Coming soon...
Tobias POV
Later that afternoon I get ready for work and clock in as my shift is about to start. The good thing about working until closing is I actually don't have to be here all day and my shift is only a few hours. I get good tips which is nice. I've never considered myself a kind person but I guess I'm a nice and efficient enough as a waiter to earn good tips. Even though the restaurant has been open for about 6 months it still gets pretty busy. My guess is people are still discovering it. The dessert menu is very popular as well so that's probably why we're always busy. It's good to know that once people try anything on the menu they'll keep coming back.
"Ready to get to work, Four?" My manager, Amar, asks me.
"Ready as always."
I then get to work tending to several tables. Towards the end of my shift Amar comes up to me.
"Four, take care of table 9. That'll be your last one tonight."
"How many?" I ask.
"Just one."
I get a menu and head out the kitchen door to the dining area to table 9 in the back which is actually a booth, not a table. As I get closer I see a blonde girl sitting alone, tapping her fingers on the table. I'm immediately drawn to her piercing gray eyes. Her eyes are so stern, so insistent. Beautiful. I compose myself and speak.
"Welcome Caesar's. Can I get you started with something to drink?"
"An iced tea, please."
"Right away. I'll let you look over the menu and I'll be right back with your iced tea."
I turn and head back to the kitchen to fill a glass with iced tea and a lemon wedge. I return to her table and place down the glass in front of her.
"Have you decided yet?"
"Yes. I'll have the ravioli and a Caesar salad, please."
"Good choice and make sure you save room for dessert. It's our specialty."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Your order should be out soon. Let me know if you need anything."
I keep busy with my other tables but I don't forget to check up on the blonde girl at table 9. I watch her intently and inconspicuously enjoying her meal. I am surprised she is alone, but don't dare ask her why. She'd probably think I'm a creep for asking.
I walk over to her table, a dessert menu in hand.
"I hope you didn't forget," I say as I hand her the menu.
"I didn't. Since you advertised it so well earlier. What do you recommend?"
"Everything is good, but I'd especially recommend the chocolate cake. Around here we call it Dauntless cake."
"I'll take a slice of Dauntless cake then."
"Coming right up. And I'll bring out a to go box for you as well, in case you don't finish the cake in one sitting."
"That sounds great. Thank you."
After I bring her the cake and to go box. I watch her devour about half of the cake before placing the rest in the to go box.
"How was the cake?" I ask as I return to the table with her credit card.
"Amazing."
"Glad to hear that. Thanks for coming in. Hope you come back soon."
"I definitely will."
I watch her leave and my shift begins to wind down afterwards.
PAGE BREAK
When my shift is up soon after the blonde girl leaves, I quickly clock out, change clothes and grab a slice of dauntless cake, box it up and head out to the café across the street. It's a small café that has really good teas. The manager, Tori, is super nice. She knows me now since I go there all the time after work. I always come here alone since I know Zeke and his brother Uriah aren't into this sort of thing. And after serving in the military for so long it's nice to have some peace and quiet every now and then. Better than paying loads of money for therapy. A bell on the door rings as I open it and immediately walk up to the counter and greet Tori.
"The usual, Four?"
"Yeah."
She hands me my drink and I pay and put a few dollars in the tip jar. As I turn to find a table I am shocked when I spot a familiar looking girl with blonde hair. She is sitting by herself at a table for two, sipping tea and eating the rest of her dauntless cake while looking down at her phone, her back to me. I walk up to her table.
"Excuse me, miss. Is this seat taken?"
She looks up at me and is just as surprised as I am when she recognizes me.
"Um, no. Please." She replies, gesturing to the seat across from hers.
"Thanks." I say as I sit down. "Still enjoying the cake, I see?"
"Yeah. Enjoying every bite."
I chuckle. "So, I don't think we were properly introduced earlier. My name's Four."
"Beatrice, but everyone calls me Tris."
"Nice to meet you, Tris."
"Nice to meet you too. Four, is it? Is that a nickname?"
"Yeah. Not very many people know my real name."
"There must be a pretty unique story behind it."
"Eh, kinda. I was in the military and served four tours of duty."
"Oh wow."
"Yeah. I returned home each time, mostly unscathed except for my last tour. I was injured so I got honorable discharge."
"How bad were you hurt?"
"Thankfully not severe, but I suffered a minor head injury, a broken leg, and cuts and bruises."
"Well, I'm glad you made it home safe."
"Thanks. So am I."
"May I ask why you don't use your real name? You don't have to answer though. I don't wanna seem rude."
"No, it's okay. Unfortunately I don't a good relationship with my parents so it was kinda my way of cutting ties with them. My father is in prison and my mom took off when I was six."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I've learned to accept it, I guess. I have good friends so I'm happy."
"I'm glad to hear that. My parents died a few years ago in a car accident so I guess I can understand your situation at least somewhat."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. Like you, I'm learning to cope with it. I'm just taking it each day at a time."
"Do you have any siblings?"
"One brother. Older. But our relationship became strained after the accident. We both had different ways of dealing with it that the other couldn't understand."
"I can't imagine how hard that must be for you. Sometimes I don't realize that others might have it worse than me."
"I wouldn't say worse. Everyone has a past. I was pretty upset because I felt like he abandoned me."
"I'm an only child and I wish I had a sibling to share things with."
"We were close before, but without our parents it's like my family crumbled."
"Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, if you want to of course. I mean, I know we just met and all but..."
"No, it's okay. I'd like that."
I smile. "So does this mean I can have your number?"
"Definitely. If you give me yours too."
"Deal."
We exchange numbers.
"Well Four, I guess I'd better go. My roommate is sick and even though her boyfriend is taking care of her, I should get back. That's why I ate alone. She was supposed to go with me to the restaurant."
"Oh okay. I did wanna ask you why you were alone, but I didn't wanna seem like a creep."
She chuckles. "I might not know you well yet, but you don't seem like a creep at all."
"Thanks. I guess I'll talk to you soon then?"
"Looks like it. And I'm definitely going back for more dauntless cake."
I laugh. "You better. And next time it'll be on the house."
"Thanks. I enjoyed talking to you."
"Me too. Good night Tris."
"Good night, Four."