"Hey, guess who's here."

"I'd rather not. I'm really bad at guessing games."

"Oh, but I think you knooooow." My friend, Elsbeth, smirks. She knows I know. There's no one else she would draw my attention to. I mean, we see plenty a number of freaks and burnouts in this diner, but she'd never ask me to guess whether or not the obvious transvestite or the drunkard who only ever orders eggs over easy is here. I really wish it were, though.

I sigh, smoothing out my apron and begin to exercise my plastic, kind waitress smile.

"Let me guess, he's asked specifically for me again, hasn't he?" I roll my eyes, reaching in and pulling out my pad of paper and reach over to steal the only pen on Elsbeth's person out of the breast-pocket of her uniform.

"You know, I bet he fancies you, Chandra." She snickers. "Why do you act like that bothers you? How long has it been since you've been back on the market now? Three years? You should give the guy a chance."

"Why, because he comes in ever week or so and specifically asks for me just to order coffee?" I ask her sarcastically. "Oh yeah, if that's a reason to try and jump a stranger's bones, I don't know what is."

"You know, sometimes I think Gideon turned you into a lesbian the way you shrug off men the way you do." Elsbeth complains. I shudder slightly, closing my eyes and trying to wash away the memories she's dredged up just by mentioning his name. I'm honestly surprised I didn't swear off men after him- after the hell he put me through before dropping me like a hot mess and left without even trying to clear up any of the bad blood between the two of us.

"Wanna test and see?" I ask her, leaning in so that our faces are dangerously close. I can smell her perfume and the smell of the cherry cigars she always smokes on her breath. She cocks an eyebrow and leans away slightly, a frown tugging on her lips, obviously not up for trying anything. I click my tongue and roll my eyes. Even if I were into women, Elsbeth isn't my type. How she dolls herself up, her taste for anything bright and adorable, her inability to stand anything without some sort of fruity flavor, her weird, hero complex- honestly I'm surprised we're as close as we are as it is. Maybe it's because we're the only two girls working the night shift at this old, dirty downtown diner, and instinctually banded together. She needed someone tough who wouldn't try to take advantage of her and I needed someone who wasn't a creature with a penis.

"I'm kidding, idiot." I groan. "If anything, Gideon probably turned me into a strict asexual."

"Christ, just go and take his order already." She mutters, her cheeks a brighter shade of red than the blush lightly dusted on her cheeks. "And be nice to him for once. The way you treat him I'm surprised he keeps coming back!"

"Hitting the nail kind of on the head there, 'Bethy." I chuckle as I finally push my way through the kitchen doors and slowly drift into the floor of the diner. It doesn't take long to find him, since he's the only person in the diner at three in the morning who isn't using their table as a pillow. He's been here plenty of times, but he still looks at the menu like it's fascinating and doesn't know what to order. I do, though. I've already written coffee on my pad of paper. I could honestly just have brought out a cup with me.

I don't know his name, since I've never bothered to ask and he doesn't have it pinned to his chest like I do. I just served him the first time he stopped in, and he's been asking for me ever since. His choice of clothing is on the very border or normal and strange. If you looked at him really fast, or caught a quick glimpse of him in a crowd you really wouldn't really see anything peculiar, but he dresses like an alien who's desperately trying to dress like a human. There's always some sort of piece of his outfit or an accessory that makes him look really out of place. He's also a really big fan of blue- and tonight, like every other night, he's wearing almost nothing but.

I'm a red girl myself. Blue's too calm, too quiet. It's the color people wear when try try to seem trustworthy and kind and all it succeeds in doing is make me suspicious.

"Ah, Chandra!" He pipes up as he looks up from his menu, smiling at me like we're good friends who haven't seen one another in a while. Only half of that is true: it's been a while since he's stopped by.

"Mm." I mumble, nodding at him and giving him a half-smile as I prepare to act like I'm writing his order. "What'll it be this time?"

"Just a coffee today." He says after a second thinking, like he really needed to.

"The usual then." I sigh.

