A/N: Special thanks to AngelTaisha. With that said here is the story.
The Customer Is Always Right...Not!
It had been a long day and Paine was tired. Her feet hurt and she was highly irritated. All she wanted to do was go home and soak in a nice hot bubble bath. She was counting the minutes until she could go home when two young men walked in and were seated in her section. One was tall and lean with smooth brown skin and white blonde hair that he was constantly pushing back from his face. The other was a bit more muscular with tanned skin and blonde hair that shot up in all directions. Between the eye patch and the cocky grin Paine just had a feeling that she was going to have problems with these two.
"Welcome to the Luca Cafe. My name is Paine; I'll be your waitress this evening. I'll leave you with these menus for a few moments and then I'll be back," she said mechanically.
As Paine walked away she couldn't help but to feel their eyes on her as she walked away. At times like these she hated the uniforms that Rin forced them to wear. The black pleated skirt she wore barely covered her bum and the baby white v-neck polo showed off much of her cleavage and her midriff. The only thing that was comfortable were the standard issue white sneakers. Rin really didn't have any respect women and only saw them as a means for profit. Growing even more irritated Paine walked behind the counter and watched the two young men as they looked over their menus.
The man with the white blonde hair kept looking up at her and smiling. She studied him a little more and after awhile she decided that she liked his small mouth and his warm brown eyes. She noticed that he had very delicate hands. She figured that he was either very rich or worked in the temple.
"So what can I get you guys this evening?" Paine asked politely.
"I'll have the Spirian All-Star Special. And can I have my eggs scrambled hard with cheese, please," the delicate looking one asked as he handed her his menu and gracefully folded his hands.
"And I'll take the grilled chocobo club with a side of you topped with whipped cream and a cherry," the cocky blonde replied.
"GIPPAL!" the man next to him sternly protested.
"Excuse me," Paine snapped narrowing her eyes.
"I said that I'd like the grilled chocobo club with a side of you topped with whipped cream and a cherry. No wait, make that you naked, legs spread with whipped cream and a cherry on top," Gippal replied with a cocky grin.
"Yevon! Gippal! Where are your manners?" the man next to him growled angrily. "Miss, I am terribly sorry for my friend's trashy antics. He can act like such an imbred sometimes."
Paine looked them up and down before stalking off towards the kitchen. It had taken all her will power to hold her tongue and not sock the cocky bastard in his face. Thrusting the order slip into the kitchen attendant's hand she turned around to catch the tail end of the two men's conversation.
"Aww...c'mon Lai'. I was just have'n a little fun," Gippal said. "You need to lighten up Baralai."
"But you were out of line!" he protested.
She was growing more irritated by the second as the pair continued to quarrel. Just as she had strightened up to go check on their orders she ran straight into Shelinda. The last thing that she wanted to do was to get into an argument with the girl. Shelinda loved to gossip to Rin about the other girls and Rin loved it, therefore making her the manager. Paine started in the other direction of the annoying brunette when the girl cornered her.
"Paine, why do you have such a sour look on your face? Don't make me report your tasteless attitude to Rin," Shelinda said sweetly.
"You go right ahead and do that Shelinda. You're not the one that is having unwanted sexual remarks directed towards you," she snapped.
"Yeah, S'linda," Rikku said coming out of the kitchen. " You don't know how it is. You're so homely looking that men wouldn't dare unless they were blind. All you do around here is poke and prod us like a constipated shoopuff praying for diarrhea."
"Ladies I will ignore your rude remarks. But remember this ladies, the customer is ALWAYS right. Whether you like it or not and if you can't handle that turn in your uniforms at the end of your shifts!" With that Shelinda stalked off as if she was Lady Yunalesca herself.
"Can you believe her nerve?" Rikku asked?
"Of course, the prissy bitch always has something obnoxious to say. She thinks that she is so damned high and mighty when she is barely worth the gil spent on a toilet brush,' Paine fumed.
Picking up the orders from the kitchen Paine carried the plates over to Baralai and Gippal.
"What, no dessert?" Gippal asked.
Paine decided to ignore him. As she walked away Gippal called her back to their table.
"Something the matter?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Yes, I asked for no mayo," he replied.
"Um, no you didn't."
"Yes I did."
"No You Didn't!"
"Paine," Shelinda said coming up from behind her. "Remember what I said!"
Paine gritted her teeth and snatched the plate off the table and strode off towards the kitchen.
"That bastard," Paine hissed.
"What bastard?" Rikku asked.
"The one at table six in my section."
Rikku peeked out the circular window of the kitchen's swinging door. When she turned around to face Paine she burst into a fit of giggles.
"What's so funny?"
"That Gippal Sheldan is giving you a hard time. Although, I am a bit surprised at his doing it in public while he's out with the Praetor's son."
"The Praetor's son? And how do you know this Rikku?"
"Yeah, the Praetor's son. Baralai Asai is Praetor Asai's son. And Gippal is his best friend. Gippal's dad used to work for my dad. So what did S'linda say to you? I saw you and Gippal's little exchange."
"The bitch promptly reminded me to remember our little chat earlier."
"The customer is always right," Rikku said mimicking their manager.
"I'll show them both whose right," Paine snarled. Opening Gippal's sandwich Paine spit a giant glob of saliva onto the bread and spread it with a butter knife. Closing the sandwich once more she tossed the knife into the sink and walked out of the kitchen. She could still hear Rikku's giggle fit as she approached the table.
"Here you are Sir," Paine said sweetly. "Is there anything else I can get you fine gentleman."
"No, that will be all Miss. Thank You," Baralai said softly.
Paine smiled with satisfaction as Gippal began to eat his sandwich. Happily she walked back to the waitress station and waited for them to finish eating so that she could go home. When Shelinda walked by Paine defiantly whispered "the customer is always right...not."
Later after they left she removed their dishes she saw a hundred gil tucked into a napkin. On the napkin was written: "I'm sorry that my friend was such a terrible guest in your work place. Please forgive me. -Baralai"
Paine almost felt bad for what she had done to Gippal. Almost.