Ingrid's POV
“Ingrid, table 1,” some of my co -workers ordered me. I followed them. I frowned when I saw Jayvee and Sarah here. I don't know if it's just a coincidence or if they really just want to annoy me. In any case, I couldn't help but shake my head.
I'm getting used to it as if my heart is getting numb as well. It's getting normal. It hurts sometimes but it's all fine now.
"Oh, you're really here," Sarah said, smiling at me. I don’t know if they were just bored with their lives or what. I just took their order. Sarah boss me around, I just also followed.
When I pass by their table, it's impossible that they will do nothing. I just let it go because I don't have time to even give them attention.
"Ingrid, wash the dishes since you're leaving too," one of my co-workers said. I just nodded. I am the youngest so I am often their servant. I also don't pay attention when they are trying to pick on me. I have so many problems in life to add more.
I've already been here for two weeks and somehow I like it because the salary is also quite large. I was also able to save somehow.
When I finished my duty, I went home for a while to give food to my siblings. I just rested for a while until I decided to change and go to the convenience store. I just walk there so I can save up.
"Good evening, Aling Gloria," I greeted Aling Gloria. I looked at a familiar face who was paying at the counter. This is the man who congratulated me on my graduation. I haven't seen him since then so it's quite amusing that he's here now.
"Oh, hi," he said with a smile and waved at me.
"Do you know him, Hija?" Aling Gloria asked me. I shook my head so the man dramatically touched his chest. I can't stop shaking my head because of him.
Aling Gloria said goodbye while the man put hot water on the noodles he bought before he sat down opposite the glass wall, looking at the road. I just watched him put on his earphones.
"Big sister, how much is this?" I turned to the woman who looked irritated while asking.
"Ah, only fifteen," I said. She paid for it looking irritated.
"Whore." I heard her murmur so I couldn’t help but frown. In the end, I didn't even care about it anymore.
'You're working, Ingrid. Focus.'
I just stayed busy while fixing some messy merchandise. When there's a customer, I go to the counter. I was very busy when a young man entered.
"Miss, do you have a Marlboro?" he asked me while there was a grin on his face. I feel him staring at my body. My forehead furrowed as I followed his gaze, it stopped in my chest. I move quickly so he can go fast. I don’t know if I’m just judgmental or what but it’s better to be careful.
"Miss, you're so pretty, huh?" he creepily said. I couldn't help but wince when he took the change from my hand and even caressed my hands. His eyes were also mixed with desire as if he were a starving man who wanted to taste a delicious dish.
"Come with me. There is no one here,” he smiled creepily and hold my hand.
"What?" I was annoyed when I said that I was already pressing my phone. Aling Gloria herself put it here so we can easily call if something happens.
"If I'm you, I'll let her go before I go home with a fracture," the man who gave me ice cream at graduation said. The perverted man turned to him.
“What? You are annoying, huh?” he said, threatening the man. He even kicked him so I was immediately nervous but after that, I didn't know what happened I just knew that the perverted man was already on the floor.
“You fool, I will put you in jail. You should know who are you hitting!” the perverted guy shouted.
“Why? Who are you?" the stranger man laughed at him.
“And that's self-defense. You should study first before you cause trouble,” he said, tapping the shoulder of the perverted guy. Irritated, he left the convenience store.
When I looked back at the stranger, I immediately saw the small wound on his side lip. I was grateful so I bought a band-aid before handing it to him. He looked at me in surprise.
"Thank you," I said so he immediately smiled.
"So you know how to say thank you, huh?" he smiled so I frowned at him. What does he think of me?
"Don't you think that your job is too dangerous?" he asked me. As if we were close just because he helped me. I ignored him and just fixed the things that were messed up. I feel like he's just watching me. Just pure curiosity. I just don’t want to trust someone again.
"How snobbish," he said to me with a little laugh. I just looked at him so I could see his smile reaching his eyes.
"Don't you know how to smile, Miss?" he asked me.
"Are we close?" I asked him.
"You can start being close today. I'm willing to be your friend," he said with a smile.
"I'm Indigo." He even held out his hand to me. I just looked at him and would suppose to just ignore him but he didn't take it away.
"Ingrid," I introduced myself.
"Nice name," he said with a wide smile.
He didn't talk to me after that because someone called him.
"What time will you go home?" he asked. I don't know if I'm the one talking because he's looking at me but his phone is in his ear. I just didn't answer because the question might not be for me.
