Heiress to Waitress Read online

  “Yeah,” she said. She smiled through the tears and hugged me. “Is the job going all right?”

  “It’s fine,” I lied, thinking about Ryan Hargrove hogging all my time and tips. “Bramble and everyone else are helpful.”

  “Good,” she said, stepping back from me. “People in Knightswood have always been the best.”

  I nodded and began picking up the fallen things on the table.

  “Let it be, Olivia,” said Sarah. “I’ll clean up. You get to school.”

  “Thanks, Mother,” I said, picking up my bag. “I will talk to James. He shouldn’t forget who he is talking to no matter how angry he is.”

  Sarah nodded, her face darkening with anxiety. Leaving her to take care of the mess, I walked out of the house. Thinking of ways to confront Ryan Hargrove, I made my way through the tree-lined streets to reach Knightswood High. There were times when he’d been so helpful, but I could not keep ignoring the fact he was more in my way. I had to be strict about the workplace. He could stalk me as much as he wished at school, but not at the tea shop.

  Confrontation with two individuals on a Monday was not something I was looking forward to. So, when Stacie met me at the school gate, I happily let her chatter while we walked to the Washington Building. It was a relief to note that people were no longer staring and whispering. I’d become old news over the weekend.

  I took my seat in the back row beside Ryan Hargrove. There were several times I almost tore off a piece of paper from my notebook to write a small note to him to meet me at lunch. Somehow, every time I glanced at him, my courage would disappear. He caught me staring at him on a number of occasions, but each time he smiled, causing me to go mute. I groaned internally. If simply looking at him was going to be hard, how would I even talk to him like a normal person? The hour flew away with me agonizing over my awkwardness.

  When class ended, I was about to get up to leave when my hand was tugged. Turning around, I saw Ryan Hargrove giving me an intent look.

  “Did you want to say something to me?” he asked.

  I pulled my hand out of his grasp. The warmth on my skin where he’d touched remained. “Yeah. May we could talk later? Before school got over?”

  “Sure. I have a class now, but I’ll catch up with you,” he said, picking up his backpack. “See you around.”

  After he strode out of the classroom, Stacie came to stand beside me. “What’s he like?” she asked.

  I shrugged, somehow unsure about revealing just how much I saw him outside the school. “Let’s go to the library,” I said, distracting her.

  It was during afternoon break when I came upon James. He was sitting all by himself on a bench outside the Jefferson Building. Since it was lunchtime, the area was deserted. Earphones covered his ears while he stared off into the distance. He didn’t even notice me as I came up to stand in front of him.

  “James,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulders.

  The gesture took him by surprise. He jumped to his feet, his eyes darting everywhere until they fell on me. Removing his headphones, he said, “What are you doing here?”

  “You and I need to talk about what happened this morning,” I said.

  “There is nothing to talk about. I’m getting sick of us being so poor.” Looking away from me, he kicked at the grass.

  “Do you have any idea how much it hurts Mother when you act this way? She is doing her best to look after us.”

  “It’s not like she’s doing us a favor,” he argued. “What she should really do though is go back to Edinburgh and sue Uncle Kelvin.”

  “You know he made Mother sign everything away to him. We don’t have a case,” I said, feeling my own anger at the injustice of it all.

  “Whatever. I don’t want to talk,” he said in his drawling voice.

  I knew he was trying to avoid talking about his feelings. He’d always been closer to Father and then me. Since he was sent to the Academy at eight, he barely bonded with Sarah.

  He began walking away from me. Running after him, I caught his hand, pulling him backward.

  “Leave me alone,” he hissed, turning around and pushing me away.

  I stumbled back and hit something solid behind me. Hands came up to my shoulders to steady me. Looking back, I saw Ryan Hargrove holding me.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” asked Ryan, fixing his cold blue stare at my brother.

  James glanced at me and turned away. However, Ryan Hargrove strode forward and clutched the back of James’s shirt, dragging him towards him. “Apologize to her,” said Ryan in a threatening tone.

