Friday
9:40pm

Her stomach growled angrily.

The restaurant had been packed for the entirety of Dawn's shift, leaving her no time to grab a snack between customers. And she had been too busy hiding from her mother all afternoon to make herself something to eat. She should have known better. Now, she still had twenty minutes left on her shift, and even the steak on the tray that she was carrying out to a table actually smelled good.

Dawn was a vegetarian.

Normally, the smell of meat was something she found repulsive. So she had no clue why she found herself wanting to take a good long sniff over the chunk of dead cow that was bleeding all over the plate.

She was blaming the headache. At least the burning in her nose had finally stopped. That was something. The next time she talked to Kay, she was going to give her a real piece of her mind. Maybe her mom wasn't completely wrong, and it was time to cool it with the crazy stunts.

Dawn delivered the meals to the happy looking couple sitting in the corner booth. As usual, she couldn't help the bit of jealousy that curled through her. She wanted what that couple seemingly had. With an internal sigh and a fake smile, she turned around to go back to the kitchen.

On her way there, the pair of men who had been keeping her ridiculously busy for the past couple of hours flagged her down. Again. She had just been to their table to check on them a couple of minutes ago. There was no way they could actually need something.

Her jealousy over the love sick couple was quickly doused by irritation. Sure, waiting on people was her job, but this particular pair were just obnoxious.

"What can I do for you gentleman?" Dawn was trying her best to remain professional. It wasn't easy.

"Hon, my drink is watered down. How about a refill?" The guy never even actually looked her way, just waved his hand in the general direction of the glass that was still full to the brim. He almost knocked it over, too busy stabbing at the food on his plate with the other hand to watch what he was doing.

"No problem. I'll be right back with that," Dawn picked up the full soda and walked to the corner where the drink machine was hidden behind a short wall. This was getting out of hand. It wasn't the first time she'd dumped a still full glass that had come from that particular table.

Dawn glanced over to the pair who were now laughing loudly at something that had the people seated around them looking uncomfortable. Her head throbbed harder with her irritation.

The man hadn't drank the last soda she brought him. She doubted he would drink this one, either. Her ire grew as she let the foam on the top settle. Waitressing was not an easy gig, and people like that duo of men were the reason why.

As she watched the last of the bubbles froth on the top of the soda, Dawn had a horrible idea. A completely awful idea, something that she could honestly say had never ever crossed her mind before.

She looked around, feeling guilty for even thinking what she was thinking. But only just a little bit. She couldn't deny the tiny thrill that went through her at the idea of getting back at the obnoxious men, even if they never knew she'd done anything to them.

The customers were all ignoring her. None of her co-workers were in sight. She made up her mind in an instant. Leaning down, Dawn spit right into the guy's drink.

Pressing the lever on the machine, she topped off the soda, watching the spit mix in until it was no longer visible. She'd actually done it. She'd spit in a customer's food. She stared at the glass, unsure if she could go through with serving it.

Then she heard him.

"Hun? I'm getting thirsty over here." The voice boomed over the dining area.

She met the eyes of the man across the dining room. He waved imperiously and sent her a questioning look.

Dawn carried the glass to the table and set it down with the first real smile she felt all night.