"Hey there, sweetheart," a man drawled, his gaze lingering on Natalie's figure. "You got anything else on the menu that's as sweet as you?" he added.
Another of his friends leaned back in his chair, grinning. "I wouldn't mind seeing what's under that uniform," he said, his voice dripping with crude insinuation.
This group of scruffy, gypsy-looking men had been loitering in the corner of the Chucky Cheese for a while, their presence impossible to ignore. Their clothes were mismatched and worn, their beards unkempt, and they exuded trouble.
Natalie's heart pounded in her chest, a wave of nausea rising, but she forced herself to stay composed. "Here's your food," she said, her voice high-pitched but steady, though her hands trembled slightly as she set the plates down.
"Enjoy your meal."
"Aw, don't be shy, darling," the first man said, leaning closer. "You could smile a bit, make our day, huh?"
Jonathan observed the scenario in play; he looked on in dismay as he facepalmed himself. "As someone part of the male species, I hate to say it but we are the worst," Jonathan said as he shook his head.
Emma a fellow employee, looked at him enjoying his honesty about the situation. "Ha! You got that right! You know what, Jonathan, this might be the first time you've been smart in your life."
Jonathan looked at her with an irritated frown as he removed his hand from his face. "Shut up" he uttered.
Emma laughed at his response her laughter fading as the seconds went by, Jonathan looked back at the situation at hand, his face more serious now. Emma also looked on, although her expression was still one of unseriousness.
"You know... if you're worried about her, you can always go there, stop them yourself. You can be her white knight in shining armour; protecting the princess in distress!" Emma joked hysterically.
Jonathan ignored her unamusing jokes; he smiled as he realized who was approaching the group of men. "Well... it looks like instead of a white knight to Natalie's aid, she got a demon instead. I almost feel bad for the men."
Emma shifted her focus to Indira, who was approaching the situation as they spoke.
"Oh yeah... it's all over. Too bad, it was entertaining as well." Emma said in disappointment.
Jonathan looked at her with a mischievous smirk, "What do you mean? This movie is just getting started! The demon vs the three drunk-smitten bandits." he replied gesturing to her to look more closely at the scenario.
Before Natalie could react, a sharp, commanding voice sliced through the air.
"What's going on here?"
The men looked up, their grins faltering as they saw Indira, the fiercest manager in the restaurant, striding toward them with an expression that could turn stone to dust.
Indira didn't waste any time. She planted herself firmly in front of them, her hands on her hips, her gaze cold and unyielding. "You think this is funny?" she snapped, her thick Romanian accent adding an extra layer of sharpness to her words.
"You come in here, harass my employee, and act like it's a joke? This is a family restaurant, not a bar."
The men exchanged nervous glances, the confidence they had moments ago evaporating under her glare. One of them attempted to speak, but Indira cut him off with a sharp wave of her hand.
"Shut your mouth," she commanded, her voice rising. "You don't get to speak. You think because you're men you can treat a young woman like this? Not in my restaurant. You're going to leave now, or I'll have security escort you out."
One of the men, trying to salvage some pride, puffed out his chest. "We were just having some fun, no harm done—" Indira stepped closer, her face inches from his, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "You don't understand me? I said leave. Now."
The man swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling under her fierce gaze. "Alright, alright, we're going," he muttered, standing up quickly. The others followed suit, mumbling under their breath as they shuffled toward the exit, casting nervous glances back at Indira.
She didn't move until they were out the door. Only then did she turn to Natalie, her expression softening slightly, though the intensity remained.
"Are you okay, Natalie?" she asked, her voice still firm but with a hint of concern. Natalie nodded, though her hands were still shaking.
"Y-Yeah… I'm okay. Thank you, Indira."
Indira gave a curt nod. "Good. Don't ever let anyone treat you like that. You're better than those pigs."
Natalie managed a small smile. "I won't. Thanks."
Indira's stern demeanour returned as she looked around the restaurant. "Get back to work. If anyone else gives you trouble, you come straight to me, understand?"
"Understood," Natalie replied, her respect for Indira growing as she watched the manager walk away, her no-nonsense attitude leaving a trail of silence in her wake.
"Woah.. So the demon, actually has empathy huh?" Jonathan said in disbelief.
"I don't know why you're acting so shocked, Indira has always been kind. She's a strong woman, which is why you can't handle her." Emma retorted trying to provoke a reaction.
"Pftt.. Oh yeah I know she's strong don't worry! You can't compare a T-Rex and a human!" Jonathan replied sarcastically.
Indira turned her sharp gaze back to the rest of the staff, scanning the room with a look that promised she wouldn't tolerate any nonsense from anyone.
Her eyes landed on Jonathan, who had been lingering near the back, watching the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and mild unease. The moment their eyes met, Jonathan's smirk faltered.
Indira took a deliberate step toward him, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floor.
"Jonathan," she said, her voice cold and commanding, "what exactly do you think you're doing?"
Jonathan's shoulders tensed as he kept his focus on the counter. "Just, uh, cleaning up," he muttered, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the edge of nervousness in his voice.
"Cleaning up?" Indira's tone dripped with skepticism. "That counter is cleaner than your work ethic. Don't insult me by pretending to work when you've been standing there doing nothing."
Jonathan glanced up at her, a flash of irritation crossing his face before he quickly masked it.
"Relax... I was just taking a minute, Indira."
Indira's eyes narrowed, and she took another step closer, invading his personal space.
"You don't get 'a minute' when there's work to be done. You want to slack off, do it somewhere else, but not on my watch."
Jonathan sighed, his bravado slipping further. "Alright, alright," he said, raising his hands slightly in mock surrender. "I get it. I'll get back to work."
"Good," Indira replied sharply, not missing a beat. "And Jonathan—" She paused, ensuring she had his full attention. "The next time I catch you standing around like that, I won't be this nice. Understood?"
"She calls this being nice?! Gosh... Why is it always me as well? Everyone else was watching, but it's always Jonathan this, Jonathan that." He pondered, his expression hoping for a reality in which he wasn't the victim.