Touch of Deception

TWELVE

She stared at the finished product for a  moment before she grimaced. The colors didn't blend. She sat on her bed and realized she was paint covered and she stood up abruptly, muttering a swear as she saw the stain on her sheets. 

She pulled an all-nighter, finishing all her schoolwork so she'll have her Sunday free. She received a text from Gail she'll be back later tonight and that she was looking forward to seeing her artwork. She isn't looking forward to it. It's not something Gail should look forward to. She stopped painting months ago when she got busy reviewing for the entrance exam. And it seemed like she has lost her touch. 

She removed the sheets and replaced it with a new one. 

It's almost four in the afternoon so she decided to take a shower and prepare to go to work. She wore simple faded blue jeans and her fitted black sweater. The weather was cold outside and it's about to rain. Hopefully, it won't.

The fast-food restaurant was even packed on weekends, she noticed. The moment she entered, she could see a lot of people queueing for their orders. The tables were all occupied and she could see Neil working his ass off.

"We need your hand." Someone clasped her shoulder from behind and she turned to see Eli. She was already in her uniform and she realized she must hurry too. She arrived fifteen minutes earlier than her shift but she immediately went to the locker room to change. 

She helped the others deliver the orders to the customers, smiling as she did so. And it wasn't hard for her to smile. Not when she's liking it. She likes interacting with people who are not giving her he pitiful look, unlike back home. So she continued to run back and forth to get the customer's orders. 

"Celeste, could you give this to table 14?" Eli handed her a tray and she took it. Mercifully, the number of tags were easy to spot. So she paved her way to where the table is.

"Sorry for the wait, sir. Here is your order—" Her hand stopped mid-air when she was about to get the food from the tray when she realized who she was serving. Her smile faltered. And judging from his surprised face, he wasn't expecting to see her there either. 

"Celeste?" 

She blinked and when she realized she was leaning close, she abruptly stood up and placed the food on the table. She held the tray tightly as she stood straight.

"Is there anything else you want, sir?" she asked. Matt only furrowed his brows before she shook his head. Understanding crossed his face.

"No. Nothing else. Thank you," he answered and she gave him a small smile before she walked away. And Matt must have noticed her discomfort that he didn't bother her with questions. And she was thankful for it. The only thing that's on her mind at that moment was why on earth do they keep on seeing each other when they're outside? As if it was done on purpose. 

She continued working nevertheless. Not minding the casual glances of Matt in her direction. The customers kept coming in as hours passed by and Matt Adams stayed there for almost three hours. It was during her break time that Eli handed her a pack of bandages.

Celeste gave her a questioning look to which Eli just shrugged. "Don't ask me. Some customer gave it to me."

"Customer?"

"Table number 14?" Eli grinned at her knowingly before she went to the table to eat dinner.

Table number 14. That's Matt's table. And indeed, her feet have been hurting with all the walking she did earlier. It had blisters. She didn't notice it until when she removed her shoes and to think that Matt noticed it...

That time he had been looking in her direction, he must have noticed it. She ran outside the restaurant hoping to catch him but there was no sign of Matt. She planned to return it. She doesn't know if Matt is just a very considerate guy or he's still decided to be her friend.

She went back inside and stared at the pack of bandages. Breaktime's almost over and she has to go back to work so she opened it and a note fell.

Use this on your feet. Take care. 

That was what's written on the note. She couldn't help but sigh. She took two and put it on her feet. She didn't notice a small smile was already plastered across her lips but Eli noticed. 

"Was that your boyfriend? He kept staring at you while you were working. He looked worried." 

"What? No!" She cleared her throat when she realized she rather said it out loud. "No, he isn't my boyfriend. He's just a guy from class." She gave Eli a timid smile. 

But Eli just narrowed her eyes at her. "A guy from class who likes you." 

She blinked. "No. No, that isn't the case at all he's just—" 

Eli waved a dismissive hand. "You know it, don't you? You know something's up. But you're just denying it—" Eli stopped. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry on your life. Why don't you eat dinner?" 

She gave Eli a nod and sat in front of her. They ate dinner in silence. She wants to say Matt was just a very considerate guy. But something tells her it was different. And she knew what was different. She couldn't help but think maybe Eli was right. She just kept denying it to herself. But it's just...impossible. Someone as popular as Matt shouldn't even be associating himself with her.

She remembered the first time they met. When she spilled a drink on him. She shouldn't have left her room that first night she arrived in the city. She should have eaten inside her apartment. All of this happened because of that one simple incident. 

