Page 2 of Bewitched & Bewildered
I shake my head, unsure if I heard him right. What, does this guy eat his burgersraw? More importantly, does he not understand that we have other customers?
“Actually—” I start.
“Did you forget to put in our order?” His words hold a heavy accusation. “Why are you so incompetent?”
In a snap, my patience dissolves. My eye twitches. I clutch my pen hard enough that my knuckles turn white.
“You know what?” I let out a dry laugh. “I don’t have an answer to that question, but it brings up a question of my own. You’re only on your second drink. Why are you so belligerent?”
They blink at me for severalexcruciating moments.
I can’t take the words back. Rage pulses through me, and I don’twantto.
“I didn’t want to say this”—the woman shakes her head, looking like a disappointed mother—“but I need to talk to your manager.Now.”
This isn’t the first time I've heard those words. The managing team is good at advocating for me; they usually take my side…
That may not be the case this time.
A fellow server stops by the table, donning a confused smile. “How are we doing over here?”
Great. It’s Sarah.
I couldn’t pick her out of a crowd if I wanted to, and Ireallydon’t want to. She was hired a month before me, but with the broom up her ass, you would think she’s been working here twice as long.
I know what to say—everything is fine, and they’re wondering how much longer their food will take. I can even lie and say I’m about to check on their meals.
The words won’t come out.
“We have a couple of insufferable customers,” I say before I can stop myself. “That’s what’s happening.”
There are worse things I want to call them, but I still havesomerefrain.
Sarah’s jaw drops. “Oh, I’m sure that’s not…”
“We need to talk to your boss!” Jerry stands up as if he means to look for the manager himself. “Now.”
It seems my serving career is about to be cut short.
OZAN
It’s time to say goodbye to Boston.
I glance out the window, admiring the view of the darkened city. When I first moved here, I thought it was the most beautiful view in the city.
Now, it makes my stomach curdle. Boston, you will not be missed.
I was eighteen years old when I moved here for college. It was the perfect place for a witch like me—with a big witch community and a larger population overall. I got to spread my wings.
The location wasn’t what kept me here after graduation. It was the people. More specifically, it was one person.
I met the love of my life in college… or so I thought.
We shared a life and home for a decade. She was my first love, and when I got down on one knee, I swore she would be the last. We moved into our gorgeous home—a quaint place with a ton of history behind it. We shared a cat. That’s sacred among witches.
None of it mattered. Our bond wasn’t strong enough to withstand. Or maybe it would have been if she hadn’t started sleeping with my best friend. I still don’t know which of them hurt me more.
Theybothbetrayed me.
