The waiter come back into the kitchen. Shaking, he put the order on the pas. "Table four said it's too spicy."
The chef looked at him. The kitchen, that always were full with nerve, stress and screams shut. No one had retune their orders in their restaurant. Everyone loved their order, because Sebastian was a control- freak, and never let them serve it unless it was perfect. He looked at the Salmon fish and took a slice with his fork. His face darkened. "The fish is just fine," he said.
"Table four says…."
"Table four doesn't know what a good meal is, even if it would bite his ass."
"They said they won't pay for that, and that they you to cook them this order again."
"Give them back this fish, and tell them the chef fixed it."
The waiter took the order and left. One minute later he came back with it. His worried face reflected everything. "Chef…"
Before he could say anything, Sebastian took the order. He walked over the restrune door, ignoring from the whispers behind him. Hard words had already collected in his mind. Whoever sat on his fat ass on table four, Sebastian was going to make sure they'll know that his meals were a master piece. He should be grateful he has a chance to talk with chef like him, with two Michelin stars…!
"Miss, I told you that you can't-" the kitchen door opened. Redhead woman with a fancy gown marched in. The blush in her cheeks and shaking fists show that she was angry. She walked in and stopped in front of Sebastian, and when their eyes met they both freezed.
One of the waitress run in, and stand behind the costumer. "Miss, this zone is only of the workers," she mumbled, and gave the chef a gaze that said 'there was nothing I could do.'
Sebastian didn't noticed her. He didn't noticed anyone but the lady who stand in front of him. The world spin around him and he forgot how to breath. "Clarissa Fray," he said.
She swallow. "No, I'm her dead twin."
"Still spicy, I see."
"Like the fish I've just tasted."
He blinked. So she was the one who retune her order. Dull pain spread in his chest. From all the People in the world, she was the only one who criticize his cooking. "Table four?"
She nodded. "That's me."
He licked his dry lips, and turn slowly back to his staff. All of them stare at them instated of the orders. In other day he would have explode on them for not focus on their job. He couldn't do it now. Not when Clary stand so close to him, when he could smell her sweet perfume. He told his su- chef, "Raphael, cook our customer another salmon with far less spice. You in charged." Against their unbelieve eyes, he opened the back door of the restaurant and jested her follow him. He closed the door behind them and heard Raphael yelling "back to work!"
Clary lay against the wall, apathetic to the damage she could cause her gown. She looked up to the sky and by doing so exposed her neck to the open air. He wanted to kiss her pale flash and press his body on hers. "They looked at you like you can't be quiet."
Sebastian closed to her. Distractedly, he played with one of her curls. "I'm very professional. They often forget that I can be more patient to people-" that I love, "-whom I know."
Clary grabbed his wrist and pushed it gently from her hair. He felt a bit disappointed. "Please don't do that."
"You used to love when I done it."
"Well, I used to love a lot of things. Now I'm deferent."
It bothered him. Sebastian scan her image. Soft eyeshadow decorated her face, sharping the green in her eyes. He could stare once in those eyes for hours, while telling her all of his secrets. She were siting in front of him while soft music were play in the background as he were telling her when the coach were mad at him, when his father were disappointed, when his sister got on his nerve. And Clary were taking in all of his anger, brushing his arms and reminded him that those people care about him. This little god's master piece told him that it was not worth to stay mad at them and hold him when he felt like he was breaking apart. She was still beautiful like the first he met her. "You haven't changed a bit."
She blinked. "Great to hear that you still thinks that I'm ugly."
That stung. Knife pierced his chest as Sebastian remained the last time they had spoken. All the harsh things he said when it was over. "You're not ugly. You never been ugly."
"That's not what you told me before you left for collage. How is your new girlfriend? Sally?"
"Seelie." Guilt. What a terrible feeling. His eyes scan her face, looking for any sign of anger or hurt like when she first find out who he started to date with just two days after her. Why was he so disappointed when her face now still remind cold as stone? "It didn't worked out."
"Ho." She breath deeply the street's air. "Why?"
