**ROSEANA**
"Hey, ladies! How's the night?" Ric greeted enthusiastically. I saw in my peripheral vision that he entered our locker room. He put his arms on Macy's shoulder.
"Can you get your skeleton arm off my shoulder?" Macy snorted in disgust at the man.
I want to close my eyes tightly. The night is too young, yet they are here, fighting like cats and dogs, as if they were born as each other's nemeses. Not a day goes by that I don't see them bickering. That's probably their way of conveying their feelings for each other, which until now they were too afraid to say.
"Come on, baby," Ricardo grunted. It was obvious that he didn't like what Macy said. He's just easy to tease. "Look at my biceps. Look at those muscles," he said, then rustled the sleeve of his t-shirt and flexed his arms.
"Where?" Macy asked. I knew that she was just fooling Ric and then teasing him while the man was fooling around.
"I don't see anything, Ricardo."
Ric's brows furrowed together. He surely hates being called by his full name.
"Look closer, babe. Your eyes are just blurry," he said, totally letting Macy's calling him Ricardo slip off. His attention is more focused on showing off his muscles.
"Oh, I see it now," Macy happily exclaimed. I want to roll my eyes because of her fake laugh. Tsk, these two. Why can't they just let me sit here in peace? Their being this sweet makes the bitterness in me intensify.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I see the bone covered with skin!” Macy said, still smiling. Ricardo was silent. I am betting my life that his face is crumpled right now while Macy is smirking.
"You!"
I closed my eyes. I tried to ignore their noise. I want to take a nap for a while.
I cringed when I felt someone standing next to me. The surroundings are also quiet. I was just wondering what happened to the two of them when Ric suddenly spoke next to me.
"Are you sick, Seana?" he asked me. Yeah, I almost forgot. Ric finds out that my real name is not Rose. How and from whom he found out was from the very person who invented that name, Macy's. Macy accidentally called me by my real name, and he overheard her. He didn't stop pestering us until we told him the truth. He also knows that there are people after me.
At first, I thought he would be angry that Macy and I lied. I thought he would fire me after he found out the truth, but he didn't. He understood our worries. He was even mad that we didn't tell him. If he knew, he could have helped us, although I don't know how he can help Macy and us.
"I'm fine, Ric," I murmur, my eyes still closed.
I felt his palm touch my forehead, checking if my temperature was normal. Maybe they thought I was sick.
Since he found out about what I went through, he has become more caring towards Macy and me, especially me. I feel like I suddenly have a brother in him. They were just genuinely kind to me, and I am so thankful for that.
I heard Macy's footsteps approaching. She stopped in front of me. When I opened my eyes, I saw her looking at me, with her arms folded in her chest and her brow raised at me.
"She has been acting weird these days, and she doesn't want to spill a thing."
I grimaced when Macy reported me to Ric. Ric alone is already stubborn; how much more so with Macy?
"What's happening?"
"Yeah. Tell us what is bothering you.”
I winced. They are cornering me with question after question. They don't give me a chance to think of what I might say to lie!
"Guys, relax! Don't be nosy," I muttered. I looked at both of them. "I'm fine."
"Well, you don't look fine to me," Macy stubbornly said.
"Yeah." And Ric even agreed.
What do I even do with these two? I can't tell them that I'm acting like this because my conscience is eating me up. I can't say that the reason I haven't been myself lately is because of Damon.
Macy didn't know what happened. I don't know if the news of a man's visit to me a week ago didn't reach her or if she knew and was just waiting for me to tell her. She is like that. Even though I know she wants to ask, she will stop herself. She will just wait until I am ready to tell her. Right now, I don't think I can tell her. Telling her would mean I should disclose Damon's identity as well as the relationship I have with him. It will just complicate an already complicated situation.
“No, seriously, I am fine. Thank you for caring for me," I sincerely said. “But I am not yet ready to tell you about it," I added.
There was a long silence before they spoke. I thought they would get angry and force me to tell them, but they didn't. They just assured me that they understood.
After that, we went out.
"Guys, have you seen my phone?" I asked them both. I don't have my phone in my pocket.
They both look at me.
"No," Macy answered.
I winced. I am keeping my cell phone with me these days. I know it's impossible and delusional, but I am still hoping that Damon will call me.
"Have you checked on the locker room?" Ric asked.
Maybe I misplaced it earlier.
"Ric, help her find her phone. I'll go out first. There are many customers now," Macy said.
That's what we did. Ric and I went inside the locker room and then looked for my phone. We spent almost five minutes looking for my cell phone, only to find it covered by the snack Macy and I ate.
"Tsk, you two are so hard-headed. I told you not to leave food inside the locker room.” I winced when Ric scolded me. He told Macy and me not to leave food inside the locker room because rats might visit, but we always forget.
I lost my phone, and I was even scolded by my boss. What a night!
"You sounded like a real boss earlier," I teased Ric.
He glared at me. Instead of being afraid, I laughed at him. I'm about to spend a month here at Ric's Club. Within that period, I became comfortable with him. We are like friends here. He rarely acts as a boss. He is so easy to be with that I am not counted among them.
"Oh, yeah? I thought I was a father looking after his two naughty daughters.” He answered sarcastically. My smile widened because of what he said.
My smile remained until the mischievous light inside the club dawned on me. I've also gotten used to the atmosphere of the club. I'm less nervous about drunken customers. The security inside Ric's club is tight, so I'm not afraid anymore.
I have started my work. I tended drinks for the customers here and there. I could feel my feet tingling because of the two-inch heels I was wearing, but I just ignored it.
"Hey, beauty! How is your night?” a regular customer greeted me. He was just my age. His height is average and his skin is brown. His eyes are droopy, a sign that he is drunk.
"Good evening, sir Nullan. The night is young yet you are already drunk.” I smiled at him. The woman next to him and I both laughed when the man pouted.
I was shaking my head when I left their table. I already know almost all of Ric's customers. They are kind and not rude.
"Rose, can you serve this beer at the end table?" My attention turned to Alice, also a waitress here at the club. I followed the table she was talking about.
I couldn't see who was sitting there. It was dark in that part.
I looked back at Alice. "Why? I asked. "Is he harassing you?"
She shook her head. "Not really. The man doesn't even spare me his gaze," she answered.
"Then why don't you want to bring his order?" I ask.
Her face crumpled.
"He is scary. He is very mysterious. He always seems to be angry, even though I don't do anything wrong." I can sense irritation in her voice.
"When I asked him his order, he blabbed words I don't understand. He even told me to bring him the most expensive drink we have. He must have used the wrong map to get here. This is not an expensive bar. He must have been lost.”
I laughed at Alice's long explanation. "Okay. Relax.”
"I will be the one to bring this to him. I will also ask him to check because maybe he is lost and went to the wrong bar."
I am slightly laughing as I walk to that table.
"Here is your order, sir." I put a bucket of beer on his table. I didn't bother myself to look at his face, even though I could feel his eyes on me.
I was about to walk away when he suddenly spoke. "This is the reason why you won't come with me, huh?" I was stuck in my position. I couldn't move.