Wild Hearts Series: Book 2- Dangerously In Love

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“I am nothing but a cursed woman. I bring bad luck to those people around me... So I decided to live far away from everyone, as I dwell on my own sadness...all by myself"

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Kring...

The annoying sound of the alarm clock just came to my senses, and it woke me up in an instant.

It was 4:45 a.m., and it’s almost breaking dawn when I opened my eyes and braced myself under the cotton linen sheet, to warm my body on a cold morning.

I was too lazy to get up.

It seemed like I don't have much energy to work in Pablo's Diner because my whole body sore.

Last night's big event at the casino had taken away all my strength, and I am so drained that I couldn't even carry myself to the bathroom to gargle my mouth.

My legs were cramping since I wore my heels for more than 10 hours, and instead of me only be sitting in front of the gambling table…Dealing with pays and bets, I also had to ran from one table to another to help our cocktail waitresses to serve drinks.

Good thing, those dirty old men from the VIP rooms were not totally a pain in the ass.

They were generous enough to reward the servers with an extra cash after the service, so it somehow compensate the extra hour I spent with them as their waitress.

Yet still, I am so damn tired and I wish I could at least rest for one whole day with the routine of eat-sleep-repeat if that is even possible.

But that is not going to happen even in my dreams. I thought so.

Because my boss Pablo will definitely fire me if I don't clock in at 7. Unfortunately, I am the only waitress on duty from seven to one in the afternoon, since Amy, the other waitress on my shift applied for a maternity leave 2 weeks ago.

So with all the little energy I saved up for my other activities, I gathered them all and immediately stood up and snatched my towel to take a quick shower.

And right after a freezing bath, I blow dried my hair and put on my working uniform, then hurriedly go to the diner.

At exactly 6:45 a.m. I arrived at Pablo's American style diner, I was 15 minutes earlier than my shift and that was more than enough to have myself a cup of coffee before anything else.

Good thing, Pablo’s not an inconsiderate type of employer. Most likely, he is the kind of person who acknowledged his people’s hard work and reward them if necessary. He made sure that we were properly compensated per hour, along with the other benefits that we could enjoy.

And that includes the free meal and unlimited coffee that we get to enjoy every single day.

“Hey! How’s the event last night at the casino?” Pablo asked with a high tone, as soon as he saw me opening my locker door.

He was in the kitchen next to the employee’s area, and his hands were busy kneading the pita dough when I arrived.

So I suddenly turned my head to his direction when his voice startled me, and I decided to put an act in front of my boss to see how far he can be lenient to his employees, so I gave him a frowning face before I complained.

“My whole body aches! Literally, my muscles, tendons and joints hurt a lot.” And I slammed myself on the couch next to me, and acted childish to catch his attention.

“I think I won’t be able to do my job properly today. Can I just go home instead before I make a mess?” I yelled and pouted my lips, then he immediately scrunched his nose and bluntly utter.

“No! You can’t Alicia” he replied without thinking twice, and he continued kneading the bread while talking to me casually.

“You know it’s just you and I till 1 p.m., so stay with me until then and I will let you go home early as soon as the next shift comes in, so you could take a rest before your evening shift. Alright?” And my lips stretched from ear to ear to my surprised.

Excitedly, I jumped off my feet and ran to where he was and thanked him for his kindness.

“You are such a wonderful boss Pablo, heaven will bless you more, thanks” and I chuckled before he kicked me out of the kitchen to open the diner for our 1st batch of customers.

As expected, since it was Sunday…a lot of customers dropped over to order food for breakfast before they run their errands. And I was like a busy bee in the dining area, serving orders from one table to another when my phone suddenly buzzed inside my apron.

It was a text message.

I walked fast to the counter and let go of the tray that I was holding, and delightedly took my cellphone out of the apron pocket to check the message I just received.

It was Rebecca Luis, she’s from the U.S who migrated in Thailand for more than a decade now after being married to a Thai national, and they have an amazing love story. I must say.

Who would have thought that Rebecca would find true love in the foreign country, after running away from her family to avoid a contractual marriage when she was at the age of twenty two?

She met her husband during her trip in the country as her tour guide, and as they get along in the fabulous city of Bangkok, a special feelings bloomed between the two lost souls.

And after 3 months of dating…Finally they decided to get married.

Rebecca stayed in the country and she was living her life like a local citizen with her loving partner.

“Hey! You called at this hour. Is everything okay?”

Softly I asked as soon as I heard her weary voice. I stepped backward and laid my back flat on the wall to ease the discomfort feeling I have in my spine, when she started to whimper. Then I panicked right away.

“Rebecca what’s wrong?” I asked her with a high tone, and when I hear no response on her end, I felt my heart was stuck in my throat.

