Jacqueline and the Royal Palace

I sauntered between the tables elegantly with my head held high, my shoulders relaxed, my back straight with no room for schlumping, and I could see everyone right under my nose. Some of the men stared and a few whistled as I walked by their tables, but I ignored them. I loved the attention more than anything though, it made me feel above them and at the same time unapproachable. "Hey Jacqueline," someone from called out my name from a table to my left and I turned to see none other than Owen, much to my dismay. The guy had been bothering me for weeks now, but because it is my job to attend to him as a waitress, I put on a smile and walked to his table where he was sitting with a friend. I pulled out a small notebook and pen from the pocket of my server apron, ready to take their orders. "Hey Jacqueline," Owen smiled at me, his brown eyes twinkling, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him, the guy comes here every day after work ever since he discovered that I worked here. "Good evening sir, what would you like to have this evening?" I asked in a monotone voice. "Something slender, more striking than a red rose, with a hint of strawberry in its golden waves and sparkling green." he winked with a smile and I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes this time. "Sorry we don't serve those," I replied, ignoring the fact that he was referring to me. I indeed have a slender figure and had strawberry blonde hair with bright green eyes. "And even if we did, you could never afford to have it," I snapped and his smile dropped. "Now why don't you order something you can afford, so I could get on with my job?" I said coolly, and his friend frowned at me. "Hey Jack!" someone barked my name from behind me and even without turning I already knew, not just by his voice but the way he addressed me as Jack instead of Jacqueline, it was my boss, the ever stern Mr. Drew. I turned to see him sending a hard glare my way and from the angry expression on his face I knew I was in trouble. "My office. This instant!" the man gritted out and strutted to what I would rather call a refurbished toilet, but I wouldn't tell him that to his face for the sake of my job, so I sighed and followed him to his office. I entered the office to see Mr. Drew was already seated behind his desk and I closed the door behind me and walked to the front of his desk like an obedient student, his hands were folded in front of him as if he was the principal, and he regarded me. "You see Jack," he started to say, but I cut him off. "It's Jacqueline Scott, Mr. Drew." I corrected. "Whatever, it's not my fault you have such a long and tiring name," he scrunched up his nose and all the wrinkles on his face followed. I already knew from day one that this man hated me. It was my mother's idea to name all of us, her three daughters and her son fancy names and while my two other sisters were named Sophia and Priscilla and my brother Edward, she decided that the name Jacqueline suited me. I hated the name. She also decided that we were going to use her last name instead of our father's, which was Utter, so I go by Jacqueline Scott. According to her, a good name makes for good expectations of how one looks and a good name can take you to good places. So she decided we were all going to be the Scotts and I can't help but agree with her on that one. I mean, imagine being called Miss Utter! Yuck! No offense to all the Utters out their though. "I don't know what you think of yourself, but you are nothing more than a waitress here, and you are expected to behave like one," Mr. Drew scolded. "Now go back there and do your job before I change my mind about your working here," he said, and I nodded. I couldn't risk arguing and losing my job because of it. "You can go now," he shooed, and I clenched my teeth while trying to suppress my anger and walked out of the office feeling annoyed. 'How dare he!' I thought on my way to the staff lounge to cool off. 'All this is happening because I am poor and...' My thoughts were interrupted by the person I hated the most in this place. "Hey Jack," Morgan called sweetly from behind me and I turned to see her with a smirk, how I wish I could wipe that smirk off her face. If this was a high school, she would definitely be the queen bee. "What do you want?" I snapped. "Nothing," she shrugged. "You see, I know you think yourself high and mighty for being beautiful and all, but you have to stop letting it get into your head, it was just a harmless flirt." she rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not so desperate for it unlike you." I retorted and walked away. Oh god, I hate this place and I hate everyone here! I walked inside the lounge and slammed the door shut, startling Natalie who was removing her apron, seeing that her shift was now over. "Hey are you alright?" she asked when I ignored her and went to a sofa and slumped on it. "Did Mr. Drew say something mean to you again? Or was it Morgan?" she removed her apron and put it inside her locker and continued talking. "I mean, it's not your fault you are so beautiful and everyone wants to talk to you." she continued. Natalie was the only other worker here who talked to me nicely, but I didn't like her chattering. She was one of those people who talked about everything and never omitted even the slightest details, like she was a detective trying to solve a murder case. I mean who cares if the cashier at the shop had pimples on his brow or that the bus driver was wearing yellow converse? But I let her babble to me and not tell her off because, I can't have everyone hate me, right? And even if she ever noticed my fake smiles she never said a thing about them. "...but that doesn't mean they should bother you all the time." "Hey Natalie," I cut her off when I got tired of her blabbering. "Weren't you going home just now?" I asked her. "Oh yeah, bye." she waved and went out. * My shift was finally over at 9pm, and I was more than glad. After gathering my stuff from my locker, I walked out of the restaurant and started trekking home on the sidewalk. My apartment was only a few blocks away, and I enjoyed the night breeze and in the busy night with other people bustling around, or at least that is what I tell myself, but it was only so I could save more money. "Jacqueline," His voice called out to me and I groaned. Way to dampen my moods.