"Heh, I guess it is the usual, huh?" He chuckles, sounding almost defeated. I don't even bother asking if he wants sugar or cream. I know he likes his coffee with just a little bit of milk.

The fact he makes up one of the only two men in my life who's taste in coffee I know really pisses me off. Maybe he realizes this and my nice, polite waitress act has begun to slip because he cocks his head like a curious parrot and raises an eyebrow.

"Is something the matter?"

"What? No, nothing, I was... just thinking if I left the stove on at home." I lie. I desperately want to tell him the truth- that whatever he's up to I'm not going to fall for it. Whatever he's after, coming in near the end of my shift like clockwork and asking for me specifically, he isn't going to get it. He's kind and he's handsome and he doesn't freak me out like everyone else who comes to the diner at three in the damn morning but so was Gideon. I don't trust nice looking, nice, trustworthy guys any more.

"Well, here's to hoping it's not."

"R-right..." I nod before turning back toward the kitchen. I take large, fast steps so that it only takes he two seconds and only four steps to retreat behind the doors.

"Soooo?" Elsbeth is waiting for me- she probably didn't even leave the place I'd left her. I mean, where else was she going to go? She leans in, ear facing me like she expects me to whisper a secret in her ear. I grunt in disapproval and press my palm against her head and push her away.

"So what? He want's coffee, so I'm getting him coffee so he can drink it and leave." I tell her, heading over to the pots of coffee patiently waiting on heaters. We advertize that every cup we make is fresh but that's a damn lie. We made these pots when I came into work seven hours ago.

"At least ask for his name, Chandra! Or his phone number or what he does for a living or the weather or something ! I mean, you don't have any trouble small talking with other customers!" Elsbeth complains, stamping her foot against the filthy kitchen tile.

"That's because all the other customers are here because they're drunk and have nowhere to go, or are getting out of work at the strip club down the street. They don't have some ulterior motive like this guy clearly does. I know his type- he finds a cute, innocent waitress at a diner and asks for her by name to make her feel wanted and special and pretty." I snap, reaching for a coffee cup on the shelf above me only to have it slip from my hands and fall to the floor, shattering. "Fuck!"

"And what if he does? So what if he wants to try and lure you in? I know a thousand other girls who'd fight for that kind of attention." Elsbeth speaks in a scolding tone as she drops to the ground with me to try and pick up the pieces.

"Really? You know that many girls?" I ask snarkily.

"Shut up, Chandra!" She groans. "What I'm trying to get at is that not all guys are Gideon. You need to realize that or else you're going to live and die alone."

"What if I like being alone, huh?" I ask angrily, placing the broken mug pieces on the counter and grabbing another cup. "Maybe I like the silence and the security of knowing that I'll never get the chance to be hurt again. I gave Gideon everything, Elsbeth. I have nothing left to give."

"But-"

"Oh my god- but nothing!" I shout, pouring coffee into the off-white mug and furiously jamming the pot back into place on the heater. "This conversation is over!" I storm out of the kitchen, totally forgetting the milk. I hardly put any in anyway, I doubt he'll tell the difference. I'm also pretty sure I poured in decaff but- fuck, I don't even care any more. The sooner I serve him, the sooner I'll no longer be obligated to see him.

As soon as I throw open the kitchen doors, I'm greeted not by the sight of the almost-empty diner, but a body blocking my way. Surprise is quickly followed by horror and disgust when I realize who it is.

"G-Gideon!?"

I can smell the alcohol on his breath and I can see that hazy, lustful look in his eyes. I've seen it before- so many, many times. So many times where I lied down and took it, so many times when I wished I had the will to leave him when we were still together. So many times when I forgave him.

"I figured you'd be working tonight." He murmurs in a voice I can't tell if he is either happy or angry to see me. "I needed to see you."

"Are you sure it's me you need to see? Or was it one of those other girls you were porking the last time we spoke?" I growl defensively. "I'm not in the mood, Gideon, so get out before I get you thrown out."

"Look, I know I messed up, Chandra, but I can change, I swear! I'm a different man now!" He slurrs.