  “Get off me,” shouted James, trying to throw Ryan Hargrove off him.

  “Stop, please!” I cried, watching them both.

  “Apologize to her,” said Ryan through gritted teeth. His arm was pulled back while his fingers formed a fist.

  I ran forward. “Don’t Ryan,” I said, throwing my arms around Ryan’s back. “Please stop! Don’t hurt my brother.”

  “What?”

  I held onto his body tightly, afraid if I let go, he would punch James. “He’s James,” I said through a giant sob, threatening to suffocate me. “He is my brother. Just let him go.”

  After a moment, I felt his touch on my hands. “It’s ok, Olivia,” he said in a low, deep voice. “You can let go now.”

  It was only then I realized the way I was holding on to him in a back hug. I jumped back, hastily wiping the tears from my face.

  “Who is this guy?” asked James, his green eyes narrowing at me.

  “Not now, James,” I said, glancing at him. “We’ll talk at home.”

  “But-”

  “Go,” I said, glancing at Ryan Hargrove.

  James scowled at me and turned away. Then he stopped and said, “I’ll tell Mother about this.” With that threat, he stalked off towards the cafeteria.

  Breathing heavily, I sat down on the bench. My hands came up to cover my face as a few more sobs escaped me. Ryan Hargrove came to sit next to me. He put an arm around my shoulders and drew me closer to him. For a while, we remained that way.

  It felt like I was waking up from sleep as I felt the heaviness of his arm around me. Shifting away, I glanced up at him. His eyes were no longer cold. They were a deep blue, reminding of Loch Lomond and they looked at me with kindness and warmth.

  “Are you ok?” he asked, giving me a handkerchief.

  I nodded, accepting the neatly folded cloth. “I wanted to talk to you too.” Taking a deep breath, I said, “You can’t keep stalking me all the time. Can you imagine how bad it would be if you’d hit James and he threw a punch back?”

  “He deserves a punch for acting that way with you,” he said, his eyes turning cold again.

  I shook my head. “You don’t even know what James is going through. He is my brother and I was annoying him. I know he pushed me away, but he didn’t mean to do it so hard. He’s just a kid that sometimes forgets his own strength.” Before Ryan Hargrove could speak, I put my hand up to silence him. “I’m grateful for all the times you helped me, but I can take care of myself. Therefore, please keep your distance from me. Stop going to the tea shop. It bothers me at work.”

  “You are grateful?” he asked, his voice matching the frigidity of his eyes.

  I nodded slowly. My heart drummed in my chest, but I forced myself to meet his eyes.

  “You are saying you don’t want me around?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  A cold breeze blew by, making me shiver despite the afternoon sun shining down on us. Suddenly, I felt at a loss. Why was I getting confused now? That was exactly what I had wanted all this time. “Yes.” I had to force myself to say the simple word.

  He stood up and walked away. I watched his retreating back while my insides turned to ice. It looked like he was going to leave me alone from now on, but his absence left me feeling more vulnerable and uneasy. A sob escaped me. My throat felt choked with tears.

  This was the way Ryan Hargrove made me feel
even when he was not around me. Like an utter idiot who couldn’t make sense of her own emotions.

  A heavy feeling settled in my chest as I walked towards the tea shop after school that day. I kept telling myself that I had done the right thing by telling off Ryan Hargrove. He was always in my way. But he made you feel safe in the dark, my mind argued back. Shaking my head, I moved forward.

  The sky had gone a shade of gray that afternoon as a cold breeze began blowing more rain clouds towards the town. I hurried to reach the tea shop before it poured.

  It was busy as usual at the tea shop. I changed into my waitress uniform and began my shift. Even though it was easier talking to people without feeling Ryan Hargrove’s eyes on me, something irked me. Every time I was in the dining hall, my eyes would gaze over the heads of the customers, almost hoping I would see him there.

  “Where’s the high school hottie?” asked Jeanne while I was loading my tray with a customer’s orders.

  “Who?”

