Alluring Masquerade

          She was carrying a tray tea for four this morning, smiling pleasantly at the customers sitting around the table. They were probably just a few years older than her; two boys and two girls. Probably on a double date, she guessed silently, observing them.

          "Here you go," she said, and went round the table to set their teas in front of them. "Enjoy. And if there's anything else, please let me know."

          "Thank you," one of them replied contentedly.

          Hira smiled one last time, held the now empty silver tray in front of her and stacked it with the others on the side of the counter.

          Angelina was working behind the counter today in the actual kitchen, which looked too hot to work in even when it was pouring with rain today. Well, that was England for you; never could trust the weather even in the summer season. You could not stress that enough.

          And in addition, Hira hadn't remembered to bring her coat, since it was so sunny when she had set off in the morning. She made a face when she had felt a sharp cramp for the hundredth time.

          "Not feeling well on this lovely, rainy afternoon, girl?" Angelina asked, as she popped a chewing-gum into her mouth and handed Hira a freshly soaked, clean wiping cloth to Hira. "Maybe you should sit down for a bit." She said concernedly, and leaned her arms over the surface of the counter.

          "Thanks for the concern, but bills don't just disappear and debts don't effin' pay off themselves either!" she whispered, a little too harshly. She took the wet cloth and cleaned the used tray from the rack and left a clean, white doily over it, just like the rest.

          "Sorry, I asked," Angelina giggled, with her chin in her hand.

          Hira sighed heavily, and winced. "I'm sorry!" she apologised, turning to her friend. "It's all the ... stupid stress." She added the last two words in a quiet whisper to herself.

          "No problem-o, my darl," Angelina waved it away with her hand. "We all go through it."

          "Yeah, I've just gotta remember that. I shouldn't be annoying everyone else."

          "Ah – hello..." Angelina said suddenly, interested. She lifted herself away from her lazy posture and straightened up, giving Hira a knowing look.

          Hira raised her eyebrows, fixing her watch after checking the time. It was only five minutes after one yet.

          Angelina only raised her arched eyebrows higher at Hira, indicating that someone was behind her friend.

          "What-?" Hira asked, and turned around only to have her nose collide with someone's chest. She sucked in her breath sharply from behind her gritted teeth, almost like a kettle whistling.

          It was Kael's chest apparently. Well dressed with expensive designer fabric in fact.

          Angelina was too busy stopping her giggles from erupting.

          "ANGELINA!" one of the co-workers from the kitchen called. "DID YOU WARM UP THE APPLE CRUMPLE PIES? HURRY, HURRY, HURRY! TIME, TIME, TIME!"

          Angelina rolled her eyes to herself and did what she was told.

          Meanwhile, Hira was firing invisible needles from her eyes, but Kael's expression seemed absolutely unfathomable.

          He gave her a disgusted look for a moment there, as if she had tainted his expensive suit. "We have business to discuss," he stated. Before she could demand of his existence, he grabbed her wrist that was not attending to her throbbing nose, but she pulled back roughly. He gave her stone-cold glare and pulled her towards him and out of the cafe.