Go, August, Go! FS2 ENGLISH

nine: cheap

I was disheartened with how he had crumpled the paper and threw it directly into the trash without sparing a glance. In my eyes, he was cold and heartless. But it was only for me. In my eyes. Because for everyone, he was nice and welcoming. He smiled at the customers and at Wax and Lauren but always scowled at me. And I had expected it when I walked to the shop again the following day. He was early today because he was already at the counter when I arrived. When I was about to order something, he walked past Wax to face me but shifted my direction and headed to my table instead. To my disappointment, it was occupied by a man and a lady who seemed to be a couple. My shoulder, rs fell. I reluctantly took the seat on the four-seater table next to it.

A middle-aged man who was busy with his laptop looked up at me when I disappointedly put down the new books. I had informed Sandro about it yesterday and today after dismissal, he gave me new copies, asking them also to donate the stained books somewhere.

I reluctantly smiled at the man and sat down. I was checking the new books and finding where I last left off when I noticed the man’s eyes were still on me. He was leisurely sipping on his coffee. When our eyes met, he straightened on his seat but didn’t look away.

“You’re from IHM?”

I blinked as his eyes darted down to my uniform and to the nameplate on my left chest. He didn’t read it, but I had an urge to cover it so I did. He frowned but chuckled a little.

“Sorry. Was I prying?” he kindly asked. There was something in his brown eyes that told me he was kind. It was evident behind the wrinkles and darkness under his eyes. He had a cold facade embedded in his expression, which I was very familiar with. I was often present with business parties and although men in suits laughed heartily until their eyes shrank, such a cold facade was often. They had controls and their guard higher, an astute remark for every conversation up their sleeves for the future benefit of their own businesses.

This man looked so much like them.

What set him apart was the fact that he was here. My Dad’s colleagues would be too busy to stay in one place, or to do business anywhere but inside the company.

“My sister will be transferring there this Monday. I knew the uniform would fit her well, too.”

I did not expect him to share that with me. “Isn’t it too late to transfer? It's the second semester already?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “We got to arrange all the needed papers. We had planned it a long time ago but she’s adamant about saying no. We have no choice now.”

“I see…,” I absentmindedly said and turned the pages again. “So, what’s your family like? What your business is into?”

He took longer to answer. I realized my mistake when I found him frowning at me. Once again, scrutinizing his look, I realized that he was an employer of some big company. His coat looked very expensive but wealthy executives wouldn’t be working in a coffee shop and considering the shop was new. He reminded me of Sandro with his body built. And I could tell he was tall, too.

"Oh! Your sister is a scholar?" I reluctantly asked, knowing very well the reputation of IHM and how the students reacted against someone who… got in the school with their impressive grades, something that was nothing surprising at IHM. Everyone had remarkable marks. I could be on the lowest rank but I could compete fairly with other schools and reach the top. IHM was just on a different level.

He leaned back on his seat as he deliberately shook his head. "She's good at school, but she doesn't want to come to IHM through scholarships. I did some… research and found out it would be best to keep that she's from the middle class."

"But you're sharing this with me," I pointed out. "I could spill this to everyone and your sister might get in trouble."

He shrugged again. Then he closed his laptop. My gaze darted from it, and back at him. "I don't go around randomly talking to strangers. Your uniform just reminded me of her and how sorry I am for forcing her to get in there. And… you'll never know about my sister nor me." He started packing his stuff. I felt bad thinking I had offended him or something. That I could be the reason he was leaving but he kept glancing on his watch so I assumed he had somewhere else to be.

"Is that a challenge?" I innocently asked. "Are you challenging me to actually have a background check on you?"

He chuckled. The man had a rich sound. It was rough and elegant. I would instantly have a crush on him if he were around my age. If my judgment was right, he could be some ages older than August.

He got to jail ten years ago. According to the news, he was seventeen then. Which meant he was around twenty-seven or closer right now. And this man in front of me was either in his late thirties or early forty. He was elegantly handsome, neat, and physically fitted. It gave him some younger-looking points.

"No," he said between soft chuckles and rose from his seat. "I would never challenge you, miss. You have all the resources, even the time to do as you wish… I should go. It's nice meeting you."

