hello! i've been trying to upload chapter 20 of my other story but it's as if some curse hit it! there's always an error... so i'll be uploading it soon... i hope! here's chapter two of Cliches and Casualties... hope you enjoy it!
Cliches and Casualties
chapter two: more than the usual
The next morning, Cagalli woke up and did her usual routine before going to work. That routine included making her bed, taking a bath, picking out her usual comfy-clothes and rarely bothering to check her appearance in the mirror. This day she was supposed to tie her hair in a ponytail but reckoned she better not since no one will even notice that she did something different. Usually, she just does what an independent girl would normally do or rather, the things she never did when she was still in the palace, being treated like a princess.
She left her apartment and went straight to the hotdog stand just a few blocks away from where she lives. A family owns that stand and it pretty much amazed Cagalli that the two kids like her so much.
After getting her speedy-breakfast, she took a cab that will take her to the town proper and to the café where she's working. As the cab sped by the street, she saw Tolle, Miriallia's ex-boyfriend, lip-locking with some chick inside a restaurant.
"It's early morn and I'm starting to get really sick." She muttered to herself, rolling her eyes in dismay.
For her, love is something not to be vulgarized in any way and so, she hated the fact how people can take it, kissing in public.
After about five minutes or so, she arrived at the café and saw Miriallia already working her way with the cash register. She headed towards the counter and dropped her bag on the floor to help with preparing the pastries and operating the brewing machine.
"Ohayo Cagalli!" Miriallia greeted. She seemed to be in a nice mood.
Cagalli smiled. "You've got your spirits up I presume?" she asked.
Miriallia just smiled. "I figured that Tolle didn't really deserve me and I deserve someone much better!" she said proudly.
Cagalli stared at her blankly. "Ugh… don't tell me…" she said, in the back of her mind, she hoped she was mistaken in what she is thinking.
"Yeah! You practically read my mind! I want to go dating again and you will do it with me!" Miriallia said dreamily. "Who knows if I'll meet someone and who knows someday you'll get your first-" Miriallia was saying but Cagalli cut her off.
Her thoughts betrayed her again.
"Don't even think about it!" the blond said crossly. "Can't you see? I've no time for dating! If you wanna date, it's okay… just don't get me in any mess!" Cagalli said for certain, recalling how Tolle looked like when she saw him.
Miriallia smirked. "You big killjoy…" she muttered.
Cagalli thought Miriallia would've given up but she was wrong. "Or maybe… you just have your eyes on someone, am I right?" Miriallia pressed in.
"As if!" Cagalli said as she tied her apron around her waist and placed her name plate on the left side of her blouse, saying CAGALLI and underneath her name, WAITRESS.
A princess and a waitress rolled in one. A rebellious-for-a-good-cause daughter, a stubborn twin sister and a defensive but reliable best friend. For Cagalli, these descriptions is enough and the word love has no place in it.
"Fine… I give up…" Miriallia said as two ladies that appeared to be college students entered the café. "For as long as you'll go with me when I find a date… just then would I give up in persuading you." She said her final words to Cagalli before working her way in the cash register.
The two of them moved to be busy with work, being happy and cheerful since this is the day they're going to get their weekly wages. Suddenly, two guys entered the café. Both of them dressing up just like the guy they saw the other night. The guy whom Cagalli described as overly perfect and too rich to enter a café.
"Cagalli, look! We're so lucky!" Miriallia said excitedly. In Cagalli's opinion, she's just like that because she's driven to desperately get over Tolle.
One of the guys had blond hair and tan complexion and a very cocky smile that irritated Cagalli. The other guy had silver hair and cold blue eyes that matched his cold aura when he entered; he irritated Cagalli more since he came in like a phantom haunting someone's grave.
"That blond guy is way hot!" Miriallia whispered excitedly.
Cagalli took a glance at the two guys that resembled M.I.B. agents from the M.I.B. movies, as they took a seat at a table nearby the counter.
"I bet they'd be requesting for something that's only available at restaurants." Cagalli mumbled.
The blond guy just sat beside the other and stretched his arms out wide. The silver haired guy was being impatient and he kept looking at his wristwatch, as if waiting for something.