“Did something bad happened?” I felt the butterflies in my stomach going crazy as my heart throbbed like a drum when I asked her that question, but a heave of relief came to me the moment she answered me.

“Nothing’s wrong, everything’s okay Alicia.”

“Then why are you crying Becca? You know, you can always tell me what’s bothering you. I will listen” and I heard the customer from table number 5 called my attention, as she raised her hand and asked for the bill.

"I- I have something to tell you..."

“Listen, I got go now. I’m still at work but I will be out after an hour and a half, so stay relax for the meantime and I’ll give you a call once I get off. Okay?” and she agreed to hold her thoughts for a while, then hung up to let me continue my work.

And time passed by instantly without knowing it.

Pablo called my attention by the time the second shift came in and he asked me to go under time, when there was already enough manpower to handle the store.

But since it was just 2 hours away from my regular schedule, I decided to stay and continued working until 3 in the afternoon and immediately headed home after clocking out.

Along the way, I found a newly opened Pad Thai store near my place, and I’ve been really craving for that a week ago, but I had to ignore the food shop each time I walked past to it because I was saving money for my mom’s birthday which will happen in 2 weeks.

But this time, instead of going straight to my small and rotten apartment, I went inside and ordered a hearty meal after convincing myself that there’s nothing wrong to reward yourself after a day of hard work.

And I smiled in excitement as I bring myself to the counter and right after ordering, I took my seat in the corner and think thoroughly while waiting for the food to be served.

I looked around me and see different nationalities all over the place, then I realized the period of time I have been long gone in my own land…trying to survive in a foreign country all by myself.

My tears started to form in my eyes, but I stopped it immediately.

I don’t want to be drown in sadness so I’d rather not take it to heart, but sometimes it wasn’t so easy to just simply ignore the things that could make you sad.

Then something crossed my mind as soon as I have pulled myself from getting emotional. It’s been more than 2 years now, since I’ve been living in this land. I thought so. “How has it been so far?” I asked myself.

30 months to be exact since I set foot in Bangkok, and ever since I started living here…I’ve been working like a Carabao day and night just to support myself and to save some cash for my parents remittance.

And how did I do? Double job. I was literally working like 7 days a week, and I only get to have a day off during my rest day on my other job and vice versa. But that was not a whole day rest to enjoy.

And also, I seldom cook in my apartment, instead…I would rather buy instant food or ready to eat meals to get by, and fill my tummy generously at Pablo’s diner with the employee’s meal during my shift.

Pathetic!

It was so pathetic, isn’t it? To live such a frugal life in a foreign land, but it was a decision I made so I must bear it with all my strength. I need to do this to at least lessen my heartaches.

For so many times, I thought of going back home over the idea of facing my fear since my first year in Bangkok wasn’t that good after all as a tourist. I invested some of my money in a food business but I got swindled by a local when she sold our shop that was under her name to another person, and I got no proof of ownership at all so I was left penniless.

I was completely broke so I wanted to run back to my family for rescue, but I ended up backing out and forget the whole damn thing like a coward human who was hiding herself behind the darkness, the moment I remembered the reason of concealing.

And from there, no matter how tough it was....My heart instantly overcame all the complicated feelings inside of me.

Time passed by easily, and now I’m already done eating without knowing it.

My lips stretched a bit over the thought of I finished all the food I ordered, all by myself.

“I really have a big appetite” I mumbled while touching my tummy, then I remembered my friend Rebecca all of a sudden so I decided to call her.

I was expecting to get a hold of her right away, but I had to dial her number twice before I could even reach her. Then my heart skipped a beat the moment I heard Kasem’s voice who answered her phone, instead.

Actually, it never happened before that I called my friend and her husband was the one who accepted the call for her, so when I heard his voice on the other line…My heart started to throb like a drum.

“Alicia” his voice was low and I heard background noises.

“Kasem? Where’s Becca?” I asked curiously and a deep sighed was heard in the background.

“We are in the hospital right now Alicia, I found your dear friend in the bathroom unconscious after we ate lunch” a shaky voice annoyed me in an instant, so I jumped to my feet and waited for him to go on talking. And my knees trembled the moment he uttered the word “Aneurysm”.

I ran as fast as I could to be there where she was, and by the time I reached the city public hospital…I rushed to the emergency room and looked for my friend, and I found Kasem sitting on the floor at the corner side of the treatment area, hopeless.

“Kasem” a gentle voice came out of my mouth when I called his attention, and his eyes found hope as I stood before him. He looked up to me with a bloodshot eyes, so I grabbed his both shoulder to comfort him.

“Where is she?”

“She is in the treatment area, the doctor said she needs surgery as soon as possible Alicia, but we don’t have enough money for her operation. What should I do now” and he started wailing helplessly.

“Don’t worry, will find a way to save her. I promise.”