"You're going? I didn't offend you, did I? I mean… you talked to me first?"

The stranger gave me the warmest smile. It was genuine. Harmless. The truth reflected in his eyes. He had no hard feelings about this encounter.

"I need to go somewhere. I dropped by to meet someone here but she cannot come, yeah."

I stood from my chair, too. "Right. Can I ask for a favor, then?"

Startled, he blinked.

"I don't have to do a background check on you to know who your sister is. It's not every day that the school receives a transferee. Besides, she's already a week late. Her transfer would be too obvious and everyone would instantly assume she had the power to do so. I see you did enough research about IHM to do that. Her identity wouldn't be in trouble unless I told everyone about her brother I met in a local coffee shop."

"Is that a threat?" He frowned in confusion. I guess I don't look that convincing.

I shifted on my seat and pouted before glancing at his empty coffee glass. "No… but I want to ask you for a favor."

He tilted his head to the side. "Is there something you might actually need from me?"

My eyes squinted at him. I secretly peeked at August who was busy with some customers. I leaned on the table and to the man. "Can you treat me to a frappuccino?"

Dumbfounded, the crease on his forehead deepened. He looked me over from head and to my waist since he couldn't see my feet with the table in between us.

"A frappuccino?" He raised a brow.

I excitedly nodded l. "Please? I'll promise I'll pay you for it next time. Okay?"

Confusion was all over his face but then he nodded. "I don't know what's going on here. I hope I have more time to talk to you. You seem like a nice young lady, so I'll treat you for a drink."

"Yey!" I exclaimed and even clapped my hands with delight. Other customers glanced at us. I steepled my hands together and bit on my lower lip.

He nodded with a smile on his lips. "Alright, then."

"Venti Vanilla Bean Frappuccino," I told him and sat back down on my chair. "Without cream," I added, with a point of my finger.

"Nice meeting you, young lady," was his last words before he walked to the counter to tell them of my order.

I could feel August's dagger eyes on me but I refused the urge to look at him. I began studying, anxious about the drink thinking August had refused to accept it. But I saw the man paid for it earlier.

When I was engrossed with my reading, Wax appeared with my drink. I gaped at him, horrified. But he smiled.

"We didn't call for your name. The man doesn't know your name."

"Oh!" I muttered and glanced at the counter to find that August was nowhere. "Is that why August didn't stop it again? Where is he, anyway?"

After putting down the drink, he scratched his head. "Are you friends with him? He's… How do you know him, if you don't mind me asking? Is this…" Something changed in his expression. His face hardened a bit. He had something to say but he bit his lower lip. "Nevermind." He forced a smile and was about to turn around but I stopped him.

"He's the manager, right?"

His eyes flickered with confusion. My eyesight traveled past him when I caught August coming out from the kitchen. He frowned when he found Lauren was alone. Wax almost jumped when he glanced at us.

"Call the manager, please," I quickly told Wax before leaving. He had an intense frown on his forehead when he turned to me. I smiled widely. "I am a customer. And I want to meet with your manager, please?"

He clearly had no idea what I was up to. But I decided I should talk to him about my proposal now. It was the mere reason I kept coming back here anyway.

"Excuse me. You asked for me?" It was Lauren in her softest voice. I gaped at her with my parted lips and slowly turned to the counter to find that August was yet gone again. "Rox, right? Uh… is there a problem?" She glanced at my untouched drink.

I cleared my throat and straightened on my seat. "You're the manager?"

"Uh… yes. I'm Lauren. Wax said you ask me here?"

"Oh? B-But I thought…" August stood next to her. Lauren was surprised. So was I. His eyes devoured me.

"What's the problem here again?" he asked in his usual cold, gruff tone.

Lauren smiled at him and back to me. "I am the manager. May I ask what you need me for?"

"I… I thought… he…" I pointed a finger at August, who gave a single nod at Lauren.

"I understand it now, Lauren. You can go back to work."

