A Trap for Augustus Rivo

i

"Bean curd and vegetable soup, steamed gow gees, cloud swallows, and fried pork patties, for two please," I said to the chef before turning to get the orders of the next table.

"Can I get your orders now, sir?" I asked the man who's nearest to me, I smiled and took a paper and pen when he started stating his orders.

"Is that all sir?" I politely asked as he stopped talking but instead of answering, he just avoided my gaze—that felt a little bit offending. So I just excused myself, but the scene of his blonde friend nudging him like he's trying to make him do something didn't escape my sight.

"Uhmmm, hey!" he called before I could even take a step back.

He fixed his glasses and looked at me with shifting eyes.

"Siobhan right?" he asked but his voice speaks with assurance.

"Yes sir, is there something else I can help you with?"

"Uhmm, w-we didn't order for dessert yet, can you recommend some?" he hardly said, now with nervousness evident on his voice. My brows furrowed a bit, for someone who ordered a bunch of dishes without even looking at the menu to ask me things like this, didn't fit right.

"Our specialty would be the Lychee and ginger mouss—"

"Do you have a boyfriend?" the blonde man asked, cutting me off.

"Sorry but personal questions won't be entertained, sir." I formally replied getting a little bit pissed now.

"Hmm." was just his reply, but the smile on his lips didn't even facade.

"So as we go back sir, our specialty—"

"Then go out with me." the man with blonde hair who's the one who nudged this boy with glasses earlier cutting me off again while I speak. I was taken back a bit by the aggressiveness of his approach, he can't even wait for me to finish my sentences like he's been so impatient all this time.

"I'm sorry sir, but I was told to wait for tables, not to date our customers," I said in a low tone but with sharp emphasis making him part his lips in shock.

A crisp laugh broke the silence that envelopes us for a bit, it was from the man who barely talks but with an aura shouting with arrogance and mysteriousness. He looked at me like he's seeing a very interesting thing. I shifted my gaze out of awkwardness.

"Hey, Siobh—" blonde tried to approach me again but luckily the bell rang meaning that my first order's ready and I have to serve it now, so I found a reason to excuse myself. I walked out immediately not waiting for their answers nor anything they'd say more.

Rude it may look, but I want nothing to do with them. I even heard the silent man tease blonde about it.

After serving the order, I went to the kitchen and asked for a break.

"Alicia, can we switch?" I asked my co-worker I grew closer with after weeks of working here. She just looked at me confused but said 'okay' afterward.

The thing I liked the most about Alicia is that she's not fond of talking too much but she's genuine and kind, the reason why we clicked so well.

"Ask Cove to help you, they ordered a lot," she said and pointed to the table where she was supposed to be serving.

I chuckled and also pointed at the orders I was supposed to deliver at blonde's table.

"I'm afraid you needed him more" her lips parted a bit from shock.

"Are they having a feast for today? That's unusual," she commented raising her brows a bit out of confusion, I just shrugged at her.

"We'll just finish it fast and I'll help you after," said Cove who's silently listening's now beside me, holding a tray of foods in his hand. I just smiled at him.

"I'm fine, no need to worry, I can handle this," I said and tapped his shoulder before proceeding to my deliveries.

Good thing Alicia's delivery was in the opposite direction of their table. I did my task fast and attended to some more customers, the day became hectic that the little scene happened earlier already flew out of my mind fast.

I sighed as I recalled my schedule for today, I'm pretty sure after this I still have a tutorial session to attend at 4 and waiting tables again at Wildar at 8 'till 12. My life's sure hectic.

Sometimes I can't avoid asking him whys, that... will all of these sufferings end to something good? Because if it's not, then why does it have to be so hard. Funny how one day I was living the life of a princess then in just a blink of an eye I'm already rat poor, barely surviving by working 12 hours a day. I can't seem to understand where did everything started to go wrong. Was it when mom died after giving birth to my baby brother? Was it when dad started to gamble and drink just to mend his broken heart from my mother's death? Or was it when I just let him do that and turned a blind eye because I thought it'll help him heal and move on?

My head is spinning just from the thought of his debts worth hundreds of millions because of failed investments adding up the money he took from those whom he invited to join him, and his unlucky ventures didn't end there yet. One of those who he invited to join the investment is a big syndicate who is now after his head. The only reason why we are safe for now is because of my Uncle Hazillian's help, he is barely dealing with the syndicates and sent us here to secure us from them. My salary from my last work as a model helps us to buy a house and a lot to stay, the rest was spent on our daily expenses and to process some papers. Having limited money means working extra hard, something you can't do when you're still an undergrad.

"That table is a mess" Alicia's sentiment snapped me back from my deep thoughts.

"Sorry," I said, guilty for what she said.