Maybe she'll just have to tell him what she thinks. Maybe she should tell him to stop. It isn't right. It would be unfair. She knows Matt is a good guy. She could see it with his small gestures towards her. And she...is still a mess who can't get over her dark past. 

Breaktime was short and she was back at cleaning the tables. The customers still kept coming and there was never a vacant table. Neil, the only part-timer who was her age, was also busy delivering the orders to the tables. She didn't really have a chance to talk to Neil. She often sees him going to the smoking area and looking at something on his phone. Or probably was playing a game. She doesn't know and she wasn't inclined to ask. He wasn't inclined to talk to her either even though she caught him staring at her on several occasions. 

But tonight, she wants to talk to him so she sauntered close and took the tray from her. 

"Let me take it from here. You haven't had your break time yet, have you?" 

Surprise was written across his face and he just nodded. She tapped her shoulder and Neil's eyes went to his shoulder she just touched. "Then you can go and eat your dinner. Let me take care of this in the meantime," she said. 

He opened his mouth but no words came out. She knows he wants to say something but decided not to.

She gave him a questioning look but Neil just shook his head before he said, "Thank you." 

She watched him go into the smoking area and she continued to give the customers their orders. Everyone was busy even the drive-thru. She's just thankful that she finished her schoolwork yesterday because she doesn't think she'll be able to do it tonight. She just wants to lie down on her bed after work. And when she looked at the time, another thirty minutes and she'll be able to go home. Thinking about one made it even more torturous.

The last thirty minutes was rather dragging and when she was about to turn to give one table their order, she almost dropped the tray. Because outside the glass wall was a man in a black hoodie and mask. She couldn't see his eyes but she could definitely tell he was looking at her. And what's worse was that he had his phone out. He was taking pictures of her. 

Her hands trembled.

She thought it was over. She thought he had stopped. But there he was, standing just a few meters away with the glass wall as their barrier. He's still following her. And he's outside. She wanted to scream. She wanted to ask for help.

Then somebody clasped her shoulder that she literally jumped on her feet. When she turned to see who it was, Clarent was looking at her questioningly.

"You okay?" Clarent asked. She swallowed hard and looked at the glass wall but the stalker was gone. She turned to look at her manager.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm just—" she took a deep breath as she took another glance outside.

"You look ... horrified. What is it?"

Shee was tempted to tell Clarent what she saw but she doubts she'll believe her so she just shook her head. "I'm fine. It's...it's nothing. But is it okay for me to go home?" 

"Maybe you should. You're getting paler. Can you manage it?" 

She nodded. "I'm fine. I can manage." 

"Then go ahead and change. Take a rest." Clarent clasped her shoulder. She turned to walk toward her the locker room when she saw Neil coming back. He looked at her with questioning eyes. 

"Are you okay?" Neil asked. She must have looked really pale.

She just nodded at him and went inside the locker room. She immediately changed into her clothes. She took her phone and dialed Gail's number. She's scared. She's terrified. She wants to go home but she's scared to go out. 

Gail didn't answer the phone. She thought she might still be at her home. She let out a shaky breath as she checked the screwdriver inside her bag. She spent several more minutes inside the locker room before she decided to go out. She didn't bother saying goodbye to Neil. She couldn't find him anyway. What's more important for her at the moment was to go home. 

The streets were crowded enough. She doesn't need to worry about it. So she walked, looking back occasionally. But she couldn't see or feel anyone following her.

Not until she reached the quiet part of the streets just a few meters ahead of the pizza store. It was when she heard the footsteps behind her. It matched her footsteps but she could still hear them because they were heavy and urgent footsteps. She swallowed hard and gripped the handle of the screwdriver hard. If it will come down to her stabbing whoever it was, she wouldn't hesitate to do it. 

Then she heard the footsteps getting faster. It wasn't matching her footsteps at all anymore. It didn't bother to make himself hidden anymore. And that was her sign to run. But it grabbed her wrist and covered her mouth that her screams were muffled. 

The man was strong and she wasn't. No matter how hard she tries to break free, she couldn't. And he dragged her behind a shed. It was when the man pushed her against the wall and pinned her arms above her head that she saw the man up close. And when he removed his mask and his hood, she couldn't believe who she's seeing. 

It can't be!

"It's you," she said. Her voice was shaking. "It's you all along." 

The man grinned. "That's right. Now, tell me," he gripped his wrists tighter that she winced, "why do you keep on running away from me?" 

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