My lips protrude with the apparent change in his tone. He was indeed kind to everyone! I jumped when he pulled the chair the man earlier was occupying and elegantly seated down in front of me. I absentmindedly stepped back but couldn't move since the chair didn't move. I just jerked in an alert.

"You don't listen, do you?" he started as rage began to consume his blue eyes. "I understand that you have so much time in your hands to come back around here when I clearly warned you not to. I understand that you looked too privileged to understand a single request. But please, be considerate with the time of the people here. Stop this little game."

"W-What…?" A lump formed in my throat. I did call for the manager thinking it was him. I wanted to talk to him but I didn't expect him to be this… confrontational. "I'm s-sorry—"

"I heard that," he hissed with irritation. "Are you selfish enough to demand forgiveness? Right, then. I'm forgiving you for that childish game you pulled last week. Forget about it now. Is that enough? Will you stop coming back here—"

"I'm a customer! You're being rude," I exclaimed but didn't shout. He was keeping the conversation low so I did the same, not wanting to provoke him any further.

His eyes squinted. Shadows of fury were all over them. That even the glint of amusement was dangerous. There was a wary look on his face. It made me want to shrink on my seat with embarrassment but I kept my chin up anyway.

"Listen," I cleared my throat. "If you don't want me here, then listen to my proposal. I—"

"Listening to it won't guarantee my approval. Is that all you wanted? For me to listen?"

"W-Well…" Why was he so good at catching me off guard? I was trying to regain my confidence here but one single word and he could shut me off.

He arched one brow. It compelled me to continue.

"I… I'm sure you'll agree with it," I said with determination. "It's for your benefit. I'm ready to go the extra mile to help since—yes—it's my fault! You don't have to remind me, thank you very much. So here's the deal. If only you read the note yesterday and told me your response, perhaps, I wouldn't be back here."

"I'll listen. Doesn't mean I'll agree with it."

"Right." I nodded and straightened on my seat again. "Here's my proposal: You see, I know how my actions have damaged your reputation. Let's not go back to what happened ten years ago or six years ago…" I gulped hard when I saw a fit of fleeting anger resurface in his eyes. I blinked at his clenching jaw. "Let's focus on what happened last week. I am wrong. I ruined your reputation and I wanted to somehow… help you gain it back to its clean state."

He seemed to intently listen had it not been for his hardened expression. His eyes landed on the books. I pouted as he must have noticed they were all new. He just mentioned my privilege and I could only imagine the judgments going on in his head.

"I'll step out to the public…"

His eyes returned to me.

“... I'll tell them I was the school girl mentioned in the headline, with you. My parents would be surprised but—"1

"You'll tell them the truth?"

I halted at the softens in his voice. His eyes glistened with hope. Although it was unclear to me as I was not familiar with his expression instead of rage, I still think it was hope that flickered in his eyes.

For a moment, I wanted to say yes. I didn't want to break that hope. I felt like I needed to say yes and make him feel better. My reaction startled me. It almost left me speechless.

My voice was low after I shook my head. "No, I'm sorry I cannot tell the truth—but I'll help clean your name. I'll tell the police it was a mistaken identity. That I thought you were someone and had pointed you as the culprit out of fear and panic and—"

His eyes narrowed. "Mistaken?"

I shrugged. "Well, I'll tell them I was, uh, say… harrassed before you came, and that I didn't recognize the guy and thought it was you because you suddenly appeared—"

"You want to frame someone else? Can you hear yourself?"

"I won't be naming anyone, of course. I don't recognize the guy—"

"They'll look for it. They'll investigate the inn again and whether you want it or not, they'll find the culprit. Whether there is or none."

My lips parted with confusion. "W-What do you mean? They cannot blame anyone because there's no one."

He abruptly stood, surprising me. "I don't have time for this."

"But I'm not yet done?"

"I listened. I didn't like it. I do not agree to it. I hope everything ends here."

"Wait! This is the only way I know. I am truly apologetic!"

"No, you're not. All I see is a spoiled brat who feels bad at framing someone innocent to cover up her own mess by framing up yet another innocent person. You may look expensive and elegant, but to me, you're cheap and hopeless. Don't come back here again." And he stormed directly out of the coffee shop.