FATED MATE

Anderson

Anderson kept thinking on what to do.

He knows his parents want him to get married, that's why they are doing this, they might not even travel.

Handling over the company to the manager might be forever.

I do not have any intimate feelings for Joy, we are just friends and I do not even like her character.

Then who can I marry?

While thinking, he slept off.

****

I attend an expensive school, so no one will believe I am working at a restaurant.

Instead of telling people so they can pity me, I keep that to myself.

I don't need pity or insult from anyone.

On weekends, I work from 8am to 6pm while on school days, I work from 4pm till 8pm.

Working with a strict boss is tiring but I do not have a choice than to do it.

I need to support my parents more.

****

It's Saturday, and I am set to leave for work and my mum said she would like to talk to me.

"Mum, I am late already, I told you about the woman I work with" I said

"I know my dear, but you hardly have time to rest, not to talk of having time to talk to you" My mum said.

I sat down to hear what she wanted to say.

"I am sorry ma, I am listening" I said.

"Working here and there, working everytime is because your dad and I can't provide all you and your sister need" She said.

"Mummy, it's fine and that is why I am helping" I said

"Why don't you stop this, your dad and I will hustle more to provide for your need and your sister need, concentrate more on your studies"

"Ma, I will think about it, I need to be going to work now" I said and left for work.

I was happy my boss hadn't arrived when I resumed work, I was happy and I greeted the other worker, and resumed to work.

I was cleaning when I saw Anderson.

I wonder what he is doing here.

He sat down, and they gave him the menu.

"I just need water" He said.

I was the one to serve him, but I told my friend, who is also a worker in the restaurant, to serve him.

I watched him drink his water and was still wondering why he was here when we had eye contact.

I pretended I wasn't looking at him and pretended to concentrate on cleaning.

"Amalia" He called out.

"You just called me?" I said and went to where he was sitting.

"Can you sit down, please let's talk" He said

"This is my working place, I can't, I am sorry"

"Ooh, you work here or your mum owns this restaurant."

"Nope, none of my family members own this restaurant, I work here" I said.

"I still don't get, working and schooling, how do you balance that? How are your parents?" He asked.

"My parents are very fine, I am just working to support them in one way, we are not that rich the way you think people who attend our school are" I said.

"Oh, but why do you attend our college, when you know your parents are not financially buoyant, you should have attended a less expensive one" he said.

"I chose it because I love it, I can't keep discussing here, my boss mustn't see me here" I said with a long neck, trying to check if my boss is not back yet.

"Well, that's so good, meeting a precious lady like you is something good" he said.

"Don't tell me you are here to see me" I asked

"No, I am only here to rest, but so far I met you here, it's not bad having some nice time with you" He said looking straight into my eyes.

"And that is not possible now" I left, leaving him alone with his water.

He looked disappointed, I don't know what he was expecting.

I went to serve others, and before I could blink an eye, I couldn't find him.

****

On Monday, they were all busy talking to one another, but in class, I have no friends.

Their parents are upper class, and they don't seem to know where I belong, so they concluded not to mingle with me, which I don't care about.

They were all discussing and they didn't seem to want any lecturer to come and lecture them.

"We all don't need any lecturer now, let the class representative cooperate with us this time because she doesn't even respect others' decisions" One of the students assailed me physically.

They all burst into laughter.

I pretended it wasn't me they were making a joke of and I concentrated on reading the story titled 'Today's World'.

Before I knew it, someone came to hit the table in front, so I could pay attention to what they were saying.

"What do you all want?" I asked angrily.

"Who is your father, Smith? Who is Smith in this country? Or does anyone know the post Smith hold" Another one said.

"All these are not necessary, you should stop all these, is whose father what we are in school to discuss" Anderson said.

"Well, that is one of our secondary assignments" Joy said.

"Gathering and talking about me is fun right? Then keep discussing about me, trust me to always give you more to say" I said, pretending to concentrate on the story in my hand.

They all kept silent, and later they continued discussing

They are a group of friends and everyone chooses people they walk with. Anderson and Joy do not accept anyone coming in between them.

"You seem tired," Joy said.

"I am not tired, I am just worrying about what my parents said" Anderson replied.

"And what is it? You didn't tell me they told you anything, are you trying to keep things from me now,hmm.. I am curious, what are you keeping"

"No, I never planned on keeping anything from you, my parents want to handover the company to the manager"

"Why? What about you? Why would they hand it over to someone who is just less like a stranger? "

"They said I should go and marry"

"Whoa"

"I just think they are doing this because they want me to get married so quick"

"Whoa, I am so happy"

"I don't actually know how to tell Amalia my feelings, I have thought about it and she is the one I want to be forever, her smartness, her intelligence, she is so hardworking"

"What?"