Claiming His Luna

Cercei’s POV

“Are you wearing lipstick??” inquired Claire, her voice hemming on a shrill exclamation.

Feeling a twinge of embarrassment, I remained silent, pondering the trifle of the question. After all, it seemed commonplace for everyone to wear lipstick, including Claire herself, albeit in a striking shade of red. Each day, she paraded around with an air of elegance reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe.

“Yes,” I curtly replied, prompting an idiotic grin to spread across her face.

The tinkling of bells resonated through the air, glorifying the arrival of a visitor. Lucian’s gaze met mine, and a smile appeared on his lips. In that instant, my heart quickened its pace as if inextricably bound to a familiar rhythm.

“Aha, now I understand,” Claire playfully teased.

“Pardon?” I questioned, taken aback by her insinuation.

Lucian settled into his customary seat, and I seized my notepad.

“You go there and retrieve his number… I mean, his order,” she motioned playfully. My eyes were rolling in mockery of Claire’s jest.

“Good morning, sir. How may I be of service to you?” I addressed him formally, extending a polite greeting.

“A lovely morning indeed, for I have finally encountered a waitress of such affable spirit,” he responded, revealing a perfect set of pearly white teeth. Though his demeanour exuded an intimidating aura, his smile possessed an enchanting quality similar to the gates of heaven unveiling their celestial splendour. Wait, what was I thinking?

“Let us not spoil the moment,” I interjected, attempting to maintain a semblance of composure. He chuckled in response.

“The usual order, please,” he eventually revealed his order, his words resonating with a certain familiarity.

I returned to the counter, clutching the order in my hands, while Claire’s mischievous grin remained plastered on her face.

“No wonder you’ve been radiating such vitality lately; it appears that Mr. Pancake has finally captured your attention,” she remarked, wiggling her eyebrows in jest.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I refuted. Was I truly exuding a liveliness lately? When we first arrived in this city, I seemed devoid of any enthusiasm. In recent days, however, I had made an effort to present myself in a more presentable manner, a fact I hadn’t even acknowledged until Claire pointed it out. And, of course, there was the lipstick.

“Oh, come on now, Miss Denial,” she taunted, her voice taking on a sing-song quality.

The doorbell chimed once again, indicating the entrance of a tall, sophisticated woman. She exuded an air of elegance, wrapped in a form-fitting, square-necked white dress that accentuated her curves flawlessly. The glow of her pearl earrings caught my eye from behind the counter, and her meticulously styled blonde tresses swayed with each graceful movement. All eyes were drawn to her as she strode into the café, her heels resounding in an echoing symphony throughout the space.

She surveyed the room, searching for an available table, only to find that every seat was occupied, save for the one occupied by Lucian. Oblivious to the goddess approaching him, Lucian remained engrossed in his phone.

“Uh oh, ‘bitch alert’,” Claire whispered, both of us observing with a mixture of curiosity and amusement as the woman approached Lucian.

An unusual surge of annoyance coursed through me, and I found myself growing increasingly… infuriated.

The woman exuded an air of elegance and kindness as she engaged in conversation with Lucian. My teeth clenched tightly as I witnessed him nod in response, and she proceeded to occupy the chair across from him. That jerk just appeared like a perfect gentleman!

Driven by impulse, I grabbed his order and marched angrily towards his table.

“Your order, sir,” I forced a fake smile that seemed to perplex him momentarily.

“Excuse me, may I place an order?” asked the blonde woman, capturing my attention. I turned towards her, acutely aware of her refined British accent. She exuded an aura of politeness and class.

“Certainly, miss. What would you like?” Suddenly, I became acutely conscious of my own accent. Did I sound peculiar? Her makeup was flawlessly applied, her blush blended seamlessly with her complexion, and her nude lips accentuated her pout.

“Could I have what he’s having?” she gestured towards Lucian’s order.

“Ah, this pancake is truly exceptional; you should give it a try,” Lucian interjected. My eyes narrowed in his direction. Who asked for your unsolicited endorsement? I felt the impulse to snap at him, but I restrained myself.

“Really?” The woman beamed sweetly. I recognized that smile. It was the kind that most women wore when conversing with him. This wasn’t the first time a woman approached him, but she seemed to be his type, a figure boasting an hourglass physique, exuding a rich, classy, and chic vibe.

“Anything else?” Her longing gaze was interrupted by my voice. She shifted her attention towards me, offering a sweet smile.

“Perhaps a coffee?” Her voice adopted a more seductive tone, yet her eyes remained fixated on Lucian’s face.

“Your order will be served shortly,” I replied curtly, turning my back to them.

“Nice or nasty?” Claire inquired as soon as I returned from getting the woman’s order.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Nice,” I sighed wearily. She mirrored my sigh and glanced in their direction.

“Fear not, it appears Mr. Pancake is not particularly interested in her,” she offered as if her words were meant to quench my unease. Wait, why should I need any reassurance? I shouldn’t care about them. To hell with Lucian.

“I couldn’t care less,” I retorted coldly. I truly didn’t care; why should I?

“Oh no, she’s doing the shy laugh and tucking her hair behind her ear,” Claire whispered in an exaggerated hush. I glanced over at them. The woman leaned in closer to the table, engaging Lucian in an endearing manner, while he held his phone, busily typing away.

“I believe she’s asking for his number,” I responded curtly. I observed as the woman handed her phone to Lucian. Turning on my heel, I headed towards the kitchen. I had no desire to witness customers flirting with one another. It was certainly not part of my job description.

“You know, I happen to live just around the corner,” echoed the woman’s flirtatious words that lingered in the air as she looked in Lucian’s direction.

A surge of annoyance flooded my senses, I grabbed the woman’s order and walked to their table. The woman was visibly startled when I placed her order on the table with a bit more force than intended. She had been leaning over the table, offering Lucian a shameless view of her cleavage.

“Here’s your order,” I forced another fake smile. I could sense Lucian’s lingering gaze in my frame.

“Hey, are you free tonight?” His hand grasped mine just as I was about to depart. Completely taken aback by his question, I stood there in a state of confusion. The woman’s flirty expression shifted to one of embarrassment, and she awkwardly took a sip of her coffee. Lucian stared at me, awaiting my response.

“Uhm,” I stammered, struggling to process his inquiry. Did he genuinely ask me out?

“I’ll pick you up at 7,” he declared with a finality that left me dumbfounded. Releasing my hand, he nonchalantly returned to his phone as if nothing had occurred.

I made my way back to the counter, wearing an expression of bewilderment. Claire erupted into applause as if I had won a momentous victory. She even shook her head in disbelief.

“You’re my hero, the epitome of beauty,” she exclaimed, shaking my hand enthusiastically.

“And did you see the look on her face?” she laughed, playfully tapping me. “That was epic. I’m absolutely rooting for you two!” she declared, pointing at me with two fingers.

I still couldn’t fathom the fact that he had asked me out right in front of a woman who clearly fit his ideal type. He didn’t even wait for my answer; he simply assumed I was available.

I couldn’t help it; a smile crept across my lips.

He truly was a jerk.