Professor F novel Chapter 13

August spent her Sunday at home, binge-watching horror and zombie series on Nettflix! She just ordered pizza online and had it delivered to her doorstep. Her parents didn’t bother her because it’s a day before school starts. They wanted her to spend it the way she wanted to. August feel relieved somehow since she didn’t have to lie about what’s going on with her life to her parents.

She was biting from her pizza when her phone started ringing. She wondered who it was. It only appeared as a phone number.

She reached for it when it rang for the third time. “Hello, August speaking!"

"Hey! Are you at the apartment?" It is Flynn!

And then she remembered she deleted his phone number, his messages and call history last night when she was crying herself to sleep.

She shouldn’t have deleted his number and named it Professor F to know if he's the one calling. She can't just block him and give him the idea that she's avoiding him because of what happened last night.

"N—no." She answered in panic and then hang up.

He's calling her again. She ignored it until it stopped.

It's almost midnight before August remembered she's got work tomorrow. She's so hooked with the zombie series on Netflix she didn't feel sleepy at all.

Before she went to bed, she named Flynn's phone number to Professor F.

••••••

With her hair tied up in a messy bun and her eyes looking sleepy, August puts her apron on as she talks to Henry.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I promise it won't happen again." She apologized as the line gets longer and tables are starting to get filled with people.

“Would you like to adjust your shift today? Say, extend it to cover the lost minutes?" Henry asked, as if he didn't mind her being late.

She feels a little awkward, when she noticed the crew especially Pam and Gail giving Henry a surprised look.

"Really? That's okay?" She asked, clarifying if she heard him right.

"Yeah. I mean, it's just today. You promise you won't do it again, right?" He smiled as he reheats the ordered buns and donuts for dine in.

She nodded and smiled. She feels bad for the special treatment but she can't just refuse the offer coming from her manager. Pam smiled at her, feeling glad of what Henry did while Gail gave her a piercing look before attending to her next customer.

She was still smiling when she noticed a familiar figure walking outside of the coffee shop and it seemed like he's going to get himself a coffee. Her smile faded and she went to the far back, cleaning tables just to avoid him.

She prayed hard that Flynn would leave with his coffee but the devil sat in a table with used plates and cups.

Really?

It's as if he wants to get a chance to talk to her by having her clean up his table. She was trying to keep herself busy cleaning other tables except his. But the person who cleans the tables with her was called by Henry.

"Dave, can you help out with the take out orders?"

Dave nodded and immediately went to help out, leaving with cleaning tables. And unfortunately, the only table that's not cleaned up is Flynn's.

She didn't have a choice but to come to his table and clean up. She was only a few steps to Flynn's table when Henry stepped in front of her, his face serious. "Can you go help Pam at the counter? I'll take care of this."

With a sigh of relief, she smiled at Henry. As if he knows what she's going through. "You're a life saver." She whispered.

Henry looked like he’s in a bad mood but it seemed like it’s directed mainly to Flynn. "This guy's been doing this whenever he gets his coffee since you worked here. He wants you to clean up his table, intentionally. When he never actually stayed longer than ordering his cup of coffee before.”

What? Even Henry noticed?

He gestured her to go to the girls at the counter. She nodded and mouthed. "Thank you."

She saw Flynn glancing as she walked away. Henry being a manager smiled at Flynn, even greeting him and wishing him to enjoy his coffee after cleaning up the table.

After about thirty minutes, Flynn left the coffee shop and she felt relieved. Henry asked her to go back cleaning tables and soon after, her shift ended.