Chapter 2:Let Him Love You
1022 Words
Every time Hazel approached his table, ready to serve or take his order, he’d lift his hand subtly, gesturing with a small wave that she needn’t bother. A silent dismissal not rude, but final.
She had never heard his voice.
Not once.
And yet, every time their eyes met across the room, something icy danced down her spine. Not fear exactly… but something primal. Something that made her pulse skip and her breath pause just long enough to remind her she was very much alive.
“Who is that man?” she would whisper to herself, every time.
He was too composed. Too perfect. Too quiet. And there was a strange energy that hung around him ,like the world didn’t quite move the same in his
presence.
Hazel shook herself, blinking back into the present.
Her tray still in hand, she glanced at him once more. He sat there like a carved statue , flipping another page, the slightest flicker of his eyes rising to meet hers.
She quickly turned away..
It was getting late, people had started exiting the restaurant
Hazel’s fingers trembled slightly as she balanced the tray, her legs dragging more than walking. The ache in her lower back had spread up her spine, and every step felt heavier than the last.
She had been on her feet for hours. The crowded restaurant had only just begun to slow, but her body had already given up pretending it could keep up.
Her vision blurred for a second. The tray tilted.
Before it slipped completely, a steady hand caught her wrist.
"Hazel!" Kristine’s voice cut through the clatter of dishes and murmurs of late-night guests.
Hazel blinked, startled, struggling to stay upright.
"Hey, are you okay?" Kristine said, gently setting the tray aside and guiding her to an empty chair behind the service counter.
"I-I’m fine… ," Hazel mumbled, though her pale face and the slight quiver in her voice betrayed her.
"Did you take your pills today?”
Hazel hesitated, then shook her head slowly.
"I… forgot them at home."
Kristine’s lips pressed into a line of worry.
“Hazel, you can’t keep skipping them. "
Hazel let out a weak sigh, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.
"It’s not that bad. I can manage. Just a little more…"
Kristine said firmly. "You need to go home.
Kristine had been her guide and quiet protector since Hazel started working here a few months ago — always helping her navigate the chaos of the restaurant floor, sharing unspoken truths about the job, and warning her about the sleazy advances of the manager and his wandering eyes.
Hazel trusted her. Maybe more than she trusted anyone outside her family.
“…Okay,” she whispered, eyes downcast. “Thank you, Kristine.”
“I’ll cover for you,” Kristine said, standing up. “Just go home. One night off won’t kill the world.”
Hazel hesitated, guilt nibbling at her chest — she hated leaving work early.
The smell of spices drifted in from the kitchen. The soft clatter of pans and utensils told her her mother was cooking, probably something light for Jaiden. Hazel didn’t hesitate — she slipped off her shoes quietly, dropped her bag by the couch, and headed straight into the kitchen.
Her mother stood at the counter, stirring something gently.
“Hey…” Hazel said softly, wrapping her arms around her from behind, holding her tightly, her face buried between her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes. She needed this — this warmth, this anchor.
Helen stilled for a moment, surprised, then rested her hand gently over Hazel’s.
“Is something wrong, Hazel?” she asked, voice filled with quiet concern.
“No, Mother,” Hazel replied, holding her tighter. “I just… wish to stay this way for a little while.”
Helen exhaled slowly, her heart aching in ways she didn’t speak about. “I wish you’d consider what I said.”
Hazel sighed, the softness in her voice fading into subtle frustration. She released her arms and stepped back, letting her mother turn to face her.
“That is not a part of the plan, Mother,” Hazel said, not angry , just tired. “We already talked about this.”
Helen searched her face. “You can’t keep being alone, honey. You’re twenty-two.”
Hazel lifted her chin. “But I’m not alone. I have you. I have Jaiden. That’s enough for me.”
“This…” she gestured around the kitchen gently, “…this is just our little circle. Just the three of us. We’re doing just fine, Mother. We are happy.”
She reached for her mother’s hand and gave it a small squeeze.
“I just want you to be happy, Hazel,” Helen whispered.
“You and Jaiden make me happy,” Hazel said softly.
“That’s enough for me.”
Helen hesitated before speaking again. “You should give Ethan a chance. He looks like a good partner.”
Hazel stiffened. “Mother…”
“I know, I know,” Helen cut in gently. “You don’t want to hurt him. But for now… maybe you should consider having someone. Let him love you, Hazel. Let someone in.”
Hazel’s jaw tensed.
“You haven’t given anyone a chance since… since the incident with Michael.”
Her name trembled at the sound of his name.
“I don’t want to talk about him, Mother.”
The words were sharp, fast.
Without another word, Hazel turned and walked toward her room. A second later, the door slammed shut , the sound echoing through the house like thunder.
Helen flinched at the sound, her hand still resting on the edge of the counter.
She didn’t mean to push.
Helen stood alone in the kitchen, the soft bubbling from the pot on the stove now barely audible beneath the ache in her chest.her fingers tightening slightly around the counter's edge.
Hazel was her only daughter.
And more than anything, she wished Hazel could have what every young woman her age deserved — love, joy, someone to lean on
- Writer
