Auryn here! Now, the thing about this chapter...it includes Chinese. Don't worry, the translations are at the bottom of the page! And for those of you who are picky, NO, these translations are not proper, and my Chinese sucks worse than abortion. I am aware, I assure you, but it's the best I can do. I've been trying for days. Just deal with it! Again, translations are at the bottom of the page, so use them.
Other than that...Enjoy!
Hotshot
by Auryn Rei Evroren
Chapter Two: Not Liked But Hated
"I am not doing this."
"Yes you are."
"Give me one good reason, Tree-Hugger."
"I'm going to overlook that name, and you're doing this because it's the right thing to do. Right, Will?"
"Don't bring me into this, Layla…"
"There is no way!"
"Warren, I swear if I have to-"
Leigh glanced up from the water fountain when she heard a group of people come to an abrupt halt next to her. She found three people…that jerk she'd battled in the hall yesterday, and two of his flunkies, some brunette who apparently loved the color green and an insanely awkward-looking kid in patriotic colors.
"You want something?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
The girl in green waved with a smile, her eyes trained on the flame-obsessor. "Hi, I'm Layla. This is my boyfriend Will, and our friend Warren." She jerked her head first at the awkward boy, then at the tough man dead center. "Warren has something he'd like to say to you."
Warren growled. "I told you I wasn't going to do this," he said, but the girl- Layla? –just stood there and glared expectantly at him. Will just sighed and shook his head. For a moment, nothing happened…then Warren turned and put his face right up close to Layla's. "I am never going to forgive you for this," he muttered. Then he turned to Leigh.
"I…" he began, but seemed incapable of continuing. Layla kicked him in the leg.
"I'm sorry, alright?" he growled, turning to glare at Layla again, before returning his attention to Leigh. "I'm sorry I threw fire at you. Now can I go?"
"Not until she accepts your apology," Layla reminded him.
Leigh just raised her eyebrows at Layla, then at Warren.
"As much fun as this little pow-wow might be," she said cynically, "I don't have time for it." She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out a much-marked newspaper classified section. "Apologies- or any kind of speaking –are unwelcome unless it comes with something that gets me a paycheck."
Warren threw his head back and gave Layla what might have been the darkest look he'd ever given her. "Fine by me. See ya."
He tried to turn and walk away, but Will and Layla stopped him.
"You're looking for a job?" Layla asked, forcing a smile, despite the fact that Warren's arm was heating up rather painfully.
Leigh nodded, with a facial expression that just read, Duh.
Layla's smile turned slightly…evil.
"I think Warren might be able to help with that," she said, and ignored his muttered protests. "Weren't you just saying that one of the waitresses at the Paper Lantern had quit?"
"That's right," Will chimed in, getting Layla's drift and going with it. "You were ticked off because you had to take extra shifts."
That was it, he'd had enough. Warren quickly lit up his hands, causing the flames to make Will and Layla jump back. Unfortunately, the damage was done.
"Paper Lantern," Leigh mused darkly. "What's that, some kind of weird paint-your-own-plate place?" She was unimpressed. Layla shook her head. "Oh no, it's a Chinese restaurant," she said eagerly. "The best one in town, actually. Warren works there."
"Yeah, Flower Child, I think she got that part," Warren grunted. Leigh actually cracked a smile at Warren's irritation.
"Might just have to go for it," she said, adjusting her bag. "Now do me and Flamethrower here a favor and get lost."
Layla was the only one who waved a polite goodbye as Leigh walked away. As soon as the psycho chick was out of sight, she rounded, not on Warren, but on Will.
"You could have backed me up on that, you know!"
So now I'm standing here alone
I'm learning how to live life on my own
"Warren! Lái dào zhè lǐ!"
He threw down his dishrag, tired of being interrupted for meaningless things or menial tasks.
"Shénme?" he called, his voice annoyed, as he wandered out of the kitchen and into the main room of the restaurant. There, he stopped cold.
His boss, Mrs. Liu, stood there, and directly next to her, was Leigh Valone.
"Oy vey," he muttered under his breath. Mrs. Liu shot him a reproving look, and cleared her throat.
"This girl name Lee," she said. "Xiǎnshì tā gōngzuò. Xiànzài."
He nodded reluctantly, and Mrs. Liu disappeared into the kitchen.
Warren turned to look his new coworker up and down, brows raised. "So you got yourself a job," he said coolly. "Nice. Now let's see if you can work hard enough to keep it."
She glared at him. "I guess you're my 'mentor'. Fabulous." She rolled her eyes.
Warren just laughed darkly. "At least you get one," he said, shrugging. "Try figuring this place out on your own, and you're dead meat."
Leigh just folded her arms over her chest and said, "You think so? Just watch me."
With that, she stormed after Mrs. Liu into the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, she emerged with a white apron over her black shirt. Lucky girl, Warren thought. She's like me with the black. She wears it so much, she'll never have to change for work. His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Mrs. Liu. She was bustling around as usual, calling assignments over her shoulder. "Warren, tánhuà zài biǎo hòumian. Lee, Cānjīnchōngmǎn." Orders given, she disappeared into her office.
Warren nodded and made his way to the back corner table, keeping an eye on Leigh with his periferal vision, waiting to see what she would do. From the way she just stood there, he assumed she hadn't been able to translate, and didn't know what to do. As Warren took the orders of the back table customers, Leigh slunk over to the wall by the kitchen door and stayed there, eyes darting around so she could duck inside if Mrs. Liu returned.
When he was done and had given the orders to the kitchen staff, Warren drifted over to the wall where Leigh was leaning, and folded his arms over his chest, grinning like a smart-ass.
"Let me guess," he said, "You don't have a clue what she said."
Leigh said nothing. It was impossible to deny, but she obviously wasn't going to just admit to being ignorant.
For a moment, Warren pondered giving her the wrong task and getting her fired on her first day, just so he wouldn't have to deal with her…then changed his mind. Call it the miniature Layla in his mind, but there was just something about this girl that made him like her, just a little bit.
"She said to refill the napkin dispensers," he told her reluctantly. "Napkins are on the left-hand wall of the kitchen pantry." Just for fun, he added, "When you're done, grab a water pitcher and go refill the glasses at that back table." One less job for him to do.
He strode off, ready to start wiping off the used and uncleaned tables, but turned back. "And don't think I'm going to translate everything for you. Learn it yourself."
As far as Warren Peace was concerned, that was that.
Chinese Translations
Láidào zhèlǐ - "Come here"
Shénme - "What"
Xiǎnshì tā gōngzuò - "Show her the job"
Xiànzài - "Now"
Tánhuà zài biǎo hòumian - "talk to the table in the back", "take orders at the table in the back"
Cānjīnchōngmǎn - "Fill napkins"