This is a book that I have been going crazy about for weeks now.

I feel a presence. I almost jerk back when I raise my head up to see someone standing on the other side of the counter. "I’m so sorry. I did not mean to startle you.

But I have been sitting at that table for a while now and no one has come to take my order." The guy says. I immediately push aside my troubled mind. Switching it with a professional tone and demeanor. "My deepest apologies, sir. We’ll—"

"Sir?" He didn’t sound pleased about that. "I’m just a young adult. I’m only 19." He says. That is when I take in his boyish handsomeness. Dark hair and eyes with delicate facial features. He reminds me of the MMC in "Burn For You" Jared. He really fits his description so well. I feel like I have met him in real life.

"I know. I mean, it is very obvious. I was just being respectful." I smile. "Sorry about that."

"There is no need to apologize." He says. "My name is Rex by the way. What’s yours?" He asks out of the blue. That is not necessary is it? I did not ask, did I?

Wait—could he be....? He becomes awkward. Scratching the back of his head like he is shy or nervous. Wait. Is he? Why?

"It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me yours. I just don’t know what—"

"Gweneth." I answer. "It’s Gweneth." He smiles. His smile tugs at my heart. I don’t know when I smile again too. I quickly switched to a straight face when I realize.

"One bowl of chicken noodle soup right?" I ask to be sure. "Two. To that table at the window side over there." He points at it.

"Okay. Coming right up."

"I’II be waiting. See you around Gweneth." What was that? Someone gasp besides me. I almost flinch. Meredith loves acting like a ghost. Its her hobby. "When did you return from the bathroom?" I ask her. "A while ago. I came back just in time to see that boy talking to you. You are getting crushes now. Good for you." "It’s not like that." I move into the kitchen to serve the steaming hot noodles into two bowls and put them on a tray. "Let me go and drop off the order." She offers, which is very unlike her. "I will do it myself." I bluntly refuse her unsolicited help. "Such a pain in the ass." She mutters in annoyance. I pay no attention to her and come out with the tray. Taking it to his table. My footsteps halts when I see who he is with.

The other person is the boy who I had seen bully someone at school today. Calyx Lamont. I hold the tray tightly, not knowing if I should just go serve them or not. Maverick’s serious warnings to avoid him are playing in my head. He had also seen me earlier. What if he recognizes me? With that thought, I turn back and retrace my steps. Just then I bumped into someone, causing the noodles to spill out of the tray unto the man’s clothes. Thankfully, he did not mind it and even asked me if I was hurt and apologized for not watching were he was going. I am lucky that it wasn’t one of our asshole customers. But then, the idea of peacefully walking away without being noticed had crumbled. I can feel the weight of a number of eyes on my neck. My stomach doing a wierd flip. I return to the kitchen to get another servings. I had asked Meredith to go this time. She didn’t go until I begged her to. It was all a close call. But at least I did not lock eyes with that boy again. Maybe I am being paranoid. But I just don’t want to see him twice in one day.

I went home and made dinner. Mom came home early because she had taken Percy along with her. "I would be enrolling him in a daycare starting tomorrow. He is such a handful." Mom complained bitterly during dinner. I used to be the one taking care of Percy when I was still waiting for my scholarship admission results. I did it fulltime. I even take him along with me to my part-time job. I did not care about the people who got the wrong idea and saw me as a teenage mom. I find him sweet, innocent and fun. What I love about him the most is his baby scent, chubby legs and cheeks, and his tiny little foot. And also the way he babbles and smiles and laughs when I do funny impressions. Taking care of him is never a chore to me. Too bad, I can’t be doing it anymore like I used to. I love spending time with him more than doing anything else. But I have to keep to studying. That is my main priority now. "I am going to find the best daycare center for you sweetie."

Percy naively and innocently smiles at what mom said. He doesn’t understand that she is talking about throwing him in a daycare. "There is no such thing as the best daycare center. They cannot take care of him like you or me can." I say honestly. "I will make sure they can. If I double the daycare fees, they would pay utmost care and close attention to my little angel won’t they? Of course they would." She mimics a baby tone in the last part. "And how was school today?"

She remembers to ask. "Fine." I respond in a blank tone, twirling my fork to roll on some spaghetti. Soon dinner was over. I washed the plates and put Dad’s dinner away for when he comes back. I then played with Percy for a while before putting him to sleep. I then retired to my room.

I could not go over what I had been taught at school without recalling what that boy did. Slamming a person’s head like you are merely slamming textbooks on a desk. I have never heard or read of that type of bullying before.