Chapter 1 Four men

"Miss Ava".

Ava looked up and noticed the anxious expression on the Clara's face.

Clara, one of the younger waitresses and a co-worker.

She was barely out of her teens. She looked kind of tense as she clutched her tray, nervously.

"What's wrong, Clara?" Ava asked curiously.

Clara hesitated a bit, glancing over towards a table of four men in the corner.

The men were loud, whistling at every passing waitress.

"I... I'm scared to serve that table," Clara said and lowered her gaze. "They're always... touching, groping. And they laugh it off like it's nothing. I really tried to tell them off last time, but they just got worse."

Ava's eyes followed Clara's gaze to the men, who were currently making rude gestures toward another waitress. Her brows arched into a tight brown.

Men like them piss her off.

They all looked like middle-aged men, making passes at an 18-year-old for what exactly?!

They were clearly old disgusting creeps .

"They've been bothering you?"

Ava asked softly.

Clara nodded quickly.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to do my job, but-"

"Hey," Ava interrupted gently, placing a hand on Clara's shoulder.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize for not wanting to deal with creeps like them. I'll handle them. Don't worry about it."

Clara looked up at her, eyes wide with relief.

"Really?"

Ava smiled back.

"I'm older, and maybe that'll intimidate them enough to behave. You just focus on your other tables, okay?"

Clara sighed in relief.

"Oh my goodness thank you, Ava. Thank you so so much".

"Don't mention it."

Ava smiled back and with that, Ava grabbed her tray and headed toward that particular table.

As she approached, the men's laughter died down, and as they turned their attention to her.

"Evening, gentlemen," Ava said, trying to keep her tone professional, wearing a polite smile.

"What can I get you?"

One of the men, a middle-aged guy with a receding hairline and an arrogant smirk, leaned back in his chair, checking her up and down.

"Well, well. They sent a mature lady to serve us this time."

Another one smirked.

"Yeah, no more of those little girls. You've got experience, don't you?"

Ava ignored there comments , pulling out her notepad.

"What drinks do you want, sir?"

The first man chuckled, leaning closer.

"What's your name...pretty thing, can I call you mummy?"

The others laughed loudly.

Ava ignored them, still forcing a smile, trying to stay ....professional.

"Ready to order?"

The third man, with a cockier appearance added.

.

"She's got that mummy vibe. Bet she likes to be on top and take the lead. Never had a female dominate me in bed before, but for you I love to try..."

The table erupted in laughter, and Ava felt her patience thinning bit by bit.

However, she kept her expression straight, refusing to give them the reaction they wanted or let their words get to her.

"Gentle men. Let's keep it about the drinks, shall we?" she said with a fake smile, her pen poised over her notepad.

"Alright, a serious question," the first man said. "What color is your underwear?"

"Excuse me?"

Ava snapped with a tight frown.

The table erupted in another loud laughter, and Ava's grip on her notepad tightened out of anger.

"Or better yet," another one cuts in, "what's your cup size?"

"Alright, that's enough," she said coldly. "Order your drinks or I'm walking away."

Instead of backing down, one of them reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Come on, pretty, don't be like that. We're just having fun."

Ava yanked her arm back, stepping back out of reach.

"Touch me again, and you'll regret it," she snapped, her voice filled with anger.

The man raised his hands in surrender.

"Whoa, calm down. No need to get all uptight. You're acting like you don't like the attention. You should learn to take compliments, lady. You're not getting any younger. Might as well enjoy the attention while it lasts."

"Yeah, we're just having fun. You should try it sometime, might take a few years off that serious face of yours," the first man added.

The others laughed again, their voices became louder, drawing attention to the scene.

Ava clenched her jaw, but before she could respond, the first man leaned closer.

"You know, you should feel lucky we're hitting on you at all," he sneered. "Most women your age don't get this kind of attention. You're... what? Forty? Expired. You should be thanking us."

Ava froze for a split second, his words hitting like a slap on the face.

"Excuse me? What did you say to me?"

Ava asked slowly, her face blank.

"You heard me," the man sneered, leaning back in his chair with a smirk.

"You're past your prime, bitch. You should be thankful someone's still giving you attention."

The other men laughed even harder.

Then one of them mumbled ,

"Don't waste your energy, man. She's too stuck-up to appreciate it."

Ava inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself the fuck down. Else she would do something she'd regret and probably put herself behind bars. She had dealt with countless creeps in her years working at the bar, but this was different.

This wasn't just harassment; it was an attack on her very being, her self worth.

Expired?

Did the harassment change because she aged?

Still, she kept her cool.

"First of all," she said, her voice low and razor-sharp, "I'm thirty-seven. Second, I don't need attention from men like you. I am sorry to tell you this but I don't think any woman will find that hairline attractive. And thirdly, I'm here to do my job, not entertain your delusions and insecurities. So I'd appreciate it if you could keep your opinions to yourself."

The man's smirk faded slightly, replaced with irritation but he tried to cover it up with a fake smile.

"That attitude's why you're still single, I bet."

Ava leaned in closer, her eyes narrowed.

"And your lack of respect is probably why you're still here hitting on women who want nothing to do with you and girls old enough to be your grand daughters. You should be ashamed of yourself."

The man's face darkened, his ego clearly bruised.

His friends exchanged awkward glances, their laughter fading.