Love Off the Ice

Scrutinizing Gaze

As usual, the cafe's bell above the door jingled joyfully to announce the arrival of new customers. Lisa looked up as she assisted Nana in setting up a display of her famous gingerbread. Three young men, all wrapped up in heavy winter coats and wearing sly smiles, burst into the cafe, their laughter resonating through the warm room. A girl who appeared to have stepped out of a fashion magazine followed them, holding hands with the tallest of the three. Her flawlessly styled hair, high-end clothing, and unquestionable haughtiness appeared out of place in the quiet little diner.

"Waiter!" one of the men bellowed, his voice booming through the quiet cafe.

Nana, with a twinkle in her eye, nudged Lisa gently. "Go on, dear," she whispered, "take their order. And remember, kindness goes a long way."

Lisa, stifling a giggle, grabbed her notepad and pen and approached the table.

"What can I get for you folks today?" she asked, her voice bright and cheerful.

The girl with the designer handbag barely glanced at Lisa. "I'll have a cappuccino," she declared, her voice dripping with a condescending tone, "extra foam, and make sure it's not too hot. I don't want to burn my tongue."

Lisa fought back a smile. "Of course, madam," she replied, her voice laced with a hint of playful sarcasm.

The men, oblivious to the subtle exchange, rattled off their orders – hot chocolates, a latte, and a plate of Nana's famous gingerbread cookies.

As Lisa turned to leave, she couldn't resist mimicking the girl's haughty tone under her breath. "Extra foam, not too hot," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

Nana, who had been observing the scene with amusement, let out a soft chuckle. "Lisa!" she chided gently, shaking her head.

Lisa grinned, unable to contain her amusement. "I couldn't help it, Nana," she whispered. "She was just begging to be imitated."

Nana's laughter filled the cafe, a warm and comforting sound. "Oh, Lisa," she said, "you haven't changed a bit."

Lisa smiled as she made her way back to the counter. Nana was right. She was still a small-town girl at heart, with a mischievous streak and a talent for finding humour in the most unlikely places, despite the pain and the city life.

As she prepared the orders, Lisa couldn't help but wonder who these newcomers were, especially the arrogant girl and her seemingly smitten companion. Little did she know that their arrival would stir up the quiet tranquility of Evergreen and set in motion a chain of events that would change her life forever.

Lisa, with her tray of food balanced precariously in her hands, approached the table, her initial annoyance simmering beneath the surface. The sight that greeted her did little to quell her irritation. One of the men sprawled languidly in his chair, his leg propped nonchalantly on the table, while the other, the girl with the designer handbag, was idly twirling a strand of her hair, her perfectly manicured nails glinting in the soft light.

As Lisa set down the plates and drinks, she couldn't help but let out a small sigh of exasperation. "Sir," she addressed the man with the leg on the table, her voice polite but firm, "would you mind removing your leg so I can place the food down?"

The man grunted in acknowledgment, finally lowering his leg with a careless thud. The man’s gaze lingered intensely at Lisa who glared back at him as she was feeling uncomfortable with his actions. He even went ahead to wink at her, Lisa almost puking at his action which she finds to be disgusting and annoying.

Seeing that the man wasn’t ready to leave her alone, or take his lingering eyes away, Lisa sighed before sending him back the same secrunitizing gaze he was giving her.

But as Lisa turned away, she had no idea that the young man’s gaze actually never left scanning her. Lisa, suppressing another sigh, turned to the girl.

"Here's your cappuccino," she said, placing the steaming mug in front of her. "Extra foam, just as you requested."

The girl barely glanced at the cappuccino, her eyes fixated on her reflection in the polished surface of the table. "Actually," she drawled, her voice laced with a haughty indifference, "I ordered a latte, not a cappuccino."

Lisa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She distinctly remembered the girl specifying a cappuccino, even emphasizing the extra foam. But before she could voice her confusion, the girl continued, her tone growing sharper.

"And," she added, her eyes narrowing, "the cake I ordered was strawberry, not chocolate."

Lisa, her patience wearing thin, reached into her apron pocket and pulled out her notepad. Flipping through the pages, she located the order and pointed to the clearly written notes: "Cappuccino, extra foam," and "Chocolate cake."

"As you can see, ma'am," Lisa said, her voice calm but firm, "this is exactly what you ordered."

The girl's face flushed with anger. "Are you calling me a liar?" she shrieked, her voice echoing through the cafe.

Lisa stood her ground, her gaze unwavering. "No, ma'am," she replied, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "I'm simply stating the facts."

The tension in the air was palpable, the other customers watching the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and awkwardness. The girl's companions, who had been engrossed in their own conversation, finally took notice of the commotion.

"What's going on here?" one of them asked, his voice laced with concern.

The girl, her face contorted in fury, launched into a tirade, accusing Lisa of incompetence and rudeness. Lisa, however, remained composed, her voice rising only slightly to counter the girl's accusations.

As the argument escalated, Nana emerged from the kitchen, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the commotion. She quickly assessed the situation, her gaze settling on the girl's enraged face and Lisa's resolute stance.

With a calm but firm voice, Nana intervened, her presence instantly commanding attention. "That's enough," she declared, her voice silencing the girl's tirade.