"Luthien, can you wipe the corner of that table?" one of my co-workers, Ria, asked me.
I showed her my bright smile and gave her a snappy salute. She smiled back and removed her apron giving a meaning that her shift is done.
"Be sure to lock the cafe's door before leaving," she added.
"Sure, Ria. Take care!" I answered and waved when she finally exited the door.
As I wiped the corners of the table, my sight went through the glass walls and saw how the sun slowly hid itself beyond the horizon. It means that another day ended and a new one will come tomorrow.
"One cappuccino, please, '' someone said from behind.
I languidly look at my watch to see what time it is. Just by the thought of seeing how the sun sets, I guess it was already 6:00 PM but when I checked my watch, it was just 5:47. My shift will end at six and that means I need to entertain this last customer for today.
While doing his order, I saw him sitting on the chairs in front of the table just in front of the receiving desk. He's holding his phone and just by looking, I can already say that he's from a rich family. His way of wearing branded shirts made it very obvious.
"Why am I even looking?" I talked to myself.
I didn't even notice that he heard me. It's already too late when I realized that I said it out loud. He looked at me confusedly, wondering if I had lost my mind.
I smiled awkwardly and just by the thought of the word timing, I finished doing his order. The silence which filled the whole cafe made it worse.
"Here's your cappuccino, sir,"I said.
He languidly stood up and walked towards me. I don't even know why I feel so distracted. It's just one mistake, Adalee Luthien. Why are you so short-minded?
"Luthien," he suddenly uttered.
I abruptly looked at him directly in his eyes. How did he know my name? We're not even close. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I saw him. Confusion was written all over my face. I was about to say something when he slightly chuckled.
"It was written on your nameplate, miss," he said while pointing his finger towards the nameplate on the right side of my shirt.
Absent-mindedly, I covered my name and gave him his order. He smiled again with full amusement before getting his cappuccino..
"By the way, you did not ask for my name. Isn't it unusual?" he asked.
I badly want him to go now. He's making me uncomfortable. I'm trying so hard no to say a single thing but here he is, trying to make the conversation long.
"You're the only customer now, sir. I don't have to ask for your name," I politely answered.
"But I want to see my name here." He said and waved his cup a bit.
I raised a brow and looked at him seriously. What is he trying to imply?. I know that asking for the customer's name and putting it in their cup is one of the basics but since he's the only one here, I don't need to do that.
"But sir,--" I was about to defend myself when he cut me off.
"Just put my name here." he hardly said and put the cup in front of me.
Before I could finally lose all of my control, I took the marker just beside me and looked at his direction again.
"What's your name, sir?" I asked.
"It's Dreiltron." He answered and rested his hands on the countertop.
I just guessed the spelling of his name and gave it back to him. Usually, I will say that he should come back and try our other coffees but since he's too full of himself, I didn't even mind.
"Thank you, sir," I added as a matter of good
bye.
Before he turned his way to the exit, he paused and looked at me again. What now? What do you want?
"I'll be back, Luthien," he playfully said and exited the door.
I withdrew the harsh breath that I've been suppressing the whole time. For the whole 7 minutes, I was stressed!
"Such an attention seeker," I said.
Before I could finally leave the cafe, I ensured that everything was in its right places. The smell of coffee passed through my senses and I suddenly wanted to have a cup of it.
I was about to go inside again but I noticed that it's already 6:09 PM. I disregarded the fact that I wanted to have some coffee and rushed to lock the door.
I hurriedly ran towards the bus station, just near the cafe and catched the last bus which can pass through the gates of the villa where I live.
"Villa Atreise," I said when the collector of the bus asked me where they dropped me off.
He looked at me for a moment before proceeding to another passenger. Maybe he's wondering what a cafe' part-timer in a cafe in a Villa of one of the richest tycoons in the city.
When I saw the boundary of the villa, I pressed the passengers button. Many are looking at me as I take my way down the bus. There are really judgemental people. Even though they can't say it out loud, their way of looking makes it very obvious.
When the guard saw me, he smiled and waved a little. I smiled back and greeted him.
"Hi, sir! How's your day?" I joyfully asked.
"Still the same, Luthien. Go inside, I'm sure Don Jualde is waiting for you," he said and opened the gate.
"Thank you. Have a nice day." I added before entering the huge gate of the richest.
The hallway from the main gate is 1 km away from the mansion. I don't even know when I'll get used to it. I'm too tired to walk but I can't do anything but endure it.
"Big sister, Luthien!" Kenzie shouted when she saw me.
She's the youngest daughter of Don Jualde and she's like a sister to me. I spread my arms and welcomed her as she ran towards me.
"Hi little sis. How's your day?" I asked her.
She circled her wrist to mine and pulled me inside the mansion. She keeps on rantinh because of her boring day and that made me chuckle.
"My cousin was here earlier and instead of practicing archery, I need to entertain him. What an unproductive day," she hissed.
"It's okay, we can do that tomorrow," I assured her.
Her eyes started to glow and hugged me from behind. I really find her adorable and sweet. Among all her siblings, she's the only one with a kind heart.
"Really? Don't you have any part-time work tomorrow?" he asked.
"It's weekend Kenz. I can accompany you while practicing archery." I said.
She excitedly kissed me on my right cheek before running when she saw her dog not too far from us. I was about to follow her when Don Jualde appeared in front of me. I bowed a little and gave him a smile.
"You're home, Luthien. Rest a little and have dinner with us," he said and smiled at me.
I don't know if I can smile just by hearing him say that this is my home. I clearly know my place and this mansion is not my home. I am just one of the strangers that they took in because they pitty my situation. I don't have my parents anymore and I'm an only child. The saddest part was that, among all of my relatives, no one wanted to take good care of a penniless teenager. My mother was a long time maid here and maybe that's the reason why they helped me.
Don Jualde is very kind while his wife was too silent. I don't even know if she hates me being here because since I started to reside here, she never said a thing. The only one who kept me from avoiding deep thoughts was Kenzie.
"Sure, Don Jualde. I'll just help the servants in the kitchen." I said.
"No, Luthien. You're already tired. I'm paying them to do their work. Just rest, okay?." He added.
"Don Jualde, I don't want to become a gold digger. I'm just like them and I want to pay you for keeping me here." I said.
He looked at me deeply and sighed. Maybe a sign of defeat and he can't tell me to stop. He knew how stubborn I am.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you can clearly be part of this family, Luthien?. I am more than willing to adopt you and give you my surname. You're also like a daughter to me." He insisted.
Since he took me in, he never tried to make me do the house chores. Sometimes, when I'm trying to help the maids, they will continue to say that they must not let me mork with them.
"You helped me enough to survive and live, Don Jualde. I don't want to become a burden. I'm just too thankful that you keep me in even though we're not blood related." I answered and gave him a small smile.
"Just tell me when you changed your mind, Luthien. My family is more than willing to put you in our register." He added.
I smiled bitterly before going into the room that he gave me. His family? If he only knows how his other daughters treat me, he will never say that.
I threw myself on the soft top of bed and rest my head on the upper right side. I looked at the ceiling and saw wonderful glowing stars. It was just a sticker but it's fascinating.
I raised my right hand and aimlessly tried to reached the stars. Just by the thought that no matter what I do, I can't reach it. I realized that this luxury will never be for me. No matter how good they were to me, I know that the world will stop me from aiming for the life that I don't deserve.
