It was another soccer win that Friday night. The final score was 4-3. Declan scored two goals, Duncan scored one, and Cyrus scored the winning shot.

This meant we only had one more game to win before the final game. Valley view high, aka the rich kid school where Austin and his goons attended, also had one more game to win if they wanted to play us in the finals.

I was absolutely anticipating the exciting buzz in the school air Monday about the rivalry. It was all fun in the name of school spirit.

I worked all day Saturday. We were short on servers and Risa said she really needed me. She's never said it out loud of course, but I knew I was her favorite. She pays me extra on the nights she needs me to close. Considering her wife is about to give birth any day now, tonight might be one of those nights.

Technically I've had enough money for my camera a long time ago, but I truly just enjoyed my job. My regulars tipped me good and it felt nice to make money for myself.

I needed a ride to work from Cyrus today since my car was an absolute wreck again. Poor baby was getting too old, so I guess I did have a reason to keep this job after all. I might have to purchase a new car soon.

There was a small accident in the kitchen in the middle of the day. My entire work outfit was soiled with barbeque sauce and I wanted to burst into tears from exhaustion.

Luckily, my coworker Vera was always ready for the unexpected. We were practically the same build and her outfit fit me like a glove.

It was a regular thing of the day to get funny looks from customers when I told them my name was Rowena. They always glanced at the name tag sowed into my breast pocket with a frown, but usually ignored it anyway.

So that's how the majority of my day played out. An hour until closing and the only servers left were me and Johnny.

I was working a table while Johnny worked his last one for the night. I finished taking their order with a smile and turned to walk back to the kitchen.

And that's when I saw the table Johnny was taking orders for. Green eyes, short cut brown hair, and a scar that ran down the right side of his face.

It was like my body was slammed into an ice bath, sending a jolt of freezing cold shock through me and pounding my heart against my chest.

Because there was Giovanni Bruno, aka the criminal my dad was on the hunt for, sitting casually in a booth at the restaurant I worked.

I looked away immediately, not wanting him to see that I was just staring. I walked back past the table I was waiting for and a few tables down. I slid into a booth, pretending to fix my shoes as I wracked my brain for something to do.

What the fuck should I do? Call my dad probably. But then what? Dad brings him for questioning, Giovanni lies his ass off, and then he skips town to avoid the legal heat.

I had an idea. Something I had seen in a TV show once.

I walked past the tables, not once looking towards his and made my way back to the kitchen where my bag was. I zipped it open and dug around for what I was looking for.

My air pods. I took my phone out as well to connect them. I slipped my things into my apron and grabbed a rag before heading back out of the booths. I almost forgot to grab the drinks for the table I was waiting for, so I did that as well.

After setting down the drinks, I took the rag out and went over to the table right beside Giovanni's and the men he was sitting with. I cleaned the area and glanced up for a short moment to take in the appearance of his friends.

One had a buzz cut, but I could still tell he had dark hair, considering the stubble that was starting to grow on his cheeks. He had a set of narrow brown eyes.

The other man had curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and a long thin nose. He was bouncing his foot and I looked down to see his dirty shoes, covered in some burnt orange-looking dirt.

I felt his eyes on me before I looked over to him. He was talking to his men, but he was watching me, and his tone dropped considering I was in close proximity. I gave him my polite waitress smile before dropping my head and focusing on wiping the table and the seats.

I snuck an air pod onto the seat and pointed the speaker towards his table. I know he must have requested a corner table, away from everyone else on purpose. I was sure that once I had left, he would speak more freely.

So I did, with one air pod on the seat and the other tucked in my ear. I went back to the kitchen and listened to what was being picked up, cleaning up a few dishes that were in the sink.

"-don't know how much longer we can be here."

"I'm getting damn tired of always having to move around. Let's just settle for once, Gio." I glanced up from the window to see it was the blonde one that was talking.

"Maybe we could have that chance if you would stop fucking around. This isn't my fault." Giovanni's mouth moved with the words.

"You're right. It's that detective poking his nose through our business. What was his name again?"

My pulse quickened, knowing what was coming but dreading to hear it all the same. "Detective Peter Salone," Giovanni said my dad's name slowly, his jaw tight by the end of it.

"Okay," Said the man with the buzzcut. "So, we pay him off. We've done it before, we can do it again."

Giovanni snorted at this idea. "No not with this one, too stubborn, too moral, you pick. He wouldn't take money to look the other way."

"Then what?"

"Then, Marcel, obviously we threaten his family." I frowned at his comment and made a mental note that the blonde one was named Marcell. "What do you think we're doing here at this diner?"

I could actually feel the blood drain from my face and my stomach plummeting down to my toes. I fought to make my lungs work again, taking in deep slow breaths to calm my pulse again.

"Rowena! Do you hear me? Your order is up!" Lionel shouted from the back.

"He has a daughter, Rowena Salone," Giovanni continued from the other side of the restaurant, too far to hear the cook use my name. "She's supposed to be working here today. Look out for her name tag. Donny should have sent me a picture by now, the dumb fuck has been MIA all day." I was suddenly very thankful for the barbeque spill.

"Ah," Sighed the man with a buzzcut, saying something for the first time. "It wouldn't be the worst to move someplace else. The air always smells like a sewer and you fuckers are always dragging in that pesky dirt."