"Especially that blonde guy, he's irritatingly persistent to make you go there. That jerk likes you, huh?" she sounded like she's passionate about insulting the blonde guy.

"You didn't hurt him, did you?" I replied in chuckles.

The last time someone pissed Alicia, she threw a hot soup on that man's little guy. Don't know how she settled that.

"No, the last incident's still pissing boss, maybe next time." she joked.

"Stop doing that, I'm afraid I’ll see you in jail next time." I also joked but with a matter of fact.

We laughed.

"You going to be late? I'll tell Wid," she asked as we fixed our things to leave the resto. We have the same time out but she always headfirst at Wildar’s because I still have part-time to attend.

“I’ll just text you, I just hope my tutee won’t be late for today’s session. I’m already ashamed at Wid, I feel like I’m being abusive on his kindness.” She laughed at what I’ve said.

“Silly, that man’s so rich he’s more willing to pay us even without working.”

“You’re just saying that cause you’re close!” I teased her cause I think something’s going on with her and the man.

“Whatever, I need to go early. I’ll head out first.” She said rolling her eyes at me.

This woman, really, she’ll move heavens and earth just to avoid this topic. I just want to take advantage of her once in a blue moon talkative mood but she’s so killjoy.

“Oh, sure! Good luck with your date with Wid!” I shouted trying to piss her more.

“Shut up!” she shouted back almost raising her middle finger at me while laughing, she's a tough woman, an epitome of silent but deadly.

After packing my things, I already signed the logbook and waited for a tric outside the resto.

There’s a shed not so far from it where you can sit and wait for a ride.

I was busy looking left and right trying to catch one in sight but my gaze was caught by someone who looks like watching me from afar.

A little while, the silent man from earlier made his presence known from the blur feature a while ago. I want to think that I'm just tired and imagining things when I saw him closing the distance between us but I thought so wrong because he's really doing that. The proper word is 'done' for he is now in front of me with a playful smile plastered on his lips.

"Need a lift?" he coolly asked after taking the area inches in front of me, his large frame's shadowing me from the sunlight.

"No, thanks," I answered formally.

"Oh come on, I'm not after you, I just want to help," he said, a bit laughing.

"I don't think that way, sir. Pardon me but I need to reject your offer."

His eyes squinted a bit when the smirk on his face grew bigger.

"Lancaster, Caster, your choice."

My forehead automatically crumpled at his introduction, even more, when he offered his hand for a handshake.

"Come on, my hands getting numb already, a shake won't hurt you know?"

"It's been only seconds since you offered your hand si--"

"Caster, it is Caster for you, Red," he said cutting me off.

"Did you just called me Red?" now I’m getting pissed at his weird acts. Why is he even here?

"Yes, what's wrong with that? Your hair's red, the name suits you. I'm right, right? Yeah, I'm right." he probed even more, like teasing me has been his newfound hobby. Is he getting back at me for rejecting his friend?!

"Objectifying my hair and me is rude you know. And my name is Siobhan! Not Red!" I calmly said but drops of irritation evident in my voice.

But on my terror, he took my hand, and without saying anything he kissed the back of it. The side of his lips rose for a bigger smile, he licked the lower one when it left my hand.

"Not taking my hand is so fine, my lips can do the introduction. Hi Siobhan, I'm Lancaster Vasco Weltodo."

My eyes literally turned to an “O”. I stiffened at his sudden gesture, wasn't even able to process anything he did or said. He let out a crisp laugh at my reaction, that same laugh who broke the silence between us a while ago when I got his friend rejected.

"Baby, you're blushing." he teased even more and tried to touch my heated face but before he could even put a finger on my skin, my hands already flew to his face answering his crisps laughs by my crisps slap.

His face was sided to his right, giving me a nice view of his prominent jaw, his left cheek turned red from my slap. That's when fear and realization hit me, damn it!! I just slapped a person!!

I don't know if I should be thankful because my slap got him stunned for a moment but my initial reaction was to run that time, so I did. I run away from him, shouting sorry in my head cause I can't seem to make my voice define the words I wanted to say at me. Forgive me, God! I didn't mean to hurt anyone! But he is also to be blamed partly! He pushed me to do that!

I was panting hard when I reached the house where I'm proposed to tutor, it was actually blocks away from the resto, and I wanted to save energy and time so I always take a ride to get here because I still got work to do at night. But today I was able to discover a miracle, that I can actually run like a flash woman, my ride here was 15 minutes usually, and I got here 5 minutes earlier by running. I don't know if it's the nervousness, the tiredness, or the adrenaline rush that's making me think that maybe I can be a part-time superhuman. Would I make an income out of my super speed? Better make use of it than put it to waste huh! Goodness! That man's making me crazy!