A Night with Mr. Unknown

chapter 3

I've been thinking a lot lately. I had always dreaded going home because it brought back unnecessary traumas I was trying to bury deep in my heart, but I couldn't stay far from home because I feared the unknown.

How was I going to get out of this mess? Am I building a future that I dreamed of?

Why wasn't I born with a silver spoon, at least? I asked myself.

"Maya!"

Kelly's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I looked up from my notes.

"What?"

She dropped into the seat beside me, grinning. "Bookworm". She teased.

"The party is next Friday".

I stared at her.

"And?"

"And you're coming".

I laughed.

"I already told you I'm not coming".

"I'm not going".

"You said that before you knew where it was".

"And now, where is it?" I asked

Kelly leaned closer, her smile widening

"You are going to be surprised, girl "

"Spill the beans already ", I said impatiently

"It's a surprise ", she said, with a weird smile before leaving.

3 HOURS LATER

I was already behind the counter, tying my apron around my waist

"Maya!, he's back! "Aliya said, giggling

I stared at her in disbelief

"Your man", she added, still giggling

I don't know why my brain processed this so quickly,

I knew who she was talking about

"The mysterious man"

I quickly grabbed my notepad and hurried over to his VIP section

Last week, our manager had informed me that I was going to be the mysterious man's personal waitress

I was shocked when I got to his table

He was wearing a MASK!

I tried not to stare too much

"Good day, sir", I greeted, standing at the spot our manager had assigned me, and somehow I already had a feeling I knew what he would order

"Get me my usual ", he finally said

"Your usual?" I asked

"I'm sorry", I added before leaving immediately, muttering to myself

"You've only been here once, and suddenly you have a usual "

Thirty minutes later

I gently placed his supposed usual in front of him

He looked up from his phone.

"The wine", he said and returned to his phone almost immediately

"Oh, his voice ", I thought, smiling

I picked up the wine, uncorked it, and filled his glass halfway

An hour later

He was gone

I sighed as I entered the kitchen.

"Tough time?", Aliya commented

I nodded

I came back home ,I found David and Kelly hugging. It felt weird; they were too close to each other, and the atmosphere felt tense

"What's going on? " I asked as I walked in on them in the sitting room

"Welcome home, babe", David said as he pushed Kelly away and pulled me into a hug

"Kelly came around, not long ago " he added

I stared at both of them for a while before heading to my room

I was too tired and distracted to notice anything strange

I blamed myself

My relationship with David has been drifting apart and Alex had given me the space I'd made him think I wanted

But no, I needed him

He knew me too well and he always knew what to do in situations like this

I picked up my phone to call him but I drifted into my dream world

My ringing tone woke me up.

Alex was calling.

“Morning,” I said as I answered the call.

“Morning,” he replied. “You called,” he added.

“I did?” I asked, surprised.

“It’s cool. Maybe you probably sleep-talked.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologised.

“It’s cool.”

“I’m also sorry I was being a jerk the other day. I shouldn’t have left the way I did.”

“You know you don’t have to carry everything alone. I’m always here,” he assured me.

“Thanks, but it wasn’t completely your fault. I also contributed, and you had every right to be angry.”

“We're good?” I asked.

“Yep.”

“Alright then, see you around,” he said.

“Eventually,” I replied.

“Talk to you later,” I added as I ended the call.

I tried going back to sleep, but I couldn’t. My mind was all over the place.

So many questions remained unanswered.

David walked in.

“Morning, princess,” he greeted.

He was carrying a tray.

“Breakfast in bed?”

“Anything for my princess.”

It was a rare moment. David rarely did stuff like this.

Something was off.

I stared at him for a moment before looking at the tray. There was a plate of scrambled eggs, some fruit, and a glass of juice.

“You made all this?”

“Don’t look so surprised. I can be thoughtful sometimes.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Sometimes?”

He laughed.

“Okay, I deserved that.”

He placed the tray on a small table beside my bed.

I reached for the glass of juice.

“Thanks for breakfast.”

He chuckled. “Fair enough.”

A small smile escaped my lips.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Then his phone buzzed.

David glanced at the screen.

His expression changed.

It was quick. So quick, I almost missed it.

“Who’s that?”

“No one.”

He immediately turned the phone face down.

I frowned.

“David.”

“What?”

“Why are you acting weird?”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

He picked up the tray again.

“Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”

I watched him walk toward the door.

“David?”

He stopped.

“Yeah?”

“Is everything okay?”

He looked at me for a second before forcing a smile.

“Everything is fine, princess.”

Then he walked out.

I stared at the closed door.

Something wasn’t fine.

And for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what it was.