Misery Is Sweet

Chapter 7 Breakfast

Kristoff's POV

My notification sound beeps in my ear as my eyes slowly open. I groan out realizing I passed out at some point when I got to my room last night. But I can't remember when. I must have been in an exhausted daze apparently.

I look down at my phone that's practically plugged in right under my head with it halfway under my pillow. I pull it out just to glance and see I got a message from Meika.

I sit up without hesitation, blinking multiple times just trying to take the fuzziness out of my vision from just waking up. I rub my eyes, then look at my phone again, opening the main screen to see her message.

Hey sorry if I woke or bothered you at all.. but I was headed to breakfast at the cafeteria for the employees.. and if you're planning on heading that way at all, then I would love some company.

I push reply and ready my fingers to type a response but before I can she sends another.

That sounded stupid... I'm sorry for bothering

I smirk to myself as I ready my fingers again starting to type a reply as she sends another.

I'm sorry for sending those annoying messages and I'm sorry about this message.. dammit it's probably too early for you... I just want you to get rest too... I'm sorry.

I chuckle feeling the awkward nervousness in every word without even hearing it from her mouth. So I try to reassure her as best as I can.

Don't worry about it at all, I swear it's not annoying... it's the wake-up call I was waiting for. I would love to join you for some breakfast.

I slide out of bed, with a pep in my step I have never had before... I don't know how much sleep I got, but with the energy, in my step, I feel as if I got 8 hours of sleep even though I know it's far from.

I quickly step into my closet grabbing a t-shirt and jeans slipping some socks and shoes on then putting on my flat-brimmed hat just to turn it backward. I grab my keys and phone slipping them into my pocket while walking across the room to my door, opening it without hesitation just walk straight into Meika.

She looks just as shocked as me but I watch her eyes trail up and down my making me feel something good. "Hey.. I'm sorry... I didn't know... you know, that you were coming out right now." She tries to explain while stuttering through her answer making me smile at her as I reply. "It's ok Meika.. you look beautiful by the way," I say making her smile as she cringes to touch her cheek and lip which are swollen now and probably sore.

"Thanks.. but this can't look nice because it feels awful... but you... you... you look great... I have never seen you in casual wear and to say it looks great is an understatement." She says so shyly as she looks away.

"Thanks, I appreciate it.. and as for that on your cheek... I still vote we start a fun rumor.. this would be the place to do it for sure and it will spread like wildfire." I state playfully, causing her to smile and then hiss in pain again touching it gently. We continue down the corridor heading straight to the employee cafeteria that's not that far away since it's easy to access to all employees.

"I honestly didn't think you would want to be down here with us, wanting to eat or anything... I mean... I have never seen you here before.. and I come here every day." I state opening the cafeteria door for her that's for employees only.

"I come here every day... you make it sound as if I'm too good for the employee necessities but I'm not.. they all know me I'm just here early in the morning or later at night because I was working so much." She states plainly to me as if it should be obvious but to me it's not. I want to believe her but I would have noticed her for sure and I'm here every day.

Before I can question more out of her the chefs yell in unison. "Meika!" "Mr.Santana".."Hey Meika I was worried about you! I hadn't seen you first thing this morning.. is everything alright? Why are you here so late for you? What happened?!"

This shocks me as she smirks up at me in victory knowing I didn't fully believe her. "Hey ladies... um, no things aren't really ok as you can see... I'm sure everyone will know soon enough so I guess it doesn't matter if I say it now... But my father gave the company to my brother because we just found out my mother lied to us... I'm not Mr.Santana's child. So he did this and kicked me out of there... then said I could be a maid still working for him or leave with nothing.. So I'm a maid until I can leave on my own terms." She says sweetly to them but with sadness in her tone hearing it out loud again probably adding salt to the wound to have to explain this multiple times already.

"Ohhh no." They say in unison as they run out the swinging door and to us to give her a hug. She hugs back smiling at them. "I'm glad you decided to stay with us."... "Well at least this means you will be on normal hours.. that's should be great for you." They say smiling at her as she nods agreeing with them.

"Keep your head up buttercup." one of them says to her, as she flicks her finger under her chin so it comes up with it. "Thanks, Cynthia." Meika says softly watching them walk away from her and back into the kitchen area to cook more.

"Well I already know what Ms... I mean Meika wants, but what would you like Kristoff? I'm sorry for not knowing I just never see you in the morning." She asks staring from me to Meika. I clear my throat feeling almost like an outsider in this conversation. "I'll have whatever she is having," I say softly as she smiles and nods just making us what we want for breakfast.

