Ways to Get Rid of You
1691 Words
TESSA
The man on the floor, with a hand to his lip that was bleeding, started to crawl backward. “These guys live upstairs. They beat whoever they like. Customers aren't safe here.”
“What? N-No…” I parted my lips when his friend interrupted. “R-Right. We all know Iron Reapers reputation. Not much difference between them and the debt collectors.”
"Stop talking and get up," Kyle said, cold and dangerous. He took a slow step towards that man who just stood up.
"This café is done for! Let's get out of here before they send us to the hospital…" He shouted to his friend, and they ran for the door.
Panic spread like wildfire.
"W-Wait, Please." I rushed to the center of the room, "There might be some sort of misunderstanding…”
One by one, the customers left. Even the old woman who liked my grandpa's coffee hurried out without a glance back. Maya ran after them, but the door kept swinging until the café was too quiet to hear a sound.
A deep and rapid breath escaped my lips. The bikers stayed seated at their table, their eyes fixed on me. Kyle was still on his feet, his knuckles bleeding and the droplets falling on my untouched floor.
Rage took over me as I went up to him and only paused when my chest was nearly touching his. "Are you happy now? You ruined my opening day. Thanks.”
"You don't know the truth," the guy with the scar on his left brow spoke from the table. Sky. I knew his name. The quiet one. "That man was making disgusting comments about your body. Kyle did what he deserved.”
The silence that followed after was so intense, I could feel the weight on my shoulders. Still, he was in the wrong.
"You could’ve told me. There's other ways to handle a situation. But you? You hit him in front of everyone and ruined my fresh start.”
He was just silent.
"Why even care who comments about me?”
Without warning, Kyle moved one step forward and I had to tilt my head backward. "If it had been any other woman, I would have done the same. He deserved that punch." His blue eyes were so deadly, I felt swallowed by them. It took me a whole minute to break that gaze.
"Enough is enough! You've been making things difficult for me since this morning.” A furious breath slipped free of my lips. “You and your crew should pack your things. I want you out of the upstairs. Now."
The group exchanged an amused glance. They weren't startled…at all.
"Can't do that, sweetheart," Zen went on, stretching out his arms. "We've got a long-term lease. Four years of validity in our hands.”
“You sure you didn't force my grandpa to sign the lease with you!?”
Surprisingly, a tight smile glinted on Kyle's lips. “Even if we had, the upstairs belongs to us. Hire a lawyer or call the cops, nothing's gonna kick us out, glasses.”
Every inch of mine was pissed at him.
"Fine. I will figure out a way," I spat, my eyes narrowing. "I'll throw you and your gang out of this building. It's a challenge.”
Kyle leaned in, his lips almost touching the line of my ear. "Let's see," he muttered softly, his breath just a whisper on my skin. "If you really can kick me out or if it's you who's running away from this town."
My chest tightened.
He stood straight, eyes glinting with a teasing, devilish spark. "Lead the way, boys."
They made an exit with great flair, the clinking of their chains sounding like a taunt. They hopped on their bikes, and when the engines started roaring, Kyle gave me one last glance through the glass. Then, they disappeared like the wind.
***
The next day, Maya and I were seated at a corner table for six hours, waiting for customers. No one came. Even the passers by wouldn't spare us a glance.
Suddenly, the bikes came back with a loud roar of engines. The door was pushed by the guys. Instead of sitting together, they spread out, occupying almost every table in the cafe.
“Tessa, we've got customers,” Maya whispered.
“Them?” I said, glaring at the crew. “They're the reason we're clapping flies.”
Maya went silent.
"Is it a habit of yours to glare at customers?" Kyle bantered from the table next to the glass. He seemed quite comfortable after ruining my business. "We'd like seven coffees."
"Right away!" Maya shouted.
Her gaze shifted to me. “At least, we've got someone. This counts for customers, right?”
I rose to my feet and headed to the counter. “Serve them pastries.”
Maya nodded.
Again, Kyle's gaze followed me like a shadow, watching me like a predator. Instead of turning to sugar, I grabbed salt. I dropped three heaping spoonfuls into each cup, mixing them till they had become repulsive.
