The Girl Who Wrote The Dating Manual

chapter four

Note: Hey, guys. So some of you will probably get a sense of deja vu reading this chapter, and that's because this is the last chapter I posted. It seems I accidentally posted chapter four under the name of chapter three, and completely missed out on the actual chapter three. So this is chapter four, and if you'd like to go back and take a look at chapter three, you'll find that it is something you haven't read yet, and I'd really appreciate it if you went back and read it, because the next chapters will make more sense for you! Please vote and comment and fan all the same, and sorry for my neglectfullness and mistakes.

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The next afternoon, I bounced from table to table, collecting orders and bringing meals out to the customers. I'd had a rough day in class, getting yet another assignment to finish before Christmas break in two weeks, and the weather was bitterly cold, not matching well with the compulsory uniform of Giuseppe's. Gooseflesh were apparent on my arms, and the shivers that escaped me were completely involuntary.

"Hey, smile, remember?" Ava said encouragingly as she pinned another order to the board for the chefs. I'd just had a four-year-old spill her sticky apple juice on my apron, to which the mother hadn't even glanced at me to apologize. I was in a foul mood, and it was probably showing.

"Yeah," I muttered back, taking a plate of food from the metal pelmet and bringing it out to the loved-up couple at table nine. "Here you are," I chirped, forcing a smile onto my face and enthusiasm into my voice. "May I help you with anything else?"

The woman glanced up at me, pushing her auburn curls behind her ear and offering me a tentative smile. "No, thank you."

These were the kinds of couples I liked getting. The simple ones with manners, who appreciated the hard work. Being a waitress was no easy task, and I was grateful to the people who realized that and appreciated the hard work I put into it. They made my job that much easier.

I scanned the tables and felt the breath get stuck in my throat as I spotted Chance sitting there with Jamie, laughing over something. I quickly averted my eyes, thanking my lucky stars that they were in Ava's section, and pretended I hadn't noticed them there.

"Hey, Chance and Jamie are here," Ava said as she came out with a tray of drinks. "Wanna take their table?"

I looked back at my section. It was sparse, but still had a few tables that had not ordered. I pretended to debate. "Nah, you can take them. I've still got a couple of tables to finish up with."

Her green eyes twinkled, and she winked as she brushed past me. "Why does that not surprise me?"

I took my notepad and got on with ordering, never glancing at their table again. I kept up my preppy persona, keeping up a friendly conversation and being the model perfect employee. I conversed with a few employees, grateful for the time ticking away slowly. Eventually people stopped arriving as it neared seven, and there weren't any tables to clean or orders to take or food to deliver.

"I think we're done," Ava said once she came back, grabbing her water bottle and taking a swig of it. "All tables are done and accounted for."

I looked at the clock above the counter and ticked off the minutes. "It's time for me to knock off, anyway."

I had started an hour before Ava today, meaning she was stuck an hour later to me. She pouted and checked the watch as well. "Really? Damn. I'll see you back at the dorm in an hour?"

I nodded. "Yeah, see you then. Bye, Ave."

She waved goodbye and I headed into the kitchen, informing Darrin-the owner-that I was clocking out for the night. He flashed me a thumbs-up from the deep fryer, and I made my way out into the Employee's Only room and hung my apron onto the hook, grabbing my handbag along the way, before making my way out into the back lot near the dumpsters.