"What Marcell?" He spoke again after a moment of silence. "Look at that and tell me I'm wrong."

Risa came into the kitchen and it snapped me out of it. I still had meals to deliver to my tables. I smiled at her like nothing was wrong and picked up my orders. I took a deep breath in preparation before I walked past their table.

They continued whatever they were discussing, none of it seeming useful, and I was able to focus on what was I doing when I placed the orders down for my table.

Walking back to the kitchen was the issue.

"Hold on, hold on- Excuse me?" and then I felt a hand tug my wrist as I attempted to walk past. I looked from the hand and followed it up to his face. His scar looked intense up close.

I pulled my arm away and forced a smile on my face. "How can I help you?"

"Sorry Vera," He squinted at my name tag and then met my smile with his own. "Listen, we came here once and a waitress helped us last time. Her name was Rowena and we loved her service. Would you mind finding her for us?"

"You know what, your timing is crazy." I made a show to look around and then lowered my voice and leaned in a little closer. "She actually quit this morning. Made a big deal out of it too, said she was tired of how customers treated her or something." I finished with an eye roll.

His face dropped, his mouth turning down and a very obvious pinch between his brows. "Huh," He grunted.

"Mhm, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Can I do something for you?"

"No, that'll be all Vera," He clipped. I turned around to walk off, biting my lip to keep a triumphed smile from my face.

----------------

It was closing and Giovanni was gone. I had the conversation recorded on my phone. I would take it home to my dad later to hear for himself.

I responded to Declan earlier and accepted his offer to give me a ride home. I told him to give me fifteen minutes after closing so I could help Risa clean up.

"OH MY GOD!" Risa screamed.

"What is it?" I asked quickly. I had never heard her scream, she was always calm and collected.

"She's in labor! OH MY GOD, SHE'S IN LABOR!" I laughed at her reaction. She calmed very suddenly, walking over to take my hands. "You don't mind finishing up here for me right? Will you lock up the back for me? I GOTTA GOOO!"

"Yeah, of course. Get out of here," I told her, and she didn't even wait for me to finish before she ran to the back to grab her bag and keys. I heard the back door close behind her.

I smiled as I swept the area. It took a while to sweep all by myself, but I made it work. I cleaned the rest of the tabletops and there was one left. I was piling empty plates into a bin to bring back to the kitchen.

That's when I saw movement from outside the diner. I looked up at the large wall of glass window. He was standing there, watching me. Giovanni was watching me.

He knew who I was and his gaze told me he knew exactly why I lied to him. And he looked pissed because of it. Because I was standing right there in front of him earlier and lied to his face and he believed it like a dumbass. Yeah, he looked pissed.

My paranoia caused my eyes to flicker to the lock on the front door. The lock that Risa takes care of every night. The lock that I only just now realized was still unlocked because she was too distracted for her usual routine.

And he realized it was unlocked at. the. same. fucking. time.

I dropped everything from my hands, ignoring the shatter of the glass plates, and darted for the door, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me as he rushed to the door himself.

I threw myself on the lock, just barely able to switch it into place before he slammed into the door himself, pushing and tugging at it to test the strength.

"Open the door, Rowena." He dragged the words out. I shook my head and then flinched when he threw his fists into the glass. I stepped back still watching him as I kept walking back and away from the door.

Where were his men? Where the fuck was Buzzcut and Marcel?

And then my back knocked into a human body and I screamed, I screamed and turned around and pushed him away with all the strength I had.

He was reaching for my arms, trying to grab me and hold me in place. So, I pushed him away more, and then balled my hands into fists and tried punching him anywhere I could reach.

"Rowena! Jesus, what the fuck? What is it?" His voice instantly snapped me out of it as he finally grabbed hold of my wrists.

I stopped fighting to look up and see Declan standing there. My Declan with his messy dark hair, the flush in his chiseled cheeks, and those familiar brown eyes looking down at me in concern.

His attention snapped to one of my hands his grip and he flipped it over. He frowned at it and his eyes, if possible, became even more urgent and alert. "Baby, why are you bleeding?"

I didn't answer him, didn't even feel the cut on my hand. I just stepped into his space, dropped my head into his chest, and wrapped my arms around his torso.

I peeked my eyes over my shoulder and saw Giovanni watching us now. He had the ghost of a playful smile on his lips. He raised a hand in the air and wiggled his fingers in parting. Then, he looked up at Declan who must have just noticed him, and flashed him a wink before he just... walked away.

Declan's arms tightened around my shoulders, holding me more secure in his arms. "Row, who the fuck was that?"

"Can you take me home, please? I need to talk to my dad."

A/N: WOAHKAY (that's my only thought about this chapter. Wbu?)

Rowena is a really fun character to write.

...also I lied I have more thoughts. I know people are going to be like "Rowena ... bitch- just call your dad."

BUT WHERE WOULD THE PLOT THICKEN IF PAPA SALONE CAME TO THE RESCUE THAT FAST PEOPLE ?

WHERE WOULD THE ✨DRAMA✨ BE ?

Like I think sometimes it's okay for characters to be dumb ... amiright or amiright ?

As always, thanks for reading❤️