Summer of Love

Going to school the next day, I wasn’t surprised when students from all grades stared at me and whispered when I passed. Last night, many students showed up from the school and were shocked to find me there, though most of them were polite and even complimented me on my work and cute outfit. A few even entered applications to work there as well.

I felt dead to the world as I moved through the crowds, ignoring them all and their damn whispers until I spotted Sara waving to me and I walked over, shuffling like a zombie and she lifted an eyebrow.

“What’s with the long face?” she asked, glancing around at the students who continued to stare and whisper amongst themselves and she growled, shaking her fist. “Mind your own business, you creeps!”

Startled and frightened, everyone looked away and returned to their normal morning routine chatting with each other happily and Sara rolled her eyes and looked to me with a worried frown. I sobered up quickly however when Cian showed up with his usual smirk, girls mooning over him as he made his way toward us down the hall, flashing a killer smile now and then, making them swoon. I glared at him, daring for him to say one word about my work. He stared right back at me with that smile, but kept his mouth closed and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously and leaned forward.

“What? No snide comment about my job?” I asked cautiously and he blinked in surprise, managing to look innocent.

“Why would I? I think it’s great that your working,” he said honestly with a shrug and strolled past to his locker, leaving me staring after him in horror.

“What the hell was that?” I cried, turning to my friends in shock and Sara shook her head in confusion while Jack tilted his head with a frown.

“I’ll agree that it sure was unusual and very unlike Cian,” he said with a worried glance down at Sara, who groaned and shook her head.

“He’s saving it for something big, I just know it,” she moaned and rubbed her face with frustration, while I stared at Cian down the hall at his locker and narrowed my eyes.

I knew something was definitely off, but there was still hope that maybe, just maybe he actually meant it. I wasn’t about to give my hopes up though because he was sneaky like a ninja, the bastard. I followed Sara to our first class and sat down beside Cian, trying my best to ignore him as Mr. Zimmer began. I couldn’t help not stealing glances at him though, because he was indeed acting very strange. I wonder if he’s sick or terminally ill...

The bell rang before I knew it and surprised, I rose to my feet and gathered my books and headed out of the classroom with Sara and Cian right behind us. I stretched out my arms and yawned tiredly.

“I thought senior year was going to be more exciting than this,” I said with annoyance and Sara shook her head.

“Why don’t you cheer yourself up and pick on some freshman?” she asked sarcastically with a raised eyebrow and I gave a snort.

“It’s not worth my time. Besides, I remember what it was like being a freshman and I’m glad everybody was too scared to pick on me,” I said honestly with a bland face as we moved steadily through the hall, and Cian scoffed.

“Who would be scared of someone who works in a Maid Cafe?”

There it is. Glaring, I looked over my shoulder while he just grinned like a little boy. Sara smacked herself in the forehead and sighed.

“I knew he was waiting,” she muttered as we entered our next class and sat down.

“I figured as much, but Cian, I swear to god, you say anything else and I just might have to kill you,” I said warningly, flashing him a nasty glare as I pulled out my books and set them upon my desktop while he laughed in the face of danger. Annoyed, I looked away and tried to focus through class...

But I fell asleep...again. A loud crash startled me to my feet and Sara stood there with an exasperation look, hands on hips and I laughed sheepishly.

On the way home, Hannah smiled over at me. “Are you working again tonight?”

Surprised, I looked at her and nodded. “Yesterday was supposed to be my night off, but I got called in because of all the students.”

She smiled and tilted her head. “I guess we’ll see you there. Fox and I liked it so much there that we decided date night is going to be there from now on.”

I blinked and couldn’t help but smile. It proved that I was doing a good job with my work. We always wanted people to come back, to have regulars and we were building up a good amount from our superb service.

Cian rolled his eyes and looked up at the sky. “Why would you pick that place for a date night? So Fox can watch beautiful women stroll around in maid outfits and call him Master?”

Sara growled and whacked him over the head before I had the chance and Hannah frowned at the suggestion. Fox, being a good boyfriend was quick to reassure her and say it didn’t matter where they went as long as they were together. I glanced at them and smiled at how cute they looked together despite the height difference. She was quite petite standing next to him, and it was adorable how she fit against him and his protective stance, his hand resting on her lower back.

Suddenly it clicked in and I blinked. He said beautiful women...was he talking about me too?

With a sly grin, I turned to him while he argued with Sara, but stopped when he saw me watching him and glared.

“What do you want?” he snapped with irritation and I slid up to him and batted my eyelashes.

“Beautiful women in maid outfits, huh?” I teased, my smile growing wider as I watched it dawn on him and his face grew red.

“Obviously not you!” he sputtered and took a step back with narrowed eyes, though the color in his cheeks gave him away and I laughed.

“Just admit it, you think I look good,” I taunted and playfully blew him a kiss and his eyes widened further before he ran away screaming bloody murder and I laughed.

“What an idiot,” I said with the roll of my eyes and turned back to my friends, suddenly in a better mood oddly enough. I froze however when I noticed them staring back at me in surprise.

“He totally said you were beautiful!” Sara breathed in shock and smiled up at Jack, her eyes sparkling and he grinned.

“Sounds like it,” he agreed and Hannah giggled, her cheeks flushed cutely.

“What are you going to do?” Fox asked without much interest and I blinked in confusion.

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked, puzzled and Sara batted me over the head with a glare.

“Moron! He likes you!” she cried and I cringed back in horror at the thought.

“No way! I hate him; he hates me, that’s all it is!” I said defensively, but she was well aware that the seed was planted. Damn it.

As we parted ways, I turned and headed down my street with a frown. Does he like me or was he referring to the others? I sighed heavily and rubbed my face, opening the gate and slipping into the house. Again, Derek was home earlier than usual and I frowned, stepping into the kitchen to find him cleaning.

“What’s with you all of a sudden? Why are you home and cleaning?” I asked in confusion and opened the fridge to grab the milk and drank from the carton until he snatched it away with a disgusted glare.

“I thought I told you to stop drinking out of the carton, it’s gross. As for why I’m home, I decided to take a year off University and I’m cleaning because you don’t,” he said matter-of-factly and narrowed his eyes in my direction and I blinked in surprise.

“Why would you take time off? Is something wrong?” I asked, suddenly concerned. He loved University so I knew he wouldn’t just let it go without a good reason.

He sighed and continued to sweep, silent for a few moments and I waited patiently. It was several minutes until he responded.

“I don’t know if those are the courses I want to take. I’m having difficulty deciding what I want to be,” he admitted quietly, his blue eyes troubled.

I let out a sigh of relief, glad it wasn’t anything too serious and draped an arm over his shoulders with a cheeky grin, poking his cheek.

“You’ll be fine! You’ll figure it out one day,” I assured and he looked at me in surprise before smiling warmly and reaching over to ruffle my hair in which my response was a glare and he laughed.

“Thanks, Misa. That cheered me up,” he said honestly with a mile wide smile and I returned it before heading to my room to gather my things for work.