Camille could sense her friend wasn't really paying attention to her exaggerated behavior and made a show of gasping louder.
"Oh please, what happened in your edgy romance story that could possibly gather such a reaction?" Alexandrite drawled her voice dripping sarcasm.
"It's a heartbreaking twist! The villain - Ares is publicly declaring to fight Poseidon!
He's aware he'll likely loose but he's trying to honorably take his birthright to the throne and
Crown Princess Aphrodite is so moved by his efforts she's willing to hear him out and grant him one single request even though he's committed - ahem seriously lethal crimes."
Alexandrite, not taking two seconds of whatever lunacy the novel was trying to romanticize, rolled her eyes.
"Right. Finish your lunch or I'm not helping you with your college essay," she huffed quickly rolling up and throwing away her trash from the sub sandwich she had.
"One minute! I need to read the second chapter that updated today!" Camille exclaimed, attention absorbed by reading again.
"No, you addict. Read it later or risk failing the college course," Alexandrite ordered, Camille pouted.
"But- itll just take a few minutes!"
"And you've been reading that extremely trendy or popular novel for the last few weeks and ever since your grades have been slipping. " Alexandrite complained.
Her notebooks were open, displaying neat notes and well summarized information.
Camille glanced at them with a reluctant look.
"Alex.... You meanie," Camille grumbled her displeasure but put her phone away.
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"You know what to do if a customer gets difficult or tries making a big fuss. You've been taught how to approach gang members when they come in; do NOT flirt with them. Remember the buddy system, if you can't take a coworker with you make sure you know where they are and they know where you are," Alexandrite was rapidly saying as she tied her hair back.
"Yes head manager Ruthie!" Camille snarked as she tied on her apron.
"I'm serious! You're the one always wandering off or disappearing. And I know that you are trying to read on the clock but at least try to practice the safety rules." She scolded.
"The customers are crazy and crazier these days, I don't want anything to happen to you," she continued. Camille nodded forlornly, looking at the 'in loving memory' picture from the beginning of the month.
"But you've said this almost every weekday, since that incident. I know you are thorough and practical but you should relax more, Alex," Camille tried for a reassuring smile as she grabbed her shoulders.
Alex narrowed her eyes. "I'll relax when the police crack down on the gangsters instead of enabling them." Her eyes flicked towards the 'in loving memory' picture too, but a faint scowl was on her face as she stared at the smiling man's face.
"I don't want to see anyone else have an in loving memory picture," she said darkly.
They finished getting in their work attire and headed to the front.
After a few steps, Alex deviated heading to wipe down a few tables so Camille greeted the opening door alone.
"Hello welcome to The Holly Garden! Do you have a reservation or would you like to be seated at the bar?" She asked easily.
The man smiled. "Reserved Table booth for four. I'll be having company, shame it won't be as lovely as you,"
"Oh you're too kind!" She beamed leading him to his reserved spot.
"Perhaps if you could entertain me with your laughter and smiles and distract from this unpleasant meeting," the man smiled.
" You know flattery is the way to a girl's heart!" Camille laughed, ignoring her friend's glare at her immediate flirting.
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It was getting late into the evening, drawing near closing time. The guests had dwindled and most of the gangsters had been there earlier in the evening so it was now peaceful and mostly elderly celebrating anniversaries.
Thankfully Camille had also mellowed down appropriately and was maintaining politeness and efficiency.
Right as Alexandrite was leaving with a black bag of garbage to take to the dumpster she saw a familiar blue monarch butterfly phone case.
As if sensing her presence, it vibrated indicating a new message or notification.
Curious she glanced at the phone, when it turned on it immediately loaded the cover of her friend's favorite novel. Showing an elaborate old English font and the picture displaying two men in throne chairs with a woman sitting in between them.
All three looked vaguely familiar for some reason.
'Of course it's on the novel. I bet all of her battery is devoted to keeping it on screen now.' She pursed her lips and looked around. The cook assistants and chefs were focused on their respective jobs.
"That said. Leaving her phone unattended, really?" She deadpanned resuming walking towards the back.
Sighing tiredly as she glanced around for her friend and spotted her handling a order, she mimed taking out the trash.
Camille wrinkled her nose but nodded saying she understood then went back to pushing the cart carrying her three trays.
Alexandrite didn't mention the phone but figured she could just hold on to it and hand it back when shift ends. It's only another hour or so.
She absently shoved the phone in her apron pocket and tossed the bag in the dumpster.
Pointedly trying not to acknowledge the gangsters running around with suspiciously pistol shaped objects.
Stunned she stopped completely as a gangster was threatening to shoot her if she said 'anything about seeing anything', whatever that meant.
Frantically she made some sort of motion or other indicating she wasn't going to say anything, not even really sure what she did or said.
The teen grinned maliciously and pulled the gun away.
Shuddering she turned back to the restaurant entrance, happy to reach its relative safety.
This moment was cut off by the loud BANG ! of a gunshot and a intense pain in her abdomen.
Alexandrite reeled back in shock at the feeling. Faintly she heard the boy from before yelling. Demanding to know why someone 'shot that waitress lady' but the gunshot rang in her ears.
She barely had time to process the pain before she was on the ground, gasping audibly and panting for air.
"Sh--sh what the fu-" she gasped coughing. Her body aches as she registered the blood leaving through the wound.
Her vision blurred as she struggled to inch her hand to the phone she just stuck in the pocket of her apron.
She couldn't move, couldn't turn and couldn't feel the phone.
Abruptly and mercifully Camille came into her blurry, tear stained vision.
"No no no no no ! This isn't happening! You weren't supposed to die!!" Camille was saying, tears spilling out of her face.
"Huh- " she wheezed. Camille was trying to stop the blood with her balled up apron but Alex was pretty sure she'd already lost too much blood.
"I believed I had a deal! This is not what I thought it meant!"
That was an odd thing to say.
"Camille... i's, fin', she stuttered.
She fixed her attention back on her friend.
"Alex! ALEX!! Don't try to do anything beyond breathing! You WILL live!"
Alex felt her eyelids flutter.
"Alexandrite Pentagram I forbid you from dying! You hear me!?" She exclaimed while the emergency responders persisted that she remained on the line.
However the light faded from her eyes, efforts to stay conscious rendered moot.