Rowaelin One Shots

Modern Elorcan: Cause of Death = Embarrassment

Elide had always been a hard working young woman, but she knew it was all for naught in this town. She was underpaid and overworked. She also knew that no matter how many tables she served, no matter how many hours she stayed, no matter how hard she tried, it would never be enough to get her out of this good-for-nothing town.

It wasn't just that the town was horrible, she just knew she had more to offer the world than a pretty face, or body for that matter. She hoped someday she'd get up and go, she'd been trying for years. She came here, thinking she'd leave soon enough, but she was running out of hope for that to happen. She didn't have an amazing education, or a great past, but she could learn, she'd learn how to do this job so quickly.

Every day was the same, serving travelers that pass through town, and giving them flirtatious smiles in hopes for a tip. She couldn't remember when she'd sunk so low, but through these harsh two years, she'd just been trying. That was all she could do now, try. She had nothing but a one-room apartment, a second hand iPhone 5, and necessities. The rest was stashed away in a jar for savings. Her apartment had been broken into once, and they took all of her savings, which wasn't much, maybe two hundred dollars, but it was all she had. She didn't know who would do something like that when it was so obvious that they didn't have much, but she had to spend even more time in this town to recover from that.

She splashed a bit of water in her face in the dirty, diner bathroom. She'd barely gotten four hours of sleep last night after staying late to clean. It seemed to her like this bathroom dirtied itself. She straightened her too-short skirt uniform and strode out with as much dignity that she could muster.

"Elide, darling," Her uncle called, if she could still call him her uncle. He flirted with her constantly, though it was only uncomfortable for Elide. He didn't care for her in the least, even though he knew how badly she was doing.

"Yes, sir," she responded in a mock-sweet tone, putting on an obviously fake smile. He didn't look amused.

"Did you clean the bathroom?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Clean it again, it looks terrible." Her fake smile faltered, she could tell he didn't like that.

"Of course, sir," she answered, trying to keep herself together.

"Good, go,"

So she did. She went back into the bathroom and swept and mopped and scrubbed and did whatever she could do to get more money. She just told herself that if she worked hard, maybe, just maybe, one day she'd leave. She'd leave and she'd never look back. She wouldn't even think of the nicer people, like the not-as-horrible regulars. Maybe Manon would come with her, Elide knew she didn't have a great home situation.

Maybe one day, she'd find someone willing to go with her. Maybe she'd find someone who wanted to escape. Wherever she went, she didn't ever want to go alone.

She finished soon, only forty-five minutes for both bathrooms. That must be a world record. She then again willed herself to put on a smile, to look like her hope wasn't dying with each passing day. That was the hardest thing here. It was harder than cleaning the bathrooms, it was harder than pretending to like her uncle, it was harder than staying awake with her few hours of sleep, it was harder than working so late. The hardest thing was to keep hope, or at least to look like she did.

The diner was occupied by only one costumer, a regular named Sorrel. She only knew her because she was a friend of Manon. She smiled to her, and Sorrel returned the gesture, but it looked so forced. Elide understood, she just hoped hers didn't look like that. If Vernon saw Elide smile so falsely toward a costumer, she'd be fired before she could say sorry.

Elide took a deep breath and began her work day.

She took a few steps toward the kitchen before she heard a voice call, "Eliiiide!" Ugh, Brandy.

"Yes?" I said, already exhausted. She pulled on her jacket, wait-

"I have to go, so your gonna have to pick up my shift, bye!"

"Hold up," I put an arm in front of her, "What do I get for it?"

"My gratitude?"

"No, not enough. I don't like you enough,"

"Ugh, I'll-" she looked around, "I'll talk to that guy over there for you?" Shelby pointed to a really attractive guy in the corner. Elide tried with all her might not to blush.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, he's cute, you're cute and single, why not?"

"This is low, even for you,"

"Please let me do this in exchange?"

"I can talk to men myself,"

"Pleeasse, I want to get you a guy, you're always so miserable,"

"I'll let you go if you don't speak with him,"

"Yeah, okay,"

Shelby left, smiling and Elide sighed. the heat in her cheeks fading as she saw her only friend walk in, Manon. She smiled at Manon, a real, genuine smile. Manon returned with a mock-salute and her usual smug grin.

"Heya,"

"Morning, Witchling,"

"What's the grin for?"

"I heard that you were here late again last night,"

"How did you hear about that?"

"I know everything,"

"Sure,"

"You need to sleep. I'm not the motherly type, but you're actually gonna die. You might be annoying at times, but I would be slightly upset if you died,"

"Slightly?"

"I want a caesar salad, don't die,"

Elide rolled her eyes and turned to go to the kitchen for the salad when it hit her, literally. The attractive guy hit her. Elide bumped into the really attractive guy Shelby wanted her to flirt with.

She panicked.

"I-I I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine,"

"I'm sorry I didn't- uh- I didn't mean to bump into you, I wasn't looking-"

"No, it's really fine, could you take my order soon?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm so sorry, I'm such a twit,"

"Okay, it's really fine,"

Elide was blushing like mad and she knew it. She looked up at him and he looked like he was holding in a laugh. It made her a little less and more embarrassed at once.

"I'll get right back to you," she was far more put together now.

"Okay, thanks." He smirked. She knew she looked stupid. She ran into the kitchen and hid her face in her arms.

She was going to die. She was going to actually die. Cause of death = Embarrassment.