The Source of All Evil

Chapter Two

Michaela Walker.

Michaela was always a cautious person, but something about the man didn’t scream danger. She knew that look he had on, as she’s been sporting it recently while thinking of a plot. The man was lost in his own thoughts, looking her way by accident.

“He’s not,” she said slowly, smiling at Craig. “Do you think we’ll get any service now or should we just continue gossiping about unrelated things?”

Craig scowled, pursing his lips as he said. “You know, if you weren’t my friend, and I didn’t have any work ethics, I would’ve spat in your coffee.”

“I dare you,” said Michaela with a smile, making him bellow to Kirsten for help.

“How can you tolerate her, Kirsten? She’s so mean.”

“And you’re about to get fired! I swear to god, if you don’t do your job, Craig, I’ll fire you this time.” At the sight of his boss, Hannah Summers, Craig was quick on his feet towards the kitchen. “Hi, girls. The usual?”

Michaela shared a look with Kirsten, and the other nodded. “Yes, one Latte for her and Americano for me. . . It must be hard handling that i***t, huh?”

Hannah was a friendly individual and very lovable. She quit her desk job, opening this shop with her best friend. They all went to the same college, which was why they were good friends. Michaela always admired her.

Hannah had a strong personality, charm, charisma, and stunning good looks. She and Kirsten were the beauties of their college. Hannah’s fit body, long black hair, and emerald green eyes always drawn people to befriend her. The same for Kirsten, who captured people’s hearts with her breath-taking blue eyes, fair skin, and silky brown hair. She was blessed with a perfectly proportioned body and symmetrical face.

Michaela, with her dull, brown eyes, weird sense of style, and grumpy-looking face didn’t fit their clique, yet they still stuck by her side, clinging to her. Michaela wasn’t bad to look at either. She never compared herself to others. To her, she was beautiful, and that was what mattered. Something about her attracted people to court her friendship, hence, she had so many friends.

“Craig is good at what he does. He just likes to chat a lot.”

“That’s expected from the king of gossip-mongering.”

“Be nice, Mica. He’s our friend.”

Michaela chuckled at how bothered Kirsten looked. “I know, and I tell him all the time to his face that he loves gossiping.”

Kirsten and Michaela started bickering, as the former didn’t like how mean the latter would get, afraid that she might hurt someone’s feelings accidentally.

“Girls, settle down,” Hannah interjected, smiling their way. “I’ll go get your order. . . Oh! That reminds me. Kyrie has left something for you, Mica. I’ll go get it.”

As soon as she left, Kirsten pulled Michaela’s arm, making her lean over the table, solemnly asking. “What did you ask Kyrie for?”

She knew why her best friend looked worried. Kirsten never liked Kyrie for the fact that the other smoked weed. Though it was legal in their state, to Kirsten, it was a drug she forced her friend to quit smoking.

“Chill, it’s not what you’re thinking. I just asked for Argan oil as she’s just returned from her trip to Morocco. You know how cheap and pure it is if you get it straight from the source. . . My father used to bring me some whenever he went there.”

“Oh, sorry,” Kirsten released her arm, flashing a sad grin. “I just thought. . .”

“It’s fine.”

Michaela smiled, looking away as she didn’t like mentioning her father. She wasn’t a person who’d cry easily, but you could easily see the sadness in her eyes.

Noticing that the strange man wasn’t at his table, Michaela looked towards the door, assuming that he left. Her frown deepened, and her eyes sharpened, feeling all her body tingle at seeing three familiar faces walking in.

“Are we back in high school or what? Of all places, they choose to come here?"

Kirsten turned around for a look, sighing. “Let’s not bother with them. Hannah mentioned that Gavin is still pestering her to go out with him, and Jason and Valerie are his friends, so they must be here as some sort of ‘support’.”

Michaela looked away before they catch her staring, grumbling under her breath. It’s been a few years since she last saw this trio, and truth be told, she was more than happy with how peaceful her life got. She hoped that they would act like mature people and ignore them, but not all wishes could come true.

“Michaela Walker! Now, this is an amazing surprise.” Jason’s voice languidly echoed in her ears, making her let out a breath in displeasure.

Acting as if she just saw them, she feigned surprise. “Oh! It’s you! I almost couldn’t recognize you, Jason. Did you gain weight?”

His smile faltered, and his face darkened for mere seconds in anger, but the feeling was fleeting, as he smugly countered. “You still have a crush on me, right? Now that I heard you debuted as an author, I may throw you some pity f**k, for old times’ sake.”

“Oh, honey. You don’t have to sacrifice your dignity for this virgin freak!” Valerie rubbed her revealed chest on his arm, still acting like a typical skank.

“So typical,” Michaela mumbled under her breath, chuckling as she bored her brown eyes on Jason. “I would prefer to drink acid over sleeping with you.” She leaned back in her chair, and from the corner of her eye, she could see the weird man was back at his table.

“Besides, Michaela’s boyfriend would be very upset to find out that another man is pestering her.” Kirsten cut in, sounding like a stuttering mess because she wasn’t accustomed to lying. “He’s a dangerous man. . .”

“Can you go do your thing and leave us alone?” Michaela interjected after experiencing secondhand embarrassment, watching her best friend acting like a teenager in fabricating a lie.

I guess we’re all acting like teenagers.

“No, no, no. I want to hear about your dangerous boyfriend,” Jason said, making Gavin and Valerie snicker at the obvious lie.

Kirsten’s face turned beet red, casting a glance at Michaela, hoping she would step in and say something. However, Hannah was there to save the day, snapping at the trio.

“If you come here to disturb my customers and cause a fight, then you better leave before I call the cops on you.”

