eague finished speaking and

plates clinking, voices rising, and fo

xed on the counte

as beating

still there, clear against my skin. I clos

ay he smiled. The way his eyes had foll

ing crawled

breathe. I straightened my back, tied

s were no l

stop thinking about the money still sitting

*

xhaustion could feel until I

nt my landlord pretended he never received. I didn't enjoy taking money from a stranger, espe

my key like he was doing me a favour inst

step heavier than the last. When I pushed open the

b

win

iny

ed into a singl

ckering lights, and a bathroom do

t was

ht, that

der instantly. I slept without dreams, without fear,

immed. My neck was stiff, my eyes swollen, an

e twelve hours of

ripped and stepped under the shower.

ar

a

rgiv

yself as the water

hen the memo

a

ear in the

nes b

re stac

e shaking

collapsed in

have to hurt?" I whis

n't a

as a

rren

. I pressed my forehead against the wall, letting the cold d

d in the only towel I had, my phon

issed

manager fr

art s

abbing the phone with shaking hands

back imm

ed on the

Rami

a," I r

-long enough for

d, voice soft,

waitress, and you will serve him from

d. "Who? Why? Wh

pilled coffee

ipped sligh

so keep him company, because he paid all th

roat

hear what I s

rd what you sai

e call

nstantly, rushing out so

... why did he do such a thi

id down against the bathroo

made me inconvenient," his v

of Alejandro," I said softly with

hispered over and over, ev

heart beat too fast the entire walk. My hands were cold. I did

poured scald

ed me enough to

ade my blood race in a w

packets when the bell o

alke

. In a sh

d e

king

rd and approac

Mr De L

, expression un

ffer you..." My

ast allow me to sit first?"

was just d

ised

ed in, with his voice sound

mach t

eived a cal

to me," he

oser and the

make you my personal waitress be

m, as my chest

hind interrupted, "M

I whispered,

r a long moment before

arely n

was sp

ink, he ordered me to sit, and that

and many other things, and I responded not because I

ft end

ks along the sidewalk. The sky was already

my key, my

w Me

wn Se

art t

ened

our work today. Hope

sage arrive

tomorrow. I'd love for us

ers wen

ge came with a

prised at who is sendin

Where did he get my n

t did h