Ren steps back into the restaurant, his nerves still rattled from what happened in the alley. His heart is racing, convinced that someone saw him use his powers. Paranoia tightens its grip as he scans the room, catching glimpses of female employees whispering and casting glances in his direction. The unease swirls inside him. Did they see me? His pulse quickens.
His stomach knots at the thought. He's certain his secret is out, that someone—maybe even Eva—witnessed what he did. What if they know? What if they tell someone? He rubs the back of his neck, trying to shake the tension from his body. But his thoughts are relentless. His mind is jumping to conclusions, imagining the worst possible scenarios: being exposed, losing his job, or worse, losing control completely. His steps feel heavier with every inch he moves into the restaurant.
The sound of giggles and low voices grabs his attention. He notices Leah, one of the younger female employees, chatting animatedly with the other female employees at the corner table. Their eyes dart his way and Ren's paranoia spikes. Are they talking about me? He stiffens, his mind racing. He can't afford this right now.
Leah's voice rises slightly, a mix of excitement and disbelief. "I swear, I saw Ren move that huge dumpster like it was nothing!" she exclaims, her eyes wide as she recounts the story to her fellow employees.
Maggie, leaning back in her chair, rolls her eyes. "Ren? No way. He's way too scrawny for that. You must've been seeing things."
The others nod, dismissing Leah's words with condescending smiles. They've known Ren as the awkward, weak one—constantly stumbling and getting in everyone's way. To them, the idea of him being strong is laughable.
Leah, however, is adamant. "I'm serious! He even jumped, like, way higher than anyone I've ever seen! I couldn't believe it either."
Maggie chuckles, shaking her head. "Come on, Ren? Strong? Please. The guy can't even carry a tray without tripping. I doubt he's out there lifting dumpsters."
The other waitresses laugh, joining in the mockery. They've heard Eva belittle Ren so often that it's become their second nature to look down on him.
But Leah's excitement doesn't falter. "I know what I saw! Maybe he's stronger than we think. You guys didn't see it."
The others exchange doubtful looks but don't take Leah seriously. Their view of Ren is already solidified, shaped by Eva's frequent ridicule.
Across the room, Eva is standing at the counter when she overhears the conversation. She straightens up, her sharp eyes narrowing as she listens in.
"What are you girls talking about?" Eva's cold voice cuts through the room, immediately silencing the chatter. Leah tenses, the other waitresses growing quiet as Eva approaches.
"Leah's saying Ren moved that dumpster by himself," Maggie says with a smirk, clearly enjoying the absurdity of it. "She thinks he's some kind of secret bodybuilder."
Eva raises an eyebrow, her gaze flicking toward Ren, who's standing awkwardly by the wall. "Ren?" she repeats, her tone dripping with disbelief. "Strong? You've got to be kidding me. He can't even keep up with basic tasks, let alone something like that."
Leah hesitates but nods firmly. "I'm telling you, I saw it with my own eyes. He was... different."
Eva laughs, a cruel edge to her voice. "Ren? Strong? No chance. He's barely useful as it is."
The other female employees laugh along, quick to mock Ren since Eva always leads the charge. They shoot smug glances his way, relishing in the idea that Ren could never live up to Leah's ridiculous claims.
But despite her dismissive words, something lingers in Eva's expression—curiosity. She turns her eyes toward Ren again, a calculating gleam flickering in her gaze; after all, that's her nature, beauty with thorns.
Eva walks across the room, her usual smirk plastered on her face. She calls out, "Ren, get over here."
Ren's heart drops to his stomach. His worst fear is coming true. She knows. She saw me. She's going to call me out right here, in front of everyone.
With a deep breath, Ren shuffles over to her, trying to keep his cool even though panic is building inside.
"You're not gonna believe this," Eva says, loud enough for the whole room to hear. "Leah here thinks you're some kind of muscle-bound superhero. She says you moved that huge dumpster in the alley all by yourself. That true?" Her tone is mocking, but Ren catches the faintest hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Ren freezes, mind racing for a way to deny it, to avoid this entire conversation. She must've seen me. What do I say?
