform she must have gotten the job. She got what she wanted, and everyone was happy. I honestly didn’t see it as a problem.

But unfortunately Rhonda did.

Halfway through my shift, which was exactly three hours later, Rhonda made a sign at me. I went over to her, seeing as I wasn’t taking any orders at the moment.

“Zack, do you know her?” she whispered hastily while nodding at Robin.

“Yeah, why?” Adding she was my girlfriend would have been too much information. Perhaps I could do so later.

“You see, I wasn’t quite sure whether I had to hire her or not…”

“Why wouldn’t you? Didn’t you mention you needed some help around here last week?”

“Yes, but…” She sighed. “Right before you two came here, someone left another envelope on my desk.” I didn’t like where this was going at all. “I was bribed to not hire her.”

“With how much?” My voice cracked against my will.

“Five hundred dollars,” she replied, “But she’s such a nice person I simply couldn’t refuse her. Hell, I’m keeping the money. Whoever leaves these pointless threats around me, I swear, if I catch him I’ll make sure he gets arrested for invasion of property.”

“What threat did you receive then?”

She shrugged. “He just wrote ‘do it or else’. It sounded a bit clichéd, but hey, if it caught me off-guard it could definitely work with someone else.”

Rhonda was right. Phoebe’s threats were as clichéd as her stalking. I was just glad Rhonda didn’t fall for it. And to some extent I was glad she didn’t know Phoebe was a girl, either…

As if on cue, Phoebe walked in. Robin’s face hardened, but she still rushed off to take her order. For the first time in history she didn’t seem to mind her that much. Or well, that’s how she made it seem. From afar I could tell Phoebe was purposefully trying to provoke her. So after a while I walked up to them to give Robin a hand. Both Robin and Phoebe’s faces lit up after seeing me.

“Zackie! What is she doing here? I thought you were the only one working here.”

Robin looked at me. She was trying to hold herself in as much as she could, but her patience was quickly starting to wear out.

“She should be allowed to work wherever she desires,” I told Phoebe, “Don’t you agree?”

She ignored that. Of course she did. She wouldn’t have wanted Robin to find out about what she did, now would she?

“Anyway, you know I only let my orders get taken by you, right?” she remarked.

I sighed. “What do you want?” I asked, flicking my pen on.

“You know what I want,” she winked, making a sad attempt at flirting.

“Ugh,” Robin groaned, leaving us.

Phoebe glanced in her menu, satisfied at what she had accomplished. “Just an apple juice would be fine.”

I wrote it down although I could have easily remembered it. “I’ll be here with it soon.”