Free Web NovelChapter 18: The Mask Slips
Ella’s POV:
Today at the diner was just as chaotic as usual. The place was packed, with my boss yelling my name every few minutes, reminding me I couldn’t slack for even a second. I was racing between tables, balancing plates of food and refilling drinks, trying to keep up with the nonstop orders.
In the middle of it all, Dylan appeared—again—with his typical smirk, holding out a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates. "For you, sweetheart," he said, grinning like he expected me to swoon right then and there.
I barely glanced at the flowers. "I’m allergic," I said bluntly, turning back to the table I was clearing. I wasn’t actually allergic, but I was allergic to the drama that followed these kinds of gestures. Especially in a place like this, where everyone had eyes on everything.
The moment I refused Dylan’s gift, I felt the weight of every girl’s glare in the diner. It was like a wave of jealousy crashed over me, turning my already hectic shift into a nightmare. Suddenly, drinks were "accidentally" spilled on tables I had just cleaned, utensils were knocked to the floor, and plates were tipped over just enough to make sure food smeared the tablecloths. All of it done with forced smiles and sugar-sweet apologies.
Yeah, right. Like that wasn’t on purpose.
I internally cursed Dylan. His persistence, his stupid flowers, his chocolates—he made my job so much harder without even realizing it. And it wasn’t just the girls. Max had joined in the fun, pestering me to go out with him, despite my constant and firm "No." He didn’t get the hint, or worse, he didn’t care.
Eventually, to get him off my back, I lied. "I’m already seeing someone, Max," I told him, not caring if it came across as rude. His ego could take the hit. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
But as if on cue—because the universe had a sense of humor—Jason walked into the diner. I blinked in surprise but quickly tugged my cap lower, hoping to shield my face. No way was I letting him connect the dots between me, the hoodie girl from school, and me, the waitress at this diner. That would be a disaster.
He walked in, his usual brooding expression firmly in place, looking like he owned the world—or at least this diner. Dylan, of course, seemed to notice my sudden tension and decided to play the good guy, guiding Jason to a seat like the best friends they were. The flowers and chocolates hadn’t worked on me, so Dylan probably thought cozying up to Jason was a good way to deal with the rejection.
Too bad for him, the only reaction I had was irritation.
My shift was already a mess, and now I had Jason Knight, of all people, to deal with. Between him, Dylan, and Max, it felt like I was juggling way more than orders today. freeweɓnøvel.com
Max was dumbfounded when I told him I was seeing someone. It finally shut him up, and he stomped off to join his friends, sulking like a child. From where I stood behind the counter, I could see them at their usual spot, but something was off today. Normally, Jason was the grumpy one in the group, but not today. He actually looked... happy.
Weird.
He was even buying drinks for his friends, which was suspicious on its own. Jason Knight wasn’t the kind of guy who did anything without a reason. So naturally, my radar was up. As I approached their table with their drinks, I overheard him talking to the group. His voice was low, but clear enough for me to catch a few words.
"I’ve found a way to really mess with the hoodie girl," Jason was saying, a smug grin plastered on his face. My heart skipped a beat.
Wait—what?
Before I could linger long enough to hear the rest of his little plan, my boss’s voice boomed from the kitchen. "Elly! You’re needed in here!"
I flinched, cringing as my name echoed through the diner. Max, being the annoying pest that he was, turned in his seat, his eyes lighting up with a grin. "Ohhh, so your name is Elly," he sneered, clearly delighted with this new piece of information.
I rolled my eyes, pretending not to care. "Wow, Max, you cracked the code," I muttered sarcastically as I set down their drinks. I was about to walk away when the back of my neck tingled, knowing full well that Jason was probably piecing things together.
"Elly, huh?" I heard Jason say, almost too casually, as I left their table.
Great. Just great.
I headed to the kitchen, cursing my boss for yelling out my name like that. Elly, Ella—it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. I just hoped those three idiots wouldn’t figure it out anytime soon, especially not Jason.
What did he mean when he said he’d found a way to oppress me? I thought our study session had gone smoothly. He hadn’t acted weird or overly arrogant. In fact, I’d almost—almost—started to think he wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. But apparently, the whole time we were working together, he was studying me, not the project.
Ugh. What a jerk.
Still, I wasn’t worried. I didn’t have anything to hide, and whatever Jason thought he could use against me, he was going to be disappointed. Let him play his little games. It didn’t matter—there was nothing in my life that could be used as ammunition against me. I was just trying to get through school, do my job, and keep my head down. Jason Knight wasn’t going to change that.
But now I was curious—and a little pissed off. What exactly did Jason think he had on me? Because whatever it was, I was ready for it.
**Ella’s POV:**
The shift ended with me tired as hell. My feet were killing me, and my back ached from bending and dodging clumsy spills. It was all the two idiots’ fault—Dylan and Max. If they hadn’t made my night harder with their antics, I’d be home by now, relaxing. That chocolate Dylan brought would’ve been appreciated after all. Too bad I had to lie about being allergic to it.
After closing up, I headed back to my warm, though shabby, apartment. The quiet of the night was a relief after the constant noise of the diner. As I passed through the alley—the same one where I’d knocked Jason flat the other night—I couldn’t help but giggle at the memory. His face had been priceless.
I was still smiling when I heard a voice cut through the night.
"Is it Elly or Ella?"
The words sent a chill down my spine. That voice was way too familiar. It came from a few feet in front of me, cloaked in the shadows.
I squinted, trying to make out who it was, but I already knew before he stepped into the dim light. Jason Knight, leaning casually against the wall, like he’d been waiting for me.
My heart sank. So much for keeping a low profile.