"You're drunk, and that's not any different at all." I mutter, trying to step around him, but he blocks my path. I try the other way, but he does the same. He's so hulking gigantic it's near impossible to maneuver around him. "Can you please just move! We can do this whole song and dance another time- like when you're sober!"

"I came here to speak to you, the least you could do is listen!" He shouted.

"I have a job to do, and it doesn't involve listening you try and woo me back when you're clearly too drunk to think rationally." I growl. "The last time we spoke, if you don't remember, you said you didn't want to see me again. Do you remember that!?"

"God, could you just shut up for a second and listen!" Before I can stop him, he grasps my arm and I accidentally drop the cup of coffee. The scream of glass seems to alert no one that I can see, at least. Everyone else is too tired or scared or drunk to intervene. The dark liquid pools around us as I nearly slip in it as I try to pull my arm out of Gideon's tight grip.

"Gideon! You're hurting me, stop!" I yell, flinching as he grasps me tighter. I can hear Elsbeth in the kitchen, trying to find someone who has the balls to stand up to the wall of muscle that is Gideon. "I said let. GO!"

I honestly suspect a fight- a bruise on my arm and a scuffle to break out. I honestly suspect the mug to not be the only thing that would get broken. But, much to my surprise, Gideon actually does what I ask and slowly lets me go. It's a miracle, and I can't help but stare up at him in open-mouthed surprise as I draw my arm close to my chest and rub where he'd clutched me. There's something about his eyes- they seem more glazed over than before. In fact, his entire expression has changed to a blank, indifferent look as he slowly backs away from me. Surprise turns into confusion as I watch him, trying to figure out what caused such a miracle.

Standing behind Gideon is him- the guy who's name I don't even know, who I've been nothing but cold and distant to. His hands aren't anywhere on Gideon, nor does it look like he has a weapon on his person. It doesn't look like he struck him and he obviously hasn't said a word. He's just watching him closely and following him with his eyes as he leaves the diner without a word. His lips are barely moving, but I can't here anything this mystery guy is saying.

What in the actual fuck is going on exactly?

"Chandra!" Elsbeth cries as she runs in from behind me, our manager in tow. "Are you-!" She looks around, donning a look of complete and utter confusion to match my own. "Where... Gideon was just here! Where did he go!?"

"He realized how much of an ass he was making of himself and showed himself out." My nameless hero explains with a smile. "Thankfully the only damage he did was to your glassware."

"Thank god." My manager sighs. "I really should have told you he came around looking for you yesterday on your day off. I honestly didn't expect him to come back."

"I told you he would! I thought you told her!" Elsbeth gasps before turning her attention to me.

"Chandra, are you okay? You sure he didn't hurt you?" Her hands are immediately all over my body, looking for injuries.

"He just... grabbed me really hard, that's all..." I mutter, looking down at my arm. There's a faint bruise from where he grabbed me, but that's not what concerns me. I look to my customer-turned-savior suspiciously, and he meets my gaze with forced innocence. He knows I'm trying to figure him out, and doesn't want to make a scene about it.

"Well, your shift is nearly over. If you want, you can go home early if you're a bit too shaken up." My manager suggests, obviously feeling guilty he didn't mention Gideon had stopped by before. And who am I to deny the chance to escape work a little early? I sigh, trying to make it look like I'm conflicted over getting to go home.

"I think it's best I throw in the towel tonight, boss." I speak wearily. "Sorry to leave you guys short handed..."

"It's fine, I think we'll be able to keep up." Elsbeth laughs, patting me on the back.

"Sir, I really don't want to impose, but could you walk Chandra home?"

Wait a second... My manager is addressing the man who just saved me. I want to desperately say that I can see myself home. Please, don't make decisions for me right in front of me, sir!

"No problem at all. I mean, just in case that other guy comes back looking for her." He waves his hand dismissively. He speaks before I even have a chance to butt in. All I've managed to do is open my mouth in failed attempts to protest this whole time.

