A week later.
Things got a bit crazy after the night she saw herself on TV three weeks ago, she was swamped with reporters the next morning that she couldn’t get to work when she wanted to.
She was forced to call Cainan and tell him what was happening and he told her to remain calm and not long after, he was at her house with a few policemen with him. The police made the reporters leave and he threatened to sue any site that he saw with even a picture of him and Jasmin on. Jasmin got to learn that Cainan who had been happy-go, friendly and easy-going, also had a bad temper when pushed and though she didn’t know if that was a good thing or bad she knew better not to cross it.
He came in and asked her if she was okay and when she nodded, he pulled her into a tight hug and sighed in relief. He then told her that he was going to get her a new place in a new neighbourhood before the end of that day.
She told him she didn’t feel right about leaving and he explained that with the exposure she had had as a result of the news about them, her place was not going to be the best option, he reminded her that he was supposed to have gotten her one if the arrangement hadn’t change that day.
His suggestion was from the best of intention and he was only worried about her safety but leaving her neighbourhood wasn’t what she wanted. She told him she would accept a change of house, but not of the neighbourhood as she wasn’t ready to leave just yet and he had no other choice but to agree with her.
Just as Cainan promised, she moved into a two-room apartment on the 23rd east avenue at the mainland and though, it was the same neighbourhood it was a much safer district. He asked if she was happy and she nodded and told him she was and he told her that was what was important.
They have gone out a few time in the last three week, but they kept things low key. He was still yet to formally take her out, he would ask her how her day went and she would tell him just like couples would. After Cainan took care of the reporters the first time, none bothered her anymore and she was free to go home and work freely without fear of being confronted.
“When is my order coming along?” asked Jude in an impatient tone. He was one of the restaurant’s customers.
In the past three weeks, his visits had become more frequent and though the reasons were both unknown and irrelevant to Jasmin, she was happy he was buying and spending at the restaurant.
“Very soon, just be patient, Jude,” she assured him with a charming smile, after dropping the cup of ice cream another customer ordered a minute ago on their table.
He scowled and mumbled something under his breath, “I no longer want to be patient, Jasmin I have been patiently waiting for you and now I hear you belong to some rich guy now.”
Her cheeks heat up, not in the cute kind of way, she felt insulted a little by Jude crude use of words like she was sone property. He had no right to use such a tone, no matter how long he had been waiting for his order.
However, she maintained her charming smile, as she spoke, “Some rich guy isn’t his name, Jude, his name is Cainan Inferno and also I belong to no one, I choose whom I want to be with. I hope you can understand that.”
As she turned to leave he slapped her on the butt which caused her to gasps and halted. She sucked in a quick breath and her teeth clenched. Jude had always been a cool customer with flirty jokes here and there, all of which she managed with, but he seemed to be overstepping his boundaries today and she wasn’t going to stand around and take it.
She turned to him and met his objectifying eyes on hers and she lowered her head slowly, “Touch me one more time and I swear I will knock your teeth out and I promise you that that will not be a pretty sight,” she warned through gritted teeth, her eyes not leaving his as she said those words.
She straightened up and the charming smile returned to her face before she made her way back into the kitchen and further into the cooking section, her fist clenched and she dragged in a few deep breaths, trying to control the anger in her. She noticed the gaze of Andrew, the cook’s who was in charge of making Jude’s spaghetti and bacon order on her and she turned to him.
“How much longer?” she asked, resting both elbows on the counter and staring at Andrew who was doing his job perfectly.
“Less than three minutes,” he said with confidence and that was such a great reassurance.
She patiently waited, it was days like these she needed Anita, her little sidekick beside her, but she wasn’t here yet.
Anita and George travelled to Jos two days ago to be present at Anita younger sister’s innovation day at the University and Jasmin had no one to talk to or bond with. Even though there were three other waiters in the restaurant and she didn’t feel like she could effectively communicate and make friends out of them. She needed something that would be temporary and finally decided to break the wall she had had around her and spoke to Andrew, one of the cook and she found out he wasn’t that bad. He was cool and they had been able to bond well since yesterday and the eight hours she spent at work didn’t feel like eight years anymore.
“Good, I cannot wait until that smuggled face bastard leaves the restaurant.”
“Oh wow,” he said surprised.
Her eyes narrowed at him, “What?” she demanded, her tone cold and unfriendly.
He looked up at her then quickly down at the pot before him, “I just haven’t seen you that upset before.”
“The son of a bitch slapped my butt!”
“Jude!” he hissed out like it was a cuss word.
“Yes, he’s the bastard that-” she answered, before asking “How did you know who I was talking about?”
“I’m not just a dorky cook and I’m not blind either, I see things, I’ve seen the way he looks at you, it’s obvious that he is obsessed with you. At first, I thought he may have liked you, but I don’t think so anymore, and he’s here every day just to push his obsession.”
“I don’t care if he obsessed or mentally ill, I will break his arm and knock his teeth out next time he touches me.”
“Just be careful around him.” he placed the plate already severed with spaghetti and bacon on the counter and she collected it before leaving the kitchen.
