Chapter 1 Fired

Antonio easily got to the restaurant and  hurriedly put on his uniform and acted as if he was a part of society. One of his co-workers looked at him with those sorry eyes. And he just told him to not worry. 

After that, Antonio saw the Manager barging in the employees room. He can feel the fiery eyes piercing through his whole being, eyeing him as if he's the incompetent people alive. Antonio clasped his hand and slightly lowered his head. 

"Who do you think you are, Mister Antonio," the Manager said, "Coming to the restaurant with no remorse. You're basically 30 minutes late for your shift."

"I'm sorry, Manager. I got caught in traffic at Olsen Road," Antonio said, without lifting his head. 

"Are you sure you're apologizing? How dare you come up with the same excuses every time?" The Manager yelled, not accepting Antonio's excuse. 

One of Antonio's workers is still listening and the Manager yelled again to the said employee. 

"Why are you still here, David? Leave," The Manager said, clenching his fist and throwing a side eye at David. 

David didn't bid Antonio a goodbye. He hurriedly left the room without a second glance. Antonio on the other hand is still standing in a stiff position. The Manager was still standing there, crossing his arms and glared at Antonio. 

"This will be your last warning, Antonio. If you want to focus on your fashion degree, you can easily quit your job. You're not good enough at both." The Manager said, and Antonio lifted his head to glance at the manager. 

"I will do my best the next day," Antonio assured his manager that everything would be fine and he could actually keep his job, no matter what. 

"Next day? Next time? How about you do your best today, Antonio?" The Manager said. 

Antonio forgot about today because he always sees the future to be a good one, not minding the 'today'. 

"Do your best now, Antonio or else," The Manager said before he left Antonio. 

Antonio always has the personality of a dove. Working in the food industry is not easy, especially if you're a working student. Balancing school and career is Antonio's mere essence, but he forgets that his essence is melancholy. The night is not young and everyone is already full. Their gastronomic palate is basically fulfilled and Antonio is still there waiting for the remaining hours. 

He will be the closer. He gently cleaned the tables in the restaurant and he even mopped the floors. He bid farewell to his co-workers who left the restaurant. While cleaning the tables, he immediately saw a phone underneath the chair. He put the phone in his pockets before cleaning the tables and chairs. 

Lost phone must immediately surrender to the Manager. But he forgot because he wanted to finish his chores before announcing that he saw a phone underneath. 

When he's about to hand over the expensive phone. A woman who's wearing a black dress immediately entered the restaurant. Without warning, the female glanced at Antonio and hurriedly grabbed the phone in Antonio's hand. 

"You want to steal it, don't you?" the female suspiciously asked Antonio. "You're a disgusting thief," She shrieked and made Antonio shocked. He tried to calm down the female customer. 

"I'm not stealing it," Antonio said, reassuring the female customer. "Is this your phone?" but the female didn't answer him. 

Antonio didn't want chaos and this woman who's standing in front of him is creating a scenario. The Manager heard the female's voice and he even asked what's the problem.

"I left my phone in table 6 and this boy saw my phone and tried to steal it," She said while looking straight into the Manager's eyes. 

"What kind of service crew you have here," She continued lambasting their names. "Oh, right, who steals expensive items. A pitiful thief,"

Tha Manager glared at Antonio and Antonio wanted to explain even more. He even examined the female customer again and it seems like the facial structure and body language is quite familiar. Antonio noticed that this female customer is his middle school classmate.  

Antonio quickly apologized to the female customer but the female customer slapped his face instead. Antonio clenched his jaw and he felt a burning sensation in his left cheek.

"I won't accept your apology," she said, with gritted teeth. "You deserved that," 

The female customer saw the Manager and told him they had the worst service in the entire area of Olsen City. The Manager apologized and he said that it will be the last time it won't happen again. 

When the female customer left, the whole restaurant was waiting for the Manager's verdict. The Manager couldn't contain his anger and he slapped Antonio. 

"I don't know why but you always have a bad omen, Antonio." The Manager said, "As of today, You are fired!"

Antonio had both of his cheeks burning red. When the phrase 'you are fired!' registered in his brain, he immediately kneeled on the ground. 

"Please, Manager. Don't do this to me," Antonio said, begging for another chance. "Please, don't fire me,"

"Yes, Antonio. You are fired. Don't make me say it again," The Manager said, marked with finality.