Brandon woke up, stretching his hand to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. He opened his eyes, lifted the bedsheet, and confirmed his suspicion.
A torn out paper with a note on it and, a cash laid on the pillow.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," he read the content.
Brandon's eyes widened as he picked up the money. "$30?" He was baffled.
So confused at what was going on. He quickly got out of bed, grabbed his trousers, and reached for his phone.
"What about the girl from last night?" he questioned an attendant of the hotel as soon as the call connected.
"Uh? The girl? She left about 30 minutes ago. Any problem? Is she a thief, sir?" The voice at the other end of the call asked.
Brandon ended the call, his eyes drifted back to the money on the bed. It was both ridiculous and absurd. He couldn't believe she had paid him that. Was his service worth $30?
No matter what angle, it still felt crazy.
"What did she take me for? Lord, have mercy." He lamented, rubbing his forehead because of the sharp pain he felt.
Other girls would want to get tips for the hook up or rob him but, she was the one paying him.
Dialing his personal assistant's number, "hello sir!" The voice answered after the second beeping of the call.
"The girl from last night, I want every information about her." Brandon requested, feeling an inexplicable urge to meet her again.
"Okay sir but, I hope no problem?" He asked, cautiously.
Brandon wasn't the type to do such after a one-night stand. In fact, he was someone who didn't even think about any girl.
"Just do as I say." He instructed and hung up.
He took off everything he wore, and entered the bathroom. Spending so much time in the tub, thinking about the previous night. He can't seem to get over the girl.
"Is it because I got paid?" He wondered.
Eva on the other hand, ran straight to her work place, not minding to go home and get change. She was already running 2 hours late and fear of losing her job gripped her more.
"Why isn't the cab moving sir?" She asked the driver from the back of the cab.
"Sorry but, I think the car in front of us just broke down." The elderly man replied, causing Eva's heart to skip a beat.
"Huh!?" She exclaimed and then, looked out the window to confirm what the driver said.
The car wasn't moving and the owners were coming out. "Fuvk!" she swore under her breath.
"I can't wait." She muttered and raised her head, "Sir, I will go from here." She dropped half the fee for him.
Not ready to spend another minute, she hastily got out of the car and started running. Her phone too was ringing but, she couldn't bring herself to pick up.
Just as she got closer to her work place, she swallowed hard when her manager was spotted, just outside the shop, probably waiting for her.
She summoned courage and walked up to him.
"I know sir and, I'm so sorry." She begged. Waiting for him to shout back and send her away. But instead, his response shocked her to the core.
"Get inside. We will have the conversation later. For now, go and help your colleagues." He uttered dryly as he eyed her and began to walk away.
Even if he didn't shout on her or anything, Eva felt a cold chilling down her spine. Like, something didn't seem right.
"What happened? This is unlike you and, you know how the manager is." Her colleague dragged her in after the manager was out of sight. "Though, today he looked sick. Heard him coughing hard a while ago."
"Oh, that explains it." Eva said and turned back to her friend, "Had a crazy night. I need to shower first before work. I didn't come from home." She confessed and her friend gave her a naughty grin.
"So, you now have a boyfriend?" She asked Eva with raised brows.
"Not that. Please cover for me so I can get to work. I will explain everything later." And her friend nodded.
Work was going just fine. And Eva was busy attending to customers at the back when Fia approached her.
"The young man over there wants you to attend to him."
"Okay. Let me finish up here." Fiat walked off.
After Eva finished, she went to the table and the young man somewhat look familiar. She was about to say something but, he beat her to it.
"Do you know me?" He asked.
Trying to remember was difficult. And her headache from the hangover won't even let her think right. "Sorry, I'm not sure."
"Can we meet after your shift?" Brandon asked after being served.
Eva smiled and nodded. Seeing sure a handsome young man, there was no way she was going to turn down such a request.
"Yeah." She answered shyly and walked away to attend to the others.
"I see how he looks at you. What's going on? Do you know him from somewhere?" Her colleague Sophia asked, shaking her brows, up and down.
"Ha ha... Don't conclude. I met him just now. He wanted to know if, I will be free after now." Eva replied, her face turning red. "Talk to you later, I have other customers coming in." And without waiting for a response, she rushed off, causing Sophia to laugh out loud.
"Awwwn, she's shy!" Sophia exclaimed, laughing.
"Get back to work." The manager said from behind.
She felt Eva might have seen the man and inwardly cursed her for not giving her any heads-up. After a while, Brandon's table was empty. Eva was clearing the table when she saw he had left a card for her.
"Gogala Estate Enterprises?" She exclaimed a bit high, in total shock. Noticing stares from other customers close, she apologized, "I'm sorry." Bowing her head while saying those words.
Getting back to the counter after attending to the waiting customers, she brought out the card. Staring at it in disbelief.
"What's that?" Fia asked while approaching.
"Nothing serious. Only a bit tired." Eva lied, making sure to hide the card. Not ready to get competitors after her lucky charm.
"Okay..." Just then, a middle aged woman stepped with one who looked like her son. "They are mine!" She made it clear after seeing moves from Eva.
Soon, Eva's shift ended. Her boss who kept glaring at her, suddenly began to smile. He asked her to even go home early which sounded weird.
Eva stood outside the shop. Having second thoughts about calling just after her shift. She had her bath already and her clothes weren't that bad. The grey joggers and white polo did make her look cute. Though she had them on the previous day.
'Call him already! He might give you a free ride.' She encouraged herself.
Taking a deep breath, she dialed the number on the card one after the other. While the call was beeping, Eva prayed. "Don't pick. The line should be..."
But he did.
"The line should be what? Where you praying I don't pick the call or, I gave you a fake card?" The voice asked and Eva swallowed hard. She didn't see that coming.