"Aw, don't tell me their waiting for their girlfriends!" Miriallia said jokingly.
Suddenly, the blue-haired guy that went to the café last night for a double espresso came rushing inside and sat beside the two guys that were obviously waiting for him.
"Oh Cagalli! There he is!" Miriallia pointed directly at the guy and it was really a good thing that no one noticed it.
"Don't start…" Cagalli said sternly.
"When will you realize that though you don't need men, you still have to make use of your heart!" Miriallia said.
Cagalli rolled her eyes at her dramatic remark. "Make use of my heart… my ass! That has got to be the dumbest suggestion I've heard." Cagalli said, flaring up in anger.
"Wanna bet?" Miriallia challenged.
"No way, jose…" Cagalli said and stuck her tongue out.
The three guys looked as if they were just holding a meeting though the blonde guy was in between a heated argument between the blue-haired one and the silver-haired one.
"Men these days…" Cagalli muttered. "What a way to start a day…" she said in dismay and continued to work.
After a few minutes of blabbering and arguing, the three guys finally figured out it's not polite to sit in a café for so long without even ordering something. The blond guy stood up, leaving the two fighting men over their table. Cagalli called out to a very delighted Miriallia to take the guy's order.
It seems like the guy was smitten by Miriallia in an instant. After voicing out the order, Miriallia was still exchanging words with a complete stranger like they've known each other for years. Cagalli butted in after a little while.
"Here's your order, sir… one original black coffee, one mocha cappuccino and one double espresso." Cagalli recited and marched away.
"Whoa… your friend's really mad, isn't she?" the blond guy said.
"Oh she's not… she's just like that." Miriallia said and giggled.
Cagalli scowled at the two of them from a distance.
"By the way, I'm Dearka Elthman… miss…" the blond guy introduced himself.
"I'm Miriallia Haww." Miriallia answered.
"And your friend there?" he asked though it seems he's not really interested in Cagalli that much.
"Cagalli… Cagalli Yula…" Miriallia said, figuring it's best not to give out Cagalli's surname or else, it might risk her father finding her.
"Oh… same name as the princess, eh?" Dearka said.
Cagalli noticed they were talking about her. "If you don't mind, people are also trying to get their orders, and your friends out there are waiting." She snapped at him.
Dearka realized she was right. "Oh yeah! Thanks… sorry." Obviously, he said thanks to Miriallia and sorry to Cagalli.
"Good." Cagalli said and walked away.
Miriallia asked another crew member to take over her post and she followed Cagalli.
"What the heck is the matter with you? You snapped at that guy without any reason!" Miriallia said, quite outraged.
"I did have reasons! People are already lining up behind him!" Cagalli defended her point.
"You know, your man-hater attitude is really way out of line. It's not really reasonable at all! You're acting like a complete…" Miriallia exploded in frustration.
"Idiot? Is that what you wanna say?" Cagalli completed the sentence for her.
"Yeah!" Miriallia answered.
"You can't blame me… it true. Men are from mars…" Cagalli answered simply.
"Fine! Have it your way…" Miriallia gave up and walked out.
"Oh I would…" Cagalli said but deep inside, her conscience was bugging her. It was indeed impolite to snap at someone just like that but she is not to apologize no matter what.
When she went out, the three guys already left. Miriallia was in a better mood since she talked to that Dearka guy. Cagalli walked up to her and apologized for her behavior and as usual, Miriallia forgave her.
"In one condition…" Miriallia said with a sneer.
Cagalli frowned. "I should have known there was a catch…"
"Dearka invited me to go out… I want you to go with me!" Miriallia said demandingly.
Cagalli was fuming. "No way! Absolutely not!"
"Remember… you have to… you did something wrong, you have to pay for it!" Miriallia said.
Cagalli felt as if the world fell right on top of her head. "I'm doomed!" she whined as she bumped her head lightly on the coffee maker.
The day passed by and Cagalli's thoughts seemed to be always drifting to the horrid thought of having to chaperone in a date. Night came and they were about to close the shop as they waited for Kira to pick them up. Miriallia was still in a dreamy haze since that Dearka guy came in this morning.
"Isn't it our day off tomorrow?" she said suddenly.