"Oddly enough Mr.Kristoff... I think you were about to say you don't believe me." She says mockingly to me as I scoff at her. "Well, I thought about it and changed my mind." I said to her as if it should be obvious.. she laughs at me as she asks humorously "Oh yeah? What changed your mind?"

"Nothing.. really. Just decided on my own." I humorously deny it as if I should be in trouble but I know I'm not. She giggles and shakes her head taking the tray that's handed to her from the chefs. "Thanks, ladies I'll see you later." She says to them turning and walking away from me. I quickly grab the tray as I say, "Yes, thank you." I follow right behind her wherever she may lead. She takes us to a table sitting down without hesitation so I stand there for a second trying to figure out where I should go... Do I sit right beside her or across from her? I don't want anything to feel forced on her especially since she has had such a hard time lately, so I turn and sit right across from her. I smile over at her sitting right across from me... Yeah, this is better, I can look at her beautiful face casually and not look creepy.. good idea. I internally pat myself on the back for liking this so far.

I smile over at her as she smiles back taking a bite as I do the same with mine... I don't know what to say or how to say it, but honestly the comfort I feel between us doesn't need any words.. this is nice. I just automatically feel comfortable around her already without even trying.

"Sorry to interrupt your breakfast guys I just needed to have a quick talk with Meika... alone.. if possible." Clarice, the maid management asks staring over at me and I can take a hint. I nod at that, standing up as Meika reaches out touching my hand, and holding it down to the table to stop me. "You can ask away, right here with Kristoff as our company... He knows more about me than most, so there is nothing he will hear that he probably doesn't already know... ask away, Clarice." Meika states to her still holding her hand on mine. This catches me off guard but I quickly sit... If she wants me here and feels comfortable with me, then why not.

"Oh ok... I received a call from your father.. or... I mean not your father... I'm sorry to hear that.. but I'm excited to have you on our team.. we needed this, so thank you.. but I won't be able to start you until two days from now... I have the schedule already made but I will go through it and put you on the next schedule for sure. I'm just sorry you won't be able to work right away." She says looking as if she is feeling bad.

I don't look at Clarice I stare over at Meika as she smiles and answers back but I'm not listening to what she is saying... I know that sounds awful but she still has her hand on mine and not looking like she is planning on moving it. I watch her lips move saying her response as they emerge into her stunning smile, even with the cut on her lip. I keep staring until she looks right at me. I panic not knowing how to react she caught me staring at her.

"Thank you Meika for being so understanding... I hope you have a great couple of days off... Oh and I never knew about you two, but you look great together as a couple." She says as I feel the panic hitting my features as it does hers not knowing how to respond to that comment. She slips her fingers off of my hand as we both stutter through our answers in unison. "We.. aren't.. um together.. just hanging out.. I.. um.."... "Yeah hanging out."

We both lock gazes smiling shyly at each other as Clarice's giggle fills the area. "Yeah sure, you're not together... Well, either way, I like it." She laughs more, shaking her head and leaving the room. I clear my throat trying to take the attention off of us since that made us both panic. "Well, that's nice that you will have a couple of days off to relax and heal up," I say casually taking a bite of my food, trying to help the nervous situation.

"Yea I guess it will be good to have that extra time to try to relax... I have just never had that.. and I honestly don't know how to do that... But it will be nice to have time to heal." She says as we hear from beside us. "Yea because you look worse than normal.. who f*#ked that face up for you?" her brother Craig mockingly asks her laughing at her expense, making her eyes roll.

"What do you want Craig?" I spat at him not liking how he is treating her once again since this was a tradition at this point. "I knew I would find you here stalking her like usual... you have always had your eye on my little sister.. f*#king freak." He spats at me as I feel my face heating up, I watch her look over at me before she states. "Craid just shut up... I'm not your sister.. and never have been... Instead of criticizing Kristoff, you should probably be taking some pointers from him regarding how he treats a woman.. instead of doing whatever the hell you think you're doing... now leave us the f*#k alone you pathetic excuse for a man."

This makes him mad, but he has nothing else to say as he just stutters out sounds, but no actual words.. when his friends hear this response they start to laugh at him making him madder so he storms away from us to the other side of the room with his friends in tow.

"Man I hate him." She says to me taking a couple more bites just acting normal with me and I love that. "Yeah, he has always had it out for me too," I reply as we both shake our heads eating our food. Just trying to enjoy this time together while being able to connect in different ways of our lives... This is nice.