  “You know,” she said with a wink. “The boy who wants all your attention. The one who goes to the same school as you.”

  “Ryan,” I said. “He won’t be coming here.” Lifting the heavy tray, I walked out of the kitchen. I felt an ache in my chest as I repeated to myself that he’ll never come back. He may never even speak to me and ignore me like he avoided the rest of the girls in the school. It’s for the best, I insisted silently.

  The three hours crawled by. I spoke to as many customers as possible, smiled and took orders, delivered them and didn’t stop until the dining area slowly cleared out. My non-stop service brought me twenty dollars in tips that day. Somehow, while Margo and Jeanne congratulated me, I felt no happiness.

  “Why are you so glum?” asked Bramble.

  “It’s nothing. Had a fight with my brother today,” I said, not meeting her gaze.

  “Is that all?”

  “Yeah,” I said, forcing a chuckle. “I am fine.”

  I changed back into my regular clothes when I was ready to go home. Saying goodbye to my colleagues, I stepped onto the street outside. After the warmth and bright light of the tea shop, the road felt especially dark and cold. I looked around hopefully, but there was no shadowy silhouette of the familiar boy. It was just a deserted street.

  Taking a deep breath, I began walking. A sudden strip of lightning illuminated the purplish-black sky, followed by an ear-splitting thunder. I clapped my hands over my ears as the clouds rumbled overhead. A few fat drops of rain fell on my head. Before long, it turned into a heavy downpour. I ran to take shelter under a closed shop’s extended roof.

  Fifteen minutes passed away, but the rain did not seem to decrease. It fell heavier than before. If I did not start moving soon, it would be quite late by the time I reached home. An occasional car drove past me, but the streets were empty. Not wishing to stay there all by myself, I walked out in the rain.

  I was soaked within minutes. Heavy wind buffeted around my wet jacket as I walked through the downpour. My body was chilled. Even my feet felt heavy in the wet shoes. Cold and misery gripped me as I made my way towards home. The route had never seemed this long before.

  Regret welled up inside me. I desperately missed Ryan Hargrove’s company. No matter how much I denied it, his company would have made the whole ordeal of walking in the rains better. At least, my heart would pound hard in his presence, pumping more blood into my body to keep me warm. His presence would have definitely distracted me from the rain and cold as well.

  At one point, I even began sobbing. I would not give into my stupid emotions. There was no one to depend upon, but myself. Ever since my uncle turned us out of our own home, it was the only truth that prevailed. Hardening my resolve to forget about Ryan Hargrove, I trudged forward.

  It was a long while before I reached home that night. My body shook badly from shivers that refused to subside even when I’d gone inside the house. After changing from my wet clothes, Sarah brought me a steaming cup of hot chocolate, but even that failed to warm me on the inside. It was a deep-seated chill in my heart.

  Sleep never came that night. I tossed and turned in my bed while the storm raged outside. It was sometime in the early dawn that I finally fell into an uneasy slumber.

  Chapter 12

  James had to shake me awake the next morning. The morning light hurt my eyes as I blinked several times to clear my vision. My head felt heavy as I sat up in bed.

  “Oli,” said James, poking me in the shoulder. “Get up. I’ve already had breakfast. Mother sent me up here to check on you. You’ll miss school if you don’t get up now.”

  I groaned. “I am getting up.”

  “I’m off now. Bye,” said James and left me to get dressed for school.

  It was difficult to climb out of bed. My body ached with each movement. Opening the cupboard, I took the clothes that were within my immediate reach.

  My breakfast was laid on the kitchen table when I went downstairs. Sarah was washing things in the sink with her back towards me. I should have been hungry, but felt no appetite. Still, I took a bite of the buttered toast on my plate. It tasted like tough cardboard in my mouth.

  “I am done,” I said, feeling sick at the sight of the food.

  “You didn’t even finish a single toast,” said Sarah, coming towards me.

  “I don’t feel like eating this today. How about I carry an apple with me to school? I can eat that when I get really hungry.”