Maya served the cups while I watched…ready to enjoy the bitter expression on his face.
The other guys tasted and instantly made faces, almost choking. Raven looked like he wanted to spit it out. “What the f**k!?”
Maya was confused. She had no idea.
And Kyle? His eyes were still on me. He raised the cup and took a slow sip. He did not flinch, not even blink. He drank half the cup as if it were the sweetest thing on earth.
*He’d do anything to compete with me.*
“How are you even drinking that?” The one with a piercing on his tongue spoke. His name was Zack, the tallest one after Kyle.
He didn't answer. He only smiled, getting up and closing the distance between us.
“How much for the salty coffee?”
Maya panicked. “Salty? M-Maybe there was a mistake. Ehm…You don't need to pay for the salty…” Her voice was struggling.
“He must pay for it.” I intervened.
Maya licked her bottom lip, anxious and stuck, before she named the price. Kyle placed the cash on the counter. When our eyes met again, he slowly moved his lips closer to mine. “These petty tricks won't drive me out, glasses. Perhaps…Try something new?”
He went upstairs, finally breaking eye contact between us. I was pissed. I was frustrated.
After Maya left, I went to the main fuse box. I spotted the one switch named Upper Floor and cut all the wires related to it. Suddenly, the lights upstairs went off.
“Goodnight, Kyle Maxwell.” I quietly left.
One more sleepless night. Every time I closed my eyes, the prison appeared like a nightmare. I was suffering from insomnia.
The whole night I cried without a reason, my heart aching. When the clock hit six in the morning, I opened the café. My heart dropped.
The whole gang was sleeping downstairs.
“Good morning, glasses,” Zen said, half asleep and stretching his arms. Raven was still sleeping on the two joined tables. The whole night they used the cafe’s electricity.
“Why do you have the key?” I asked sharply. The upstairs and downstairs were separated from a door on the stairs. I had locked it.
“Your grandpa trusted us too much.” Sky mumbled, leaning against the counter.
Raven slowly woke up. “The power was cut. We didn't have a choice, glasses. Since you're the landlord now, fix it.”
At that moment, I felt like I was digging a grave for myself. Scanning the room, my gaze landed on Kyle standing in the corner, talking to someone on the call. The sunlight fell on him through the glass. He had on a white tank top, the twin flames tattoo on his neck glowing.
"Dad, let's not make this more difficult, " he said to the phone. "I'm not coming back." Ending the call, he turned around, and our eyes locked.
His eyes were sharp for a second before they softened on me.
"You can't sleep in my café, Kyle."
"Then don't touch the fuse box," he said, a playful curl on the corner of his mouth.
He knew. My plan failed again. As he left with that smirk, I almost pulled my hair. But I didn't give up. For the next week, I attempted every possible method to drive them out. From leaving trash bags on the stairs to letting the air out of their bike tires. I even verified the lease with Mr. Henderson. Everything was original. Nobody knew why my grandpa trusted them.
It was Saturday night. I was taking out the dead pastries and coffee beans when a thud from upstairs startled me. Then, silence.
“What was that?” For the first time, I went upstairs to Kyle's place. Curiosity led me.
The walls were covered with bike stickers, several blueprints. All about races and upcoming bike events. I remember Kyle wanted to be a lawyer. “What went wrong?” We both failed to achieve something.
No one was upstairs. The crew was out.
“What am I even doing here?” I turned to leave when a low groan drew my attention to the couch. Kyle was lying in black pants, shirtless, resting his forearm on his eyes, and his long legs were outstretched.
His black helmet was lying on the floor. I realized the thud earlier.
For a second, I was a statue, watching his chest falling up and down. He never looked this peaceful. Snapping out of the vision, I stepped closer, picked up the helmet, and put it down gently on the small side table.
As I turned to leave, a hand shot out like a viper. Before I could react, Kyle’s fingers clamped around my wrist. He gave a powerful yank, and I lost my balance. I fell forward, landing right on top of his hard, bare chest.
I gasped, my hands landing on his warm skin, and our faces only inches apart.
- Writer