"Hey, what time are you going home?" he said, putting the phone in his pocket.
"Why?" I asked.
“I'm going home. I'll wait for you. The man may come back,” he told me so I turned to him.
"Do you need anything from me?" I couldn't help but ask him so he frowned at me.
"Huh?" he asked looking at me with confusion.
“Do you like me?” I asked so his mouth fell open then he suddenly laughed. I couldn't help but be offended by his laughter so I just glared at him.
“Don’t get me wrong. I just don’t want to go home thinking if you got home safe or what. Sacred that when I come back here something bad already happens to you. What will happen? My conscience will carry you forever,” he explained so I shrugged.
“He won't come back. Also, there are a lot of people who I can ask for help out there,” I said because there are many 24/7 shops next to the convenience store. It's scary sometimes but It's fine because there are still a lot of people even at night.
He didn't ask and talk to me anymore after that but I see him just playing on his phone and he looks like he was really waiting for me to go home. That’s what happened. When I closed the convenience store, he also came out. He also went home after that. While I just walked down the alley near the convenience store.
I thought that was the last interaction between the two of us but I often see him just hanging out at the convenience store. He buys a lot of different foods. Sometimes noodles, donuts, and whatever else is sold here.
"You left this," I said when he left a piece of donut.
"It's yours," he said, smiling at me. I can see he even teeth. There is no denying that he is handsome. He also looks expensive. I don't know if it's because of his clothes or his scent.
I would have given the donut back because I don't want to increase the amount I owed him but he already left because someone will also pay. Of course, people are just nice in the first interaction. I just shrug with that.
But In the following days, it was still the same, I couldn't help but be curious about him. Scared that he was a bad person.
'Don't be fooled by his wide smile, Ingrid.'
"Hi," he said accompanied by a wave. I can't help but shake my head there. I would have just ignored him but he repeated it. He will not stop until you return his greeting.
"Evening," I just greeted so his smile widened even more.
“It looks like it's raining today. Did you bring an umbrella?” he asked a friendly question. I looked outside for a while and saw the lightning.
He even greeted some people who entered. During his few weeks of stay here, I always see him randomly talking to everyone. He's the type that even if he travels alone, his saliva won't dry out because he can talk even to people he doesn't know.
I don’t know where he gets that kind of energy as if he’s always happy.
"Am I handsome?" he asked me when he noticed me staring at him.
"You have high self-esteem, huh?" I asked back to him. He just laughed before buying his food.
I also went to the counter because there was already a customer. I was busy all night. I also can't help but calculate what I need to buy at home. If there is anything left, I may be able to study for at least one sem. Then I will continue working again in case I miss another second sem. I hope I'll be lucky this time.
I cleared my mind of all the problems I have before walking to the other side of the convenience store. I just stopped to see what Indigo was watching.
"Wow." I didn't realize that I already said it. I can't believe he's still watching 'Stars', the movie that was released in the '80s. That was the first movie that I watched which is why I would love to be a producer now. The acting skills of the actors are good. The set is cool as well as the effects. You won’t criticize anything because everything is beautiful.
I remember watching that when Mama was not paralyzed and our family was still happy. It was the reason why I became interested in filming. I just watch other movies so that's why I now dream of becoming a producer. My dream is to make a movie as good as that.
Indigo looked at me when he noticed me standing by his side.
"Do you know this film?" he asked me. I nodded one after another.
"Are you done with that?" I asked him. He smiled and nodded.
“The cool fighting scene, right? It's so great! ” I couldn’t help but said and get even more excited while telling him the story. He couldn't believe that I had watched that film.
“What about ‘The Desert’? Have you watched it?” he asked.
“You know that too? Yes! That's so nice! The sound effects are my favorite,” I said.
"And of course, the acting skill is a killer, the place was also superb!" he said.
"I know right!" I said. I'm still very proud of watching that. We look like the producer of the movie while talking proudly about it.
“Wow, how did you know about it? How long has it been, ah?” I asked him. Very interested.
"I watched this from my grandpa's cd and it's good," he said. We just keep on talking while there are no customers.
While telling the story, he just listened to me so I couldn't help but keep my mouth shut. I can't believe I'm starting to talk with someone without him even asking me but heck it's about the film. I just can't help it, especially seeing that he is also interested in my story.