After around twenty more minutes, I am ready to lock up.
There are no more customers thankfully.
It is always a little awkward to tell people to leave because it is closing time. Especially when they are spoilt rich kids with no care or regard for others.
I still have to take out the last bag of trash.
I keep that in front of the entrance as I wrap up the other things and turn off all the lights. I will take the trash out at last and then close up.
Easy peasy.
Not gonna lie, ever since I saw that guy in the leather jacket, he has been roaming around in my mind.
I mean he has to be the most handsome guy I have ever seen, hands down.
But there was also something about him that didn't sit very well with me. Probably because I wasn't used to seeing guys like him.
It's not like I was surrounded by good-looking guys in my own neighborhood but there were many good-looking guys that came into the cafe, mostly part of Royals High - well you know what they say about money - but this guy.
He was something else.
He seemed to be popular given how the other group of students was whispering about him. The whispering took time to die out even after the guy left.
Given his look, I am not surprised that he is popular among the students.
Perks of being handsome I guess.
Not something I can relate to anyway so there is no point in delving into too much regarding this matter.
Even as I try to clear my head of the guy as I clean up the place, my mind reverts back to him.
Who was he?
Was he also a high school student?
He definitely didn't look like a freshman.
On the contrary, he looked maybe a little older than me?
He had that logo on his jacket. Was that really the Royals High logo?
If he was a part of the Royals High, he would definitely be a senior.
Maybe even older?
A college student maybe?
This was his first time here, surely.
I am sure I would have remembered his face if he came by before.
Maybe he was new here? Maybe not.
The Hive was a new cafe but I generated the hype because the owner was a parent of a student in Royals High as well.
I have never seen the owner though.
She did not come here often. Even if she did, she only talked to the manager.
I was lucky that our manager was good. Much better than the manager at the fried chicken place where I work as the delivery girl.
Just thinking that tomorrow I have a shift there makes me groan.
Day shifts are really hard because the summer sun is unforgiving and riding my bicycle everywhere for the delivery really makes me sweat a lot.
And it drains me to the core.
I need to take better care of myself. I also have to keep in mind that my school is starting soon and I will have to inform the Chicken place that I won't be able to do the day shifts anymore.
It would only mean I'd have to work long hours into the night.
My muscles ache from overwork but Woojin texted me that he will buy me two meals because of the favor I did so maybe it was worth it.
Maybe.
I plan on going to the expensive meat soup place around the corner for one meal because I deserve it.
Finally when I am sure that I have locked up all the cabinets and turned off all the lights.
I just keep the lights on the door and place my bag at the entrance. I pick up the garbage bag and walk out slowly, the bag heavier than I had anticipated it to be as I carry it to the back.
As I near the bins at the back, I hear loud voices and crashing sounds and a halt in my track.
What is going on?
As I step toward the garbage cans, the voices get louder and I hear another loud thud.
It sounds like someone is kicking the garbage cans. Or maybe someone is hitting someone's head on the can?
Are people fighting here? Did I walk into some gang fight or something?
I should probably stop watching all those action movies. San was right. It has a negative impact on my psyche. It is probably because of those movies I am creating such scenarios in my head.
They are messing up my head.
This is not a neighborhood where delinquents roamed around but you never know.
It was late after all.
"What do you want me to say? We have been going around this for half an hour. I really don't have the patience to deal with you right now" a male voice yells and I hear a loud thud, most probably him kicking the garbage can.
So probably not hitting someone's head on the can, I suppose.
"I want an explanation. That's what I have been asking for for the past twenty minutes. I want a proper explanation" I hear a female voice screech.
"I want an explanation. That's what I have been asking for for the past twenty minutes. I want a proper explanation" I hear a female voice screech.
"I gave you an explanation. You are the one who doesn't want to accept it" the boy shouts.
"That is not an explanation. That is an excuse. And you know it. I deserve better than that" the female voice raises and there is another thud on the garbage can.
"I agree. You deserve better. You deserve better than me. So, let's end this" the male voice says in a soothing voice.
"No. I don't accept that. You can't leave me like that. I need an explanation for your behavior, goddammit" I hear someone stomp their foot, their heel a faded sound but it still manages to echo in the dark alley.
I sigh.
This is not a gang fight, thank god.
This is just some couple fighting.
But it makes the situation less dangerous and more awkward.
I contemplate whether it would be okay to just leave the garbage bag here and clean up tomorrow morning.
I don't want to get into a lovers' quarrel.
Ugh.
Why is my life not simple?
Why did I ever agree to take Woojin's shift?
How long do I have to sit here in the dark before that couple goes their own way?
"What more explanation do you need than me telling you that I am not interested in you anymore?" the boy screams and I feel the sting of a slap echo through the alley.
Shit.
Teenage drama, I tell you.