Sebastian wanted to hug her tight again, to put his chin on her forehead. To whisper in her ears how much he missed her, that he want her to spoil him again with her pretty words and fairy tales promises. He missed her comfort, to her kind heart that had always find something good about everyone. He missed Clary, who took him to a special dates deep in the forest in the corner they called "our secret place." The girl who skipped her classes to stay with him and help him study. The one who always cheer him in his football games in encourage him to keep going. "Because she wasn't you."
Clary finally looked at him. It wasn't a stare that you gave to an old friend, or enemy. It was a blank stare you gave to someone you don't know. "So your friends and family loved her, and she was hot."
He couldn't deny it. As much as he wanted to protect her from all those stares and whispers, she knew. She always did. At first they all admire her because of her character and values, of course. Slowly but steady, they all started to mock her. The football team told him that he could get someone hotter then her, someone with more meat on her behind and bigger breast. His father, the perfectionist man he was told him he should get someone that the press would find more "attractive." Even his sister told him that his girlfriend needs a tone of make up. "
"So weird to see you here."
She shrugged. "I came back to New York about six months ago. Needed a little break, and now I can move on."
"How is your life?"
Clary didn't blinked. "Fills with happiness, like always. My art is selling for a good prices. Google my name, you can find some articles. My husband and I got ourselves a new place. Life's good."
Bitter taste spread in his mouth. The chef face darkened. Husband. She wasn't spouse to have a husband. She was spouse to be single by now, and Sebastian was spouse to offer her a free meal, and tell her that he would make her the next salmon cook any way she wanted him to cook it. And then he would tell her how sorry he was, and that they should try again one last time. "Husban."
She nodded.
"How long are you two together?"
The question did got her slightly out of balance, to his surprise and delight. "Nine years. We met in high school, and weren't very close back then. When he heard broke up with me and started date with Seelie, he run to my home and told me you had no idea what you missed. After a few months things just rolled from themselves."
So shortly before they broke. Probably not long after he rebellion his father and followed his dream to cook. When he used his family ties to get the two stars, so when she'll be back he would impress her. "Before we dropped collage."
She frown. "Who said I drop?"
"You told me…"
"I'm working on my art degree those days. Dpesn't stops me from selling paintings."
He wanted to kick himself. "Ah."
"And you?"
"I just told you I dropped…"
"I meant life in general."
Blank without you. "Well, I've got my own restaurant and most of the reviews are amazing, so…"
She smiled and looked down, like only a girl who is thinking about privet joke can. "You always care about what other thought about you. Even we were together, you never cared that we were in love. You cared more about what everyone thought about us."
Not always. He ignored all of them at first, because he had Clary and he was happy. Still, it was hard to ignore from the stares he got from other girls and the mocking stares that she got from the hole school. They called them "Belle and hos Beast." How could you ignore when someone tells you that you can get someone so much better? How could you not look around you about what other had, and want to take a bite? How could you not compare both of you in the photograph, and see that you are above your girlfriend level, yet leave that fact alone?
He pushed it as hard as he could, but his environment wan at the end. He remembered how hard she cried when he told her that he is sorry, but they all right. He was a control freak, and he admire perfection like his father did. Instead of enjoying the amazing girl that loved him with all her heart, he looked for imaginary princess who was perfect. That's why he dated Seelie, and by the time he realized she was nothing like Clary, she already left.
Someone rang to Clary's cell. She picked that up. "Yes, I'm right back. I'll tell you there." She hang up. "My date. I should be back, we have been here too long."
He didn't wanted to go back. He wanted to stand there with her forever. He wanted to tell her to break up with her husband, and not to stare longing after her as she passed him and entered the restaurant again. When his body could move again, he followed her in
Raphael called above one of the pans, "chef! I need your help with this chicken."
He ignored him and walked over the kitchen door. Slowly, Sebastian opened a small crack and looked trough it to see table four.
Clary's husband was Jace. One of his football team who always told him he could find someone hotter then Clary.
I think this is my last one shot for a while now. Please tell me what you think!