Cagalli was hoping she would forget about the day off or rather forget about the whole idea of the date. "What about it?" she pretended not to know what was coming.
"I told Dearka I'll go tomorrow…" Miriallia answered.
BLAG!
BOOM!
ATOMIC BOMB EXPLODING
It's the end of the world, Cagalli…
"Uh… a-are you sure? You just met him!" Cagalli hoped to make her change her mind.
"Sure I'm sure… not that I'm desperate… but it's about time I start going out again… to forget about Tolle and everything." Miriallia explained.
Cagalli understood Miriallia and she knew she had no choice or else she'll hurt her. "Fine… just call me up for the details." She finally yielded.
"Oh and I asked him to bring a buddy along, just so you won't feel out of place…" Miriallia chipped in.
KABOOSH!
BANG!
GREGORIAN CHANT FOR FUNERALS
Self-destructing princess in five… four… three… two…
"Don't tell me…" Cagalli began.
"Yup, it's a double date! Isn't it exciting?" Miriallia said and clapped happily.
"N-no it's not! You really didn't have to do that… I agreed to go with you and that meant just chaperoning and not double dating! Get the picture?" Cagalli said quickly.
"Aw come on! Don't be a killjoy… just give this just one try… if you still hate men after this, then I won't bother setting you up again, and I mean never setting you up." Miriallia said.
Cagalli thought for a while. It was a good catch. All she has to do is despise the guy she will be meeting and then it's the end of the line.
"Fine, I'll do it." Cagalli agreed, determined to do her plan and poison the guy if she has to.
On the other side of the world (well not really… teehee), if Cagalli is an extreme man-hater, someone is indeed as hateful of women as she is with men.
"Come on Athrun! It's not like I can force Yzak to go with me…" Dearka pleaded.
"No… no… and for the last time, NO." said Athrun Zala, heir to the Zala Group of Companies, owner of Orb's biggest companies and a certified woman-hater.
"Please Athrun…" Dearka said, attempting to use the puppy dog eyes.
"Don't give in Zala… you'll be wasting your life…" said Yzak Jule, son of a business partner of the Zala GoC's.
"For the first time, I'm listening to Yzak." Athrun said, trying to dismiss the topic.
"Dammit! You're wasting this perfect opportunity to date!" Dearka pressed in.
"Dating... like duh! People like you should never date a middle class and ordinary waitress! The same goes for you Zala." Yzak said, obviously trying to sound like a big know-it-all again.
"I know what goes for me." Athrun said coldly.
"And I know better! Just go with me, okay?" Dearka argued even more.
"Tell me… WHEN WILL YOU STOP BUGGING ME!" Athrun asked, his temper rising.
"When you agree to come with me!" Dearka was never the type to ever back down.
"Good thing I don't have time for these stupidity… I have an important meeting. See you around, losers." Yzak said and walked out of Athrun's office.
"Just this once and I promise I will never, ever bug you again." Dearka pleaded on bended knees.
"Fine…" Athrun gave in. "On one condition…"
"What?" Dearka asked.
"You do my paperwork for the rest of this week!" Athrun said with a triumphant smile.
"Quit it Athrun… this is not high school and I won't do your homework!" Dearka said sternly.
"On the other hand… you better not…" Athrun said, sighing while he signed a document. "Last time you did my homework back in senior year I got a C instead of my usual A." he said with a sly smile.
Seeing Dearka's smile turn into a frown then a scowl, Athrun knew he had to apologize. Indeed he had gone too far.
"Fine. I'll go. Just don't ever bug me again." Athrun finally gave in.
"Thank you, buddy! I owe it all to you!" Dearka said and was about to hug Athrun when the latter moved away.
"Don't even think about it." he snarled angrily, attempting to throw his table lamp at Dearka.
"My bad…" Dearka apologized. "Don't forget, 6pm. We'll meet at my place." he said before leaving the room.
"I'm doomed." Athrun said, realizing what chaos he got himself into.
i have to tell you how glad i am, receiving reviews! thank you all for reading and reviewing! i hope you do the same for this. i am open to accept suggestions if there are any... till here... ja ne! oh and by the way, the real fun begins on chapter three... watch out!