Her green eyes glowed a bit, expressing the anger she was reining in. She handed Michaela a bag with a large oil bottle inside it. “This is for you.” She said, her face softening. “I asked Craig to bring your order.”

Michaela expressed her gratitude, checking the bottle filled with the orange oil, pulling a gentle smile. It reminded her of the time her father returned home from Morocco, bringing gifts. Michaela didn’t ask for anything and was just happy that he was back, eager to listen to his stories about the places he visited and explored. He surprised her by giving her a similar bottle of Argan oil, sharing the history of the plant and its benefits, saying that he helped grind the seeds to bring it to her. Only three months after his return, he had to travel again, where he died at the excavation site. That bottle was the last gift she received from him, so she cherished it.

“Is this the right way to talk to a paying customer?!”

Hearing Valerie’s shrieking voice pulled her back to reality, glaring at her annoyed, scowling face. Gavin tried to intervene, as he probably didn’t want to upset Hannah further, while Jason just stood there, staring down at Michaela.

“No, Gavin! She’s at fault here! We’re paying customers, too!”

“And this is my shop!” Hannah's voice was a tad louder, surprising Kirsten and Michaela, as she usually was a calm person. “I reserve the right to not serve an obnoxious customer like yourself.”

“You!” Valerie gritted her teeth, then whined to Jason to say something. The latter just turned around and walked towards the door, making her face turn blue from anger.

Michaela was surprised that when Valerie couldn’t vent her anger out on Hannah, she looked at her and kicked the small bag Hannah handed her off the table.

“You freak!” She snarled, aiming to leave.

But she was wrong to assume that Michaela would let her go just like that. Sure Michaela rarely got in a fight over such a silly thing in the past, as it wasn’t worth it. And ironically, for a writer, she was not good with words to deliver any witty comebacks. But this time around, Michaela was annoyed at herself for her inability to think of a good plot. She was annoyed at the hot summer that made her clothes cling uncomfortably to her body. She was mad to see their faces, today of all days. And she was livid that this lowly, dumb b***h vented her anger out on the only thing good in her life, right now.

Michaela was on a different level of anger.

She stood up, paying no heed to Hannah and Kirsten when they attempted to stop her, swiftly closing in on Valerie from the back. She delivered a hard kick to the unsuspected woman's shin, making her fall backward to the floor, hitting the back of her head hard that she let out a loud groan.

Valerie's boobs looked like they’d slip out of her revealing shirt and her skirt slid higher to her crotch, exposing black, laced underwear as she splayed her long legs on the floor.

It was satisfying to see her look beaten up and tearful for Michaela, but it still didn’t sate her anger. Fortunately for her, a stunned Craig was next to her, holding a glass of cold strawberry juice. Michaela reached for the glass and spilled its content on Valerie’s face, grinning.

“I thought I could help you cool down a bit.”

“You freak! You ruined my outfit!” She cussed, and the other chuckled.

“I was brought up to always respect fellow women and to never call them names as most men do. But you, darling, are special. So, sue me, b***h!”

She looked at Jason, who seemed as if he just walked back in, not making a single move to help Valerie, staring at her in a weird air. She just grinned, feeling victorious, turning around to face Kirsten’s proud grin and Hannah’s solemn face.

Michaela grudgingly moped the floor as punishment after Hannah gave her a lecture. The latter apologized to the other customers in her café. Jason, Gavin, and Valerie have left after the embarrassing scene. The weird man was also nowhere to be seen and must’ve left during the commotion.

Finally, Michaela took a seat across from Kirsten, thanking her as she handed her the paper bag. She was thankful that the bottle was out of some sort of hard material, or else Valerie would’ve broken it.

“You’re insane! I didn’t think you have it in you to do something like this.”

“Heh, I know.” She said proudly, feeling more energetic than before. “Did you see her ugly crying face?”

She laughed, and Kirsten joined her. “It was definitely something. . . Did you see how stunned Jason looked? I bet he now wants more than a pity fuck.”

“Oh, please,” Michaela snorted. “Like I’d get it on with that jerk.”

“I’m just so proud of you right now that I want to kiss you.” Michaela grimaced at what Craig said as he waited on their table. “Girl, you scared everyone. Even Warrior John frantically picked up your bag and left in a hurry. . . I don’t think he will come back here after today.”

“Well, sorry. I know you wanted to bone him.”

Kirsten let out a laugh then choked in shock at what Craig said next. “How did you know?! Was I too obvious?!”

Chuckling, she nodded. “Of course, you don’t do anything out of the goodness of your heart.”

“Well, thanks for subtly saying that I’m a cunning person.” Craig rolled his eyes, and Michaela loved how sassy this man could get. “I’m just weak to handsomeness.”

“That crazy-looking guy is handsome?!”

Hearing Kirsten exclaim, Michaela frowned. Kirsten wasn't a shallow person, which got her to wonder how she didn’t notice. Behind that rough look, a handsome, young face hid underneath. His peculiar yet beautiful look was what drawn Michaela to glance at him from time to time, asking herself why someone like him chose to dress like that.

I guess outer appearance means a lot to most people.

Returning home, Michaela glared at her laptop begrudgingly, walking towards her bed. The sun has set outside her window, and sleep seemed like a great idea right now. She was a night owl, often sleeping during the day and waking up at night. But the past few days, she barely had a wink of sleep.

She was mentally and physically exhausted.

She took off her clothes, down to her underwear, jumping in her bed. She felt lazy to get a fresh bedsheet and pillow cover to make her bed-the dirty ones got removed by Kirsten. Michaela sighed, her lips hooked upward, relieved that her mind was clear.

She welcomed the darkness with a light heart, relieved of all worries and struggles. She soon started snoring, unaware of the glow emanating from the bag she left on the floor.