Eva points to a large stack of boxes near the gate of the restaurant. "Why don't you show us, then? Move those into the back. Unless, of course, Leah's just making things up."
Ren swallows hard, his throat tight. He knows he could easily lift those boxes with a bit of telekinesis. But if he does, it'll look suspicious. His heart thunders in his chest as he tries to find an excuse.
"I... I can't. Those look too heavy." Ren mutters, eyes darting to Eva's calculating stare. He thinks she's toying with him, testing him because she knows.
But before he can say more, Leah speaks up again, "But you moved that dumpster, right? I saw you! I know what I saw."
Ren looks at her. "You... You must have seen it wrong. That dumpster is huge. How can I lift that."
Leah speaks up, "But I know what I saw. It was you. You jumped that high, and you even moved that dumpster. I know you are stronger than you look."
Ren pauses for a moment and feels a wave of relief wash over him. Does she think I'm strong and not that I have powers? She doesn't know the full truth. Ohh, thank God, my secret is still safe. A big smile of relief spreads over his face.
Eva's eyes narrow at Ren's smile. "So, what is it, Ren? Too weak to help, or just lazy?" Her voice is sharp and condescending. "Come on. You work here. You should help out. Who knows, maybe I'll even throw in a raise if you impress me." Her tone makes it clear she's just toying with him, but the pressure is building. Everyone's watching, waiting for him to fail.
Ren clenches his fists, knowing he can't back down now. The waitresses are smirking, their disdain for him evident in their eyes. If he refuses now, it'll only make things worse. He takes a deep breath and looks at the boxes.
"O... Okay, I will try."
He steps to the gate as everyone is looking at him, thinking him to fail and make fun of him. He bends and grabs the boxes from under. Without anyone noticing, he subtly uses telekinesis, lightening the load just enough to make it look like he's lifting them with ease. His body tenses as he lifts the boxes, carrying them effortlessly to the back room.
The room falls silent. The smirks fade, replaced by wide-eyed shock.
"No way," Maggie whispers, staring in disbelief. "How is he doing that? Are those boxes actually not that heavy?"
Ren keeps his head down, avoiding their gazes as he sets the boxes down. His muscles relax as he lets go, the weight lifting off his shoulders in more ways than one. He straightens up, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment despite the situation.
He steps out of the room to the counter. Eva's smirk falters for just a moment as she watches him. Her eyes flicker with surprise, but it quickly turns back into something colder, more calculating. She crosses her arms, looking at him with a mixture of annoyance and opportunity.
"Well, I guess you're not completely useless after all," she says, though her voice lacks its usual bite.
The other employees exchange glances, their mocking expressions now replaced with confusion—and a little respect. Leah beams with satisfaction, glad to have been proven right.
Eva's eyes narrow as she considers Ren. "Since you're apparently so strong, I'll have you do this every day," she says, her voice low but firm. "Those boxes don't move themselves, and I'm not paying you extra. Consider it part of your job."
Ren grits his teeth, suppressing the frustration that's starting to boil inside him. Of course, she'd find a way to make my life harder, he thinks, nodding stiffly. He knows better than to argue with her.
As Ren walks away, Eva's mind is already calculating how she can use Ren's newfound strength to her advantage. She won't let him off the hook easily. She's going to make sure he works hard for every penny—without giving him a single one extra.
Once the tension eases, Ren lets out a slow breath, his body relaxing. He feels a strange mix of relief and confusion. So, they don't know about my powers… They just think I'm strong.
Leah gives him a thumbs-up, and even the others—who used to mock him—now look at him differently. They're still skeptical, but there's a hint of acknowledgment in their eyes.
For the first time in a long while, Ren feels like maybe things won't be so bad. His secret is still safe. For now.
But as he watches Eva disappear into the back, he knows it's only a matter of time before she pushes him harder. He'll have to stay on guard. One slip-up and everything could end up ruined for his whole life. If someone accidentally discovers his power before he gets strong enough to protect himself, he would end up in some laboratory, being experimented on.