THE b***h

Love cafe was usually busy at that time of summer in Tiraspol and Diana was standing Infront of the mirror by the counter, arranging her bangs,she was going to give it a cutting. "Elizabeth is off today and everything is a mess, Diana" Claire said from the kitchen. "Maria is going to cover up for Diana right?" Mary asked as she approached the counter. Diana glared at her,Mary faked a smile. "This is no time to talk" Claire said. Elizabeth was the cleaner at the restaurant, Diana had to take her place even though she didn't want to,to her it was doing a good work and deserved to be praised for it. Mrs Goh had just heard the most disturbing news ever,her husband had just been scammed by someone they trusted and she was more than furious,she was sad at the same time,so when she walked into the restaurant to find her employees in a sort of lazy mood, she flared up, shouting orders even saying hurtful words to Diana and the other girls. At half past two, Diana took out the trash bag from behind the kitchen door and walked out to dispose it,turning to go in she saw Claire closing the kitchen door behind her. "Hey,are you good?" She asked. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Diana shrugged. "You look like you are into something,are you sure you are okay?" "Yeah,I am" "You have got to understand Mrs Goh sometimes" "I don't have to always" "Are you traveling or something?" "Pardon?" "Or in trouble,you can count on me" "What are you talking about?" "Everyone knows you requested for Leah's uncle phone number and he happens to be a jeweller" Diana stared at her almost dumbfounded. "No" Diana shouted. "What?" She gaped, bewilderment written all over her face. "I am not crushing on him" Diana protested. "What?" "I am not crushing on him, at all" "Whoa!,you scared the living daylight out of me" Claire eyed her suspiciously. "Today is my birthday but no one bothered to buy me a present,I wanted to buy a jewelry,if that,s alright" "Sorry,it,s your birthday, congratulations" "Thank you" "You know I am so broke right,but I have this necklace and it is so precious to me,it's from my mother,but I want to give it to you,so no matter where you go,or what you become pls remember that today you were able to celebrate your birthday with a friend who really cares" Diana flushed as she said those words,and fanned her face with her hands,to stop her from tearing up. She removed the necklace from her neck and put it on her. "Ugh,I am tearing up again" Claire sniffed. "Don't make that face and just be happy" Diana sighed, relieved she was able to divert Claire's attention from Leah,s uncle to her birthday,while Claire sobbed and consoled herself,Diana turned to her watch,she had few minutes to leave the restaurant.. At three pm,Diana was at Mrs Goh,s office,the two talked for a few minutes,while Diana told her of her decision to quit, because she wanted to explore life. Mrs Goh pulled out the drawer,and brought out some cash,she didn't count it,she just placed it on the table and looked at Diana. "It,s alright to explore the world,you are still young" The kind woman said and Diana smiled as she picked the money,she didn't count it and just put it into her bag. Mrs Goh reached for her bag,and brought out some money and a ticket to a music concert,she added with a grin. "For helping me with Elizabeth" Diana returned the smile and walked away with a new sense of maturity and respect. She removed the apron on her and dashed into the dressroom to keep it,unlock the locker and placed it in, she didn't lock the locker again,she wasn't coming back,so she didn't lock it. "Happy birthday to you" Three merry voices rose. She shut the locker and saw their faces with a birthday cake on Claire,s hands. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Diana, happy birthday to you" "How old are you now?" Mary sang and they all laughed. "How old are you now?, Diana,how old are you now?" "I am eighteen today,I am eighteen today,I am eighteen my jolly good friends,I am eighteen today" "Say a wish" Leah said. The moment of truth came,the moment that would never be reversed,She closed eyes and said her wish to God, knowing he alone could hear the deepest thoughts from within. The next second she blew out the candle and they clapped in unison. "Have a bite " Claire sliced a part of the cake and fed her. To her, Claire was like an elder sister,she was kind and loving and not once had she been against her like everyone was,or even doubted her,but today as she received that slice of cake from her,she felt that it would be the last time they would ever smile and be happy together like this. "Promise me" Diana began,as they munch the cake. "that no matter what happened,you will never join the rest to hate me" They stopped eating and looked at her,Leah and Mary,s face looked confuse but Claire,s was expressionless. "Don't be silly,why would we hate you" Mary chuckled,but her words weren't satisfying.. "No matter what you do,just know that I would still be here for you" Claire said,her face was serious.That was she needed, that reassurance. Clang!, the necklace dropped to the front desk of the jewelry exchange store, where Leah,s uncle looked closely at it under a loupe. "This is a real alexandrite" He exclaimed, steadying his glasses."Where did you find it, child" he asked. "How much does it cost?" Diana asked, watching him and he looked up. "Roughly, thirty dollars" "What?,I looked it up in the internet and that,s not what I was told" "My girl,you must know that this jewelry is quite old" "No,you told me it was original" "And you haven't yet told me where you got it,you are not eighteen years old,are you?" "Shut up,will you?" She shouted and snatched the necklace from the desk and shove it into her bag. "What about that one?" the sly man pointed to her neck. "No,thanks" She frowned. At four pm,she went down for her things from Nataliq, a bar owned by a good friend of her Mom,s. She was the only one who knew the real truth surrounding her birth,and where her mother has gone to. Diana was given birth to,by Valerie,a woman known for her promiscuity in a small community in Tiraspol city in Moldova. She was a waitress at the time when she got pregnant and everyone believed she fell in love with one of the tourists who visited the town during that time. After Diana's birth,Valerie got wild,she lost control after being ghosted by the tourists and everyone said,she sold herself to the devil. She left her daughter in the house of her elder sister who, just like the people of the community hated her for no reason,and thus began a life of endless torture. Diana was forced to love God as that would purge out the curse handed to her by her mother,they said,they looked alike and Diana could grow up to be as bitchy as she was. Hence,the name Valerie,s b***h,it wasn't just a name they give to anyone they think did something bad in the community,it was her special nickname. The b***h. The young girl lived like an orphan in the house of her aunt and her family of three children,it wasn't a surprise that she became the odd one out. Her days were just spent at school,home and church,no one wanted to invite her to their kid,s party like they invited her cousin Vanessa,and Diana hated her,she pretty much hated the whole town and wished they would all die. She had to work for all her stuffs except the ones her aunt could afford for her and was the last to get presents for birthdays or Christmas. But the young girl knew all along that she wasn't part of them,it had been made clear, and Love cafe became home for her. Being eighteen, Diana has waited long for it,and now she could live the way she always dreamt of. With no plan after the talk with that crooked jeweller,she was confused on what to do,and where to go,Chisinau,the place where everyone believed her mom was. Deep down,She didn't want to find her mom,but she knew she needed her help to get to where she really wanted to go. Singapore.