"Please look out for her! Chandra here likes to act tough, but she's actually a big softy. She'll appreciate being walked home." Elsbeth adds, sounding like the only one who realizes I'm trying to turn down the help. She's conspiring against me, and she'll definitely pay for it later. For now I just need to...

I look outside, worry suddenly overcoming me. Feeling the dull ache in my arm, maybe it's best to play it safe and go home with the man who, to my knowledge, made Gideon magically go away. I swallow my pride, my anger and my suspicion, hunch my shoulders, hang my head and sigh in defeat.

"Meet me around back, I need to change out of my uniform." I tell him coldly, turning away just as a smile begins to form on his face as I walk into the kitchen and towards the backroom. My manager stays behind, but Elsbeth follows after me like a giddy puppy, grinning from ear to ear.

"Walking you home- how romantic." She smiles as I whack her in the shoulder. "Maybe you should invite him over and thank him with your body."

"What crazy porno character do you take me for, Elsbeth?" I groan. "I'm just letting him walk me home just in case Gideon slinks back out of whatever gutter he slithered back into. Nothing else."

"Sure, sure, whatever." Elsbeth laughs as we arrive at my locker. "And I'll be here to say I told you so when you two start macking on each other."

"I swear, you have the craziest imagination..."

I put up with her weird poking and prodding until I'm out the back door, where she loudly tells me and my companion who is patiently waiting there for me goodbye, and to not do anything she wouldn't do... whatever that is. Elsbeth doesn't do a lot of things (like mind her own business).

"Your friend's pretty energetic." He quips, nervously laughing. I shrug in response, sticking one hand in the pocket of my sweatshirt and pointing in the general direction of my apartment building with the other.

"I live over that way, not too far from here. If we walk fast it should only take us, like, five minutes." I explain, already beginning my journey toward home. He follows after me, quickly meeting my pace so the two of us are walking side by side. I welcome the silence that falls between us, though it doesn't last long as our shoulders accidentally brush together.

"Oh, sorry!" He exclaims.

"Well, maybe if you didn't walk so close to me..." I mumble. He raises his hands in surrender, taking a short step to the side- hardly enough for me to be satisfied.

"What's your deal, exactly?" I ask him.

"My deal?"

"Oh my god, don't act like you're innocent. You come into that diner every couple of weeks and ask for me specifically just so you can get a damn coffee." I grumble. "You don't even know me."

"Sorry I..." He pauses, looking up at the sky. "Just thought you were interesting, that's all."

"Interesting?" I raise my eyebrow and eye him disbelievingly.

"It's... kind of hard to explain."

"Yeah, and speaking of things that are hard to explain, how in the hell did you make Gideon leave the diner?" I question.

"Oh, was that his name?"

"Yeah, he's my crazy ex-boyfriend- but seriously that isn't the point! Some way, somehow, you made him get up and leave!"

"I... have no idea what you're talking about."

"Bullshit, you were standing right there watching him! I don't know how you did it, but there's no way you weren't involved!"

"I think you're misreading the situation."

"And I think you're lying out your ass!" I yell, standing in his path and keeping him from moving forward. "Look, I'm not as close-minded as you think I am. I'm not going to flip out if you're some crazy mind-control wizard."

"Well..." He begins, and I stand before him expectantly, leaning in despite myself. "I'll tell you if you go on one date with me."

"E-eh?" I falter, me eager expression and stance totally dissolving.

"Just one date- and I promise I won't do anything weird." He assures me. "One date, and I'll tell you everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything." He nods.

"...Fine, one date! But I swear to god, if you try anything creepy or weird, I'm going to make you regret ever stepping foot in that diner." I warn him.

"Is that a threat, miss Chandra?" He chuckles, not the slightest bit intimidated.

"Yeah, sure, if it keeps you from trying anything." I groan, turning around before quickly looking back over my shoulder to face him. "...What's your name, anyway? You know my name, but I have no idea who you are."

"Oh, man, I figured I'd introduced myself at one point!" He laughs and I narrow my eyes in response. "My name's Jace. Jace Beleren."