#WritcoStoryChallenge
The setting was perfect. Candlelight, polished cutlery and a single rose set in a delicate vase at each table. My heart fluttered as the raging butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings. This was it. The long awaited proposal from my beloved, Francisco Grant. I had dreamt of this day for years of our relationship but it could never beat what I saw before me.

"Take a seat" Francisco told me. He sat opposite me with a breath taking smile making me remember the night he asked me to his. My smile grew till it matched his.

"You said you wanted to tell me something important" I said. His eyes flickered with various emotions before setting on one which completely did not suit the occasion.

"What's wrong?" I asked. My heart beat racing with worry. He rubbed his palm over his face which he always did when he was about to break a bad news.

"I'm sorry Natalie" his voice broke. No, not again. My body turned ice cold.

"No" I shook my head violently. My tears caught the attention of other couples in the restaurant. I stood up abruptly wiping my tears furiously in attempt to stop the ever growing dam.

"I've been thinking about it for a while now and I finally came to a conclusion" he began.

"Don't say it please" I begged.

"I don't think I want to go any further with this relationship. We should break up" his words stopped my tears and cries. For a moment the world seemed to have frozen.

"Nat" Francisco called bringing me back to reality.

"Four years with you and four years of my life wasted on you and you just decided that it wasn't going to work?" I muttered lowly but loud enough for him to hear.

"No, that's not it" he tried to defend himself but my glare cut him off.

"Then what is it Cisco?" I asked calling him by the nickname I made for him. He took his eyes off me and let it wander to everyone but me.

"You're heartless and I hope you find someone who would treat you the exact same way you did to me" I stated and slammed my fist on the table. For a weak person like me that action hurt alot. I picked my bag and walked briskly out of the restaurant. I wanted to call a cab but remembered that I had a spare key to the car Francisco brought here which was also the only car he owned. I laughed evilly are rushed to the car. I heared the loud barks of Francisco as he ran out of the restaurant.

"Sayonara Cisco" I laughed as I started the engine. I looked like an insane woman as I drove recklessly out of the parking lot. I drove to my best friends house, Tiffany since the obvious place to look for a stolen car was where I lived.

"He broke up with you?!!" Tiffany shouted as I downloaded everything that happened to her.

"Yes" I sulked.

"You should have driven his car off a cliff and taken a picture then send it to him with the smile emoji. Of course you'll have to jump out of the car just before it goes off the cliff but my point being destroy the car" Tiffany shouted. I laughed at her suggestion. It wasn't a bad idea if you thought about it but I wasn't that kind of person. What I did today was driven by pure hate. I rested my head on her shoulder and cried again. The pain still felt fresh and I kept remembering how he said it like he was forced to do so.

For the next week, I sulked, cried and shut myself from the world but soon my boss from the diner I worked in started sending me creepy threat messages and I just knew I had to go back to work. I dragged my feet to the diner wearing an exhausted face and a frown.

"Whoa!" Jeff, the head chef of the diner.

"Are we shooting an apocalyptic movie of the resurrected?" Miles, a sue chef and a friend of mine laughed. I know i looked terrible, I felt terrible but come on, apocalyptic?

"Shut up Miles" I growled.

"Girl you look drained" Betty laughed.

"We broke up" I told them making their expressions shift to a look of pity.

"Come on. Let's get her breakfast" Betty smiled and wrapped her arm around my neck.

"Umm you probably shouldn't touch me" I muttered miserably.

"Why?"

"I may have not taken a bath today" I smiled sheepishly. Like an explosion, Betty flew away from me in seconds. She was an anti-germ freak.

"I'm going to forget you just said that" She said and walked away. The day was long and exhausting but being with my friends lifted my spirit.

"Go take the order of table five" Haze, a colleague, instructed and i nodded. I sluggishly walked to the table not lifting my head from the note pad I was holding.

"Welcome to Stressed diner were you get desserts in meals. How may I take your order " i yawned.

"Is that how you treat your customers?" a masculine voice scoffed.

"Please take your time while going through our specials" I recited ignoring his earlier remark.

"This is a sad diner" the man spat.

"I guess you'll have the salad and a bottle of water. Thank you for ordering" I said.

"I didn't even order that" he complained.

"The cabbages in the salad are freshly cut should I add mayonnaise to it?" I asked.

"What's your problem?" the man shouted.

"Mayo it is" I smiled. Another foreign voice on the table burst into laughter picking my interest. I raised my eyes to meet with a green eyed man. He smile was like a communicable disease and I wuickly caught it.

"Hey, I'm Xander and he's John, my younger brother" The green eyed man said. I turned my head to the annoying teenager that had been ranting for a while.

"Natalie" I told him.

"Lovely name" he said.

"Terrible personality" John muttered.

"Should I show the child to the kiddies section?" I asked humbly.

"I'm not a kid" John barked.

"Or call the animal control" i added. Xander laughed harder while John's face turned beet red. I smiled and finally took their order. After work, I saw Xander standing in the parking lot. I waved at him and he smiled. He walked over to me and smiled.

"Why are you still here?" I asked.

"I waited for you" he replied bluntly.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"I was wondering if you'd like to get drinks with me?" he proposed. I had nothing better to do so I agreed. We went to the a bar down town.

"So what's your story?" he asked.

"Story?" I raised my brow.

"Nobody just decides to come to work and be salty on a kid so tell me what got your socks in a twist" he said. I don't think telling my life story to a stranger was the right thing to do but I felt comfortable with him and so I spilled my story.

"He's douchebag" he commented and I laughed.

"I told you my whole story and the only thing you got from it was Cisco is a douchebag?" I asked while trying to calm my laughter.

"Yes, anybody that'd give up an opportunity with a beautiful woman like you is a complete douche" he replied. That sentence alone stunned me. I had been feeling like I was not worth Cisco when in all actuality maybe he was the one not worth me.

"I have to go" I muttered.

"Okay I'll drop you off" he offered but I refused. i took a cab home and took Cisco's car to his house. My heartbeat spiked a little when I saw Francisco with a lady in his arms.

"Cisco" I shouted.

"You again" he frowned. I walked over to him and clinged his keys to him.

"Why are you here?" He shouted angrily.

"You're not worth me. You are not worth any female. I guess you realized that" I said. His eyes looked at me with interest.

"I loved you but you didn't deserve it. It took a complete stranger to make me understand that and here I am telling you I'm sorry for stealing your car and im happy youre out of my life. I hope you find the lady that'll be enough for you" I said. He stared at me mouth agape. He nodded slowly before i turned around and left. Tears rushed down my eyes like the Niagara falls. Strong arms held me tightly.

"Xander" I whispered.