Encounter

It is the start of the night shift, and yet the atmosphere feels so heavy. Just like the normal days, everyone is in their assigned stations, the faint sound of the customers talking inside the café and the clanking of the utensils in the kitchen, but without Simon around every employee is getting more and more uncomfortable.

"Hey! Is it your breaktime?" the deep and serious voice echoed in the dark and cold storage room as it ringed in Thea's ears that made her flinch.

Thea immediately composed herself as she instantly kept her water tumbler inside her bag. The girl quickly lowered her head as she faces Demetri whose now leaning in the doors seriously not taking his eyes off her. Her eyes didnt bother to take a glance in Demetri's face as her instinct seems to be talking to her about his sharp gaze. A deafening silence has filled the room that only a faint sound of their breaths can touch the ears but for Thea, the sound of her heart beating so fast has taken over her ears as the awkwardness is slowly filling her up.

"Im sorry sir, Im just taking a quick break__"

"Get back to work." Demetri answered in his monotonic voice after he gave himself a deep sigh.

"Okay" a faint whisper was heard that even for a small and closed room like the storage section, makes it louder to be heard clearly. She kept her head down as she made her way out of the room, making small steps and clenching her fist.

His gaze followed Thea, as get herself back to work. He faced his body towards the working area of the place Demetri roamed his eyes around the café only to see, different kinds of people having their seat comfortably in his roofs. There are students from a University located in the next bloc, or a couple having their small talks. But his gaze never missed to observe his employees on how they work at their respective stations, seeing their small talks and quick breaths as customers keep on coming.

"Are you okay? You look so tense." Stacy whispered into Thea but loud enough to get it into Demetri's hearing.

"No,Im okay. I'm just a bit of...like..you know I feel so uncomfortable since I arrived here. I don't want to point out some reasons why though__" Thea answered together with her faint chuckle but was stopped when she heard Stacy laughed and gave her a gentle pat on her back.

"Good thing, you're not alone, me and Darwin felt it too, maybe because sir Simon isn't around to check on us or its just a bad day today"

Demetri gave himself a sigh as he gently massaged his right temple right before he walked his way inside the storage room and closed the door to check for the left and needed stocks. Mumbling to himself some various numbers and ingredients as he is taking note only to his mind, but what made him stop is the naturally made bracelet that he found in the corner in one of the shelves. It seems to be made out of yarn that is braided into quite a mess. But the feature itself is not just the reason why took some seconds of his time to pick the bracelet up, but his feels of familiarity of how it is made. He knows to himself that he has never encountered this bracelet but the sense of familiarity is lingering in his thoughts.

He was stopped in drowning into his thoughts as an unusual loudness of the utensils clanking was heard, that it had caught his attention. He opened the door slightly enough to hide himself and still can get a peek of what is happening outside the storage room.

It was Thea, she looks bothered as she cant behave herself in roaming around the stations seems to be looking for something.

"What's wrong?" Darwin asked as he himself is also bothered on how Thea was acting and keeping an eye on what and where she lays her hands on.

Thea didnt answer and kept on looking until Darwin grabbed her hand that make her snap out of it.

"Be careful on where you put your hands on, that's hot!" Darwin gently scolded Thea.

"Uh.. Sorry for that... uh___uhm..."

"Thea what really is the matter?" Stacey seriously asked her keeping her eyes straight to Thea's face. "You know that I am starting to get worried on how you just acted."

" Uh... my__my... my__"

"Your what?" Stacey asked.

"Bracelet, its missing!" Thea answered in her trembling voice as her sweat keeps on dripping.

Hearing the faint sound of the three's conversation Demetri tighten his hold on the bracelet he picked up and continued to eavesdrop.

"Your bracelet?"

"Yes I'm sure I had it in my wrist when I came here so it must be just somewhere."

"What's it look like?"

"Its brown, its made its like a braid that you do in the hair."

"Ok, we'll try to look for it while Sir Demetri isnt around." Darwin reassured.

"Yuh, Yuh or try looking for the parts where you went." Stacey enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Yes, it might work... I hope so." Thea whispered to herself as she clenched her fists.

"Why dont you try looking at the storage room I saw you going there a while ago." Darwin suggested.

Thea's eyes quickly lighten as she took Darwin suggestion. "Right." she whispered and hurriedly walked towards the storage room.

"Huh?" she exclaimed as the door suddenly swung open as it revealed Demetri giving her a serious look.

"Get back to work." Demetri said as he made his way out of the storage room.

"But sir__"

"Get back."

"Okay." She whispered under her breath

Walking calmly towards the Cash register he calmly and secretly put the bracelet in his pocket.

As the closing hours is approaching, Darwin is starting to put all the trash together in one bag, as the customers are slowly getting and getting lesser.

"Can I help you?" Thea asked Darwin as he is trying tie the bag.

"Yes please, thanks."

Thea proceed to tie trash bag and even offered to help drag it to the back alley where trash can will be collected in the midnights.

"Are you sure you're okay here?" Darwin asked as Thea offered to pick the trash scattered around the alley.

Darwin left hesitant but got no other choice. the sound of cats fighting and the sound of people laughing at the bar next door. When Thea was left alone he took the chance to sit on the ground, close her eyes and relax her body for awhile and letting herself drown in so many thoughts. Just as when she's about to leave the smell of cigarettes reeked all over the place. When curiosity hits her hard, she followed on where the smell came from on to see a man in his white polo shirt, with sleeves folded until an inch under his elbow and wearing black slacks came to the picture. She pull herself to peek more into the man as the lights from the streets forbid her from seeing his face.

"Do you want one?" a familiar voice that came from the man was heard.

"Is that you Sir?" Thea asked and revealed herself from hiding. But she didnt receive an answer.

Instead Demetri opened the box cigarettes and offered to her.

"No sir, I dont smoke sir. Thank you."

"I suggest you quit working in this café." Demetri started as he close the box and put it back on is pocket.

"Uhm,excuse me? What was that?"

Demetri gave her a dead look and walked closer to her. Thea feels so inferior as her shadow was completely covered on this big man's shadow. He blows the smoke in her face making her whimper and cough slightly.

"I say, you quit working here, or it will be hell for you. Got it?" He said to her voice in his monotonic voice and then started walking past her.

"No sir, there's nothing to worry about I can handle so much work, I worked into worst places before." Thea smiled and deeply appreciated Demetri's concern.

He stopped and turned to Thea having the same look as before. " Its not the work, but people. Are you sure you can handle? Then let's see."

Her smile fades as her suspicion is starting grow, *Perhaps I may have misunderstood those words.... I am certainly not sure.*

"By the way I found your bracelet in the storage room. It looks like a trash I would do the honor to throw it." Demetri added and took the bracelet out of his pocket and threw in the trash.

"You're welcome." he said and made his way back to the café

Thea was left again in the alley, staring at the bracelet he threw. * I came here to relax but I feel more tired now.*