Authors Note: Well hopefully you guys don't hate me for doing this, buuuuut it's time to see the darker side to Charlie's life. Thank you for reading!
-Saturn
Great, now they definitely weren't going to come back. He never even figured out what the red-head's name was.
Something about that thought made his heart sink. He would never get to see that handsome stranger again. It wasn't like anything would have happened anyway. But it would have been nice to still see him.
Evon finally came out of hiding as the manager just finished up talking to the table. It was very poor planning on his part. Even though he was the owner's nephew, the dinner manager did not play nice with him. He was a frank man to say the least.
"Both of you, come with me," he told them. Evon looked confused, but still followed him into the office. When he shut the door, that's when the real party began.
"I'm going to keep this brief, because we are way too busy for me to waste time ranting at you both," he started. "Evon, you angered some of the richest people in the state, did you know that?"
The richest? They didn't act like a lot of the upper class that Charlie had served before. They had an authority about them, but they were also very much down to earth people.
"How was I supposed to know that?!" Evon responded. He had his arms crossed like a defiant fifteen-year-old. And he was thirty-one.
"You weren't," the manager said. "You were supposed to do your job quickly and efficiently. Instead, Charlie had to take over and deliver food for you - twice!"
"He shouldn't have! I was trying to do my job, but he kept on stealing my table!" he shrieked.
Charlie really didn't want on his bad side, as Evon was the kind of coworker who could make the job a living Hell. But there was no going back now.
"Don't start with me, Evon. I even had the chef tell me what happened. You left the food on the heat lamp for twenty minutes!" his face was red at this point. "If Charlie didn't go over there and try to cover for your ass, we could have lost some important customers!"
There was silence for a few seconds before the manager continued.
"Charlie," he looked to him. "I need you to take over that table for the rest of the night. You're the only one they trust waiting on them now." Then he turned to Evon, "As for you: the free dessert is coming out of your check, along with whatever else they ask for."
Evon looked ready to punch a wall. He was going to say something, but the manager just shooed them out of the office.
Charlie did his best to avoid Evon the rest of the night. The family seemed happy to see him, though. They wound up ordering another round of pie before asking for the check. They had all been there for about two hours at that point, and the customers were slowly leaking out.
Maybe he would actually be able to get out on time. The restaurant was closing soon and all the waiters and waitresses were finishing up on their last tables.
Which meant he got to feel those intense stares more and more. He was in less of a rush, and that table had been taking their time enjoying their meal. When he said goodbye to them, they promised to ask for him next time they came. The way that the red-headed man had said it sent an electric bolt up and down his spine. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy the attention just a little bit.
He looked in the check folder where they paid for their food, and he ran up to catch them.
"Sir," he opened the door for them again as they walked out. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."
"What do you mean?" the father asked. When he showed him the two, hundred-dollar bills, that he left as a tip, he just shook his head. "That's no mistake, boy. You were working harder than anyone of the other waiters that I saw around. I'd say you deserved that tip."
"A-are you sure, Sir?" he didn't quite know what else to say. It was almost a 100% tip. No one in their right mind would do something like that.
"That tip wasn't just from him," he almost jumped when the other man decided to speak. When was he this close to him? "I gave a part of the tip as well."
That breeze of a voice had given him goosebumps. How could he let a man get such control of him so quickly?
"I don't know what else to say," he said. "Other than thank you, of course."
"You're welcome, Sweetheart," the woman gave him a warm smile. "We had a great time here, and most of it has to do with you."
Charlie was left standing in the doorway with nothing but fuzzy feelings. No one ever complimented people in the food industry like that anymore. And he had never been as proud of himself for trying to keep them happy while they were there.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard clapping coming from behind him.
"What a nice, happy ending to a crazy night, huh Charlie?" Evon's voice came from inside the restaurant. "You got the table you wanted, and got a great tip. Isn't it great?" His tone oozed sarcasm and anger. Charlie looked around, but no one was there to witness this, or to try and get Evon off his back. Before he could even react, Charlie was pushed out of the doorway to the parking lot. And the door was being shut behind him.
"I was thinking about using some of it for paying off those desserts," he turned around to the angry man. "I didn't really think it was fair that you had to pay for them when I offered it."
He hated this feeling. He felt so weak and puny as he tried his hardest to talk his way out of this sticky situation. The parking lot was almost empty, save a few cars that were the kitchen workers'. They were always the last one's there because they had to clean up the kitchen every night.
But they were all in the kitchen, and Charlie was outside, stuck in the parking lot that didn't even show itself to the main road. There wasn't even a soul driving about on the street that could see Charlie. And he was sure that there was no way he could pull out his phone to call for help.
He just had a really bad feeling about this moment.
"You know, Charlie, I would take that as good enough and call it a day," Evon walked up closer to him. "If it weren't for the fact that you stole a $200 tip from me!"
"But it wasn't stealing," he said. He should have kept his mouth shut. He really should have. It would have been best to just go along with him and say he was sorry. Maybe even give him that tip that he was so happy about getting. Instead, right when he said that, Evon punched him in the gut. It hurt so hard that Charlie fell on the ground and puked immediately. His stomach had no fear of losing the little bit of food that it still had in it. Most of it was water. But the sting was what Charlie really hated feeling.
There was no chance in trying to defend himself. He was tiny and weak, and Evon was bulky and had obviously fought before. He tried to take the beating the best he could, but the pain was almost unbearable. He wouldn't stop kicking him while he was on the ground. All he could do was curl up into a ball to try and protect himself as best he could. A part of him wished he would have just given him that tip. But he really needed that money. And he worked so hard for it.
When he could barely move, Evon dragged him to the back of the restaurant, in between the two dumpsters they had. The back was away from any streets in general. All that was around the back was a small parking area for the dump trucks to come through and the forest that surrounded this whole town. It was a place that no one ever thought to check. Even the workers never bothered to look by the back that much. They would just throw whatever trash they had into the dumpsters and leave. Some would have smoke breaks here, but only Evon was allowed to even have that many smoke breaks.
On the bright side, it had a great view of the forest around them.
"Let's see anyone find you here tonight," Evon said. Every word that came out of his mouth was like venom. "You know, maybe, if you're lucky, the trash man will find you. You seem to be having a really lucky night. This is what you get for stealing people's things."
Charlie could feel him reaching in his pocket to get his tips. He wanted so badly to jerk away. He needed those. Without them, he wouldn't be able to afford rent, or food. But, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move. Was this how he died? He supposed it could be worse. At least he wouldn't be hungry again.
Before he could close his eyes, he heard a growl. Vague sounds were coming from here and there, but he couldn't really make any of it out.
Maybe if he just closed his eyes everything would be better again. He could just imagine being in a better place, like that little clearing in the forest, with that big goofy wolf that seemed to love being treated like a dog. Maybe, if he just closed his eyes, he could forever be there. His last moments didn't have to be miserable and full of pain. Charlie wanted them to be peaceful. All he ever wanted was to find peace.
If he just closed his eyes...