  “That’s not a bad idea,” said Sarah, thinking. “Are you feeling all right though, Olivia? You look peaky.” She pressed her hand to my forehead. “You are warm.”

  “I am fine, Mother,” I said, removing her hand. “I am late already. Bye.” Giving her a quick kiss, I picked up my bag and headed towards the door.

  The morning sun beat down on me as I walked towards school. It was like there had been no storm last night. Only the wet leaves among the mud on the side of the road gave an indication that it had rained. I was panting by the time I reached the school gate. Sweat beaded my forehead like I’d done something terribly exhausting.

  The school bell screeched, but I had to sit on one of the benches lining the school’s front lawn to rest. I felt out of breath. When I felt relatively better, I proceeded towards Washington Building to reach my first class.

  I peered through the doorway and found the teacher had already started with the lesson. Stacie sat in the second row. The seat beside her was empty. It left me with a warm feeling to think she had saved it for me.

  “Stop lingering there. Get in!” Looking up, I saw Mrs. Jennings staring at me. She gestured me to enter the class.

  I hurried away to take my seat beside Stacie who smiled in relief to see me.

  “Settle down, now,” said Mrs. Jennings. “Now where were we?”

  She began her lecture on the reasons for the uprising of the South. Even though I’d read the chapter that weekend, I could not focus on the class. My head began hurting and it took everything in me to sit straight and not slump on my desk.

  “Are you okay?” whispered Stacie from the corner of her mouth.

  I nodded and looked ahead. There was no point in worrying her. It was probably just exhaustion from yesterday. However, by the end of the class, I had begun coughing.

  “You don’t look well at all,” said Stacie as we walked through the corridor after class.

  “I don’t feel good,” I said, rubbing my throbbing forehead. “I am going to the library and finding me a corner to put my head down for a while.”

  Stacie’s big brown eyes looked at me with concern. She pressed her hand against my forehead like Sarah had done earlier that day. “You are warm. I would go to the library, but I have to meet Mr. Varner and some of the boys from the drama club now. I am making an inventory of the things they will need for the coming season. The administrative department will need it.”

  “It’s fine, Stacie. I am sure I can walk to the library on my own.”

  I suffered a headache for the rest
of the day. My appetite didn’t return at lunch, but I forced myself to eat the apple I brought from home. My coughing was getting worse too. It was especially embarrassing during the two P.M. English class when I had to sit beside Ryan Hargrove.

  Doing my best to hold in the cough, I tried to concentrate on the class. However, my revolting lungs and scratchy throat made it impossible. People were turning around in their seats to stare.

  A cool touch on my arm made me turn to the side. Ryan Hargrove’s hand rested there. He was frowning at me. I jerked my arm away from him.

  When the class ended, I released a long breath. There was just the shift at the tea shop now and then I could go home for some sweet, sweet rest.

  “Olivia,” said Ryan Hargrove, pulling me back. Unable to keep my balance, I stumbled into him. My back hit his chest.

  I struggled to get free from his hold, but he would not let me go. “What is it?” I said with a groan. I didn’t even have the energy to be mad at him that day. “Please, let go.”

  He breathed very close to neck. Then whispered, “Go home now. You are clearly not well.”

  “I’ll go home after my shift,” I said through a cough. He let me go. Turning around, I faced him. He watched me with a frown. It was difficult to arrange my thoughts around him on a regular day. With a raging headache, it became impossible. “Goodbye,” I mumbled and hurried out of the classroom. Tears welled in my eyes. Why did he have to be so caring after I was rude to him just yesterday?

  Brushing away my tears, I made my way to the school gates. It was easy to lose myself among the crowd there. Pulling the bag higher on my shoulder, I began walking towards the tea shop.

  On the way, I bought myself a bottle of energy drink. The cold liquid was soothing to my throat and I hoped the caffeine would get me through my shift without any hassle.

  When I reached the tea shop, I saw a few people standing outside the glass doors. From what I could hear from their conversation, they were waiting for tables to clear. Entering the restaurant, I saw that it was more crowded than usual.