a place we know| ✓

three

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
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December 13th
5:34 PM
New York
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"Aren't you a fine piece of ass?"

Audrey shifted her weight from one foot to the other, the pad of her thumb rubbing against the order pad. The words of the two men seated at the booth, slurring and riddled with innuendo, were like daggers to her pride, each comment cutting deeper than the last. She tried to maintain a professional demeanour, to smile through the flush of embarrassment and stave off the heat of anger that threatened to consume her. But the men persisted, leering at her with a brazenness that made her stomach turn. 

"I just want to do my job, sir. So if you could just–"

She felt his fingers trail a path up her thigh. "Just what, darling? I'm giving you a compliment."

She had heard all of the comments before, the lewd suggestions and crude jokes, but that didn't make it any easier to endure.

"You got a boyfriend?"

"That's none of your business. Again, what do you want to order?"

She could feel the man's gaze on her, a hungry look that made her skin crawl. She tried to focus on taking his order, but it was difficult when his eyes seemed to be undressing her with every passing moment.

"You," he replied, laughing. A cruel, mocking sound. "Why don't you lighten up, sweetheart? I'm just having a little fun."

As Audrey tried to back away from the table, one of the men lunged forward, grabbing her wrist in a vice grip. His face twisted into a snarl as he spat out the crude words, "Stop being such a bitch, honey. You're just here to take our orders, not to act like you're too good for us." Audrey could feel the heat rising to her face, and she struggled to free herself from the man's grasp, all the while trying to keep her composure in front of the other diners. 

 She could sense them looking on, some with sympathy, others with curiosity, but no one was stepping forward to help her.

"Let go. Please."

Her hands shook as she gripped the notepad. Their comments, their unabashed gazes, their invasive touches--it was all too much for her to bear. She wanted to run away, to hide, to escape the suffocating reality of her daily life. But she couldn't. She had bills to pay, a daughter to raise, a life to lead. So she stood there, taking it all in, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. 

"Audrey, phone for you!"

Audrey made a hasty escape from the booth of leering men, bolting past the diner's cramped tables and scurrying into the cramped kitchen, her breaths coming in rapid gasps. 

She politely greeted the chefs and other waitresses bustling around. Penelope stood near the back door with the red, wired phone in her hand as she impatiently tapped her foot, her menacing curls falling over her scrunched brows. "This lady said something about wanting to talk to you. I'm not sure what it's for, but she sounded impatient. I should have cussed her out."

Audrey rolled her eyes dismissively at her best friend, giving her a shaky smile. "Thank you for not doing anything rash, Penny. I can take it from here."