Chapter 19: Uncanny behavior

Tonight in the Iceberg Lounge, the Iceberg restaurant's newest employee– a young man about the age of 19 was serving his first official day as the waiter of the Iceberg Lounge Restaurant. Yesterday night didn't count as it was just a practice according to the Iceberg Lounge Restaurant Manager.

With a bright yet nervous smile on his face, the young waiter asked a question.

" H-hello, young sir and miss, may I take your order? "

The man and the woman briefly glance at the young employee. The man was showing disinterest while the latter was showing a displeased expression on her face. Her emotions toward the young man were filled with annoyance, irritation, and disgust. But deep within her subconscious was the feeling of fear towards the young man with messy red hair and unusual golden eyes beneath his round thin framed glasses.

" Martini and Salisbury steak for me and Iced Coffee and Spaghetti with meatballs for her. "

Thankfully, the man replied to the young waiter's inquiry. He nodded his head and excused himself politely to give the order for the chefs to cook.

Eventually, the young waiter returned with the order of the man and the woman who wasn't very fond of him. He endured the unpleasant glare. He was confused, amused yet secretly displeased with the woman's behavior towards him. After they ate and left some tips, the young man took the plates and cleaned the table. He made sure to carve into his mind the face and identity of the man and woman.

After that, he was then called by one of the customers who arrived and he prepared his best customer service smile despite feeling nervous. Fortunately for him, the new customer was pleasant and respectful.
The same for his 3rd, 4th and 5th, 6th, etc.

By the end of a shift at 2:00 am, the young man has a total of 15 tables of customers serving for the day from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am. The restaurant manager commends him for a job well done and the manager instantly gives him his payment for that day. 90.4 $ and with the tips added to him, it was a total of 107.4 $. He can almost buy a total of 9 pizzas with it. Not that he would buy a pizza with it.

Leaving the Iceberg Lounge, a smile was revealed on the young man. His characters for his story are finally complete. Now, it was time for him to start his deep study regarding his 8 characters before initiating the ritual.

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    Friday at Gotham Elementary, despite Jonas not being the center of attention of his cheering classmates, there was a grin on his face. It was bordering on disturbing.

" You seem cheerful today, Jonas. Care to share what made you cheerful? "

He was then approached by his classmate Bethany who is one of his fellow members of their Science School Project. Regarding their science project, they have already passed it to their Science Teacher. She commended them for the early passing of their grades. Unfortunately, they have graded not the highest grade they could hope for. They got a B for their Science Project which resulted in Damian glaring daggers at them and their Science Subject Teacher. Rosalie felt guilty which Luke thought ridiculous in his opinion.

" It was a secret. "

Jonas replied to Bethany. The latter narrowed her brown eyes and then close them. As if she was acquiescence to his request. While they watched Luke, Rosalie, Damian, and their other remaining classmates in their endurance run racing with their other classmates in their PE uniforms, Jonas then remembered something.

" Bethany Altomare? "

" What is it? "

" I would watch a release of a movie tomorrow and I have already invited Luke and Rosalie. Would you want to go with us tomorrow? I can provide the tickets. "

" What movie it is? "

" The movie is an animated movie called Paranorman. "

After thinking for a few milliseconds, Bethany nodded her head. A smile broke out on Jonas's face. Just like Luke, Rosalie and their other classmates convince themselves, Bethany would do the same.

Pretend that Jonas's behavior and smile didn't disturb you and get used to it.

She wondered if he was even aware of his impact on their classmates and her and if he was deliberately unnerving them.

Hopefully, once they get used to it, Jonas would lose his interest in disturbing them with his uncanny valley demeanor.

This is a strange tactic for bullying them. She gets his position as the top dog of the Gotham elementary was being disturbed since Damian showed up, but Jonas's strategy is strange.

The lowkey intimidation and threatening, isolation, and name-calling strategy didn't work out during the first day. She knows that it has backfired since she witness what happened.

A rabbit can't threaten a lone wolf– a  very feral and bloodthirsty predator.

While watching on the sidelines where Damian is currently on the lead of this endurance race competition, Bethany then asked Jonas.

" Did you invite him to the movie? "

" Yup. Damian refused. "

Jonas looks regretful at that fact.

Regarding her classmate's new behavior, among their classmates, Damian was the least affected by Jonas's strategy. And with his new behavior, Jonas's popularity was also slowly decreasing among the student body and teachers of Gotham Elementary. His new behavior made most of the students want to stay away from him. With some exceptions like Luke. Most of Jonas's other goons are keeping their distance away from him. If he was aware of their behavior or not, Jonas is the only one who knows it.

Eventually while watching the running trace, Luke and their other classmates couldn't keep up with Damian anymore. They collapse exhausted and their PE teacher counters their completed laps. Damian then did 3 more laps before he stopped. There were only a few sweats on him and he didn't even look like he was kneeling over or dying like their other classmates.

He was inhaling and exhaling every few seconds but he didn't look exhausted very much.

" I'm envious of him. "

Bethany heard Jonas muttering beside her. If he didn't give out too early and say to their teacher that he was exhausted, she was certain that Jonas could keep up with Damian. When he give up, there wasn't even a trace of exhaustion on him even though he said that he was tired.

None of his classmates and their PE teacher decided to call him out on his behavior. And neither would she.

After the PE subject and changing their PE uniforms to Gotham Elementary uniforms, they returned to their classes and waited for their next subject teacher. There was nothing many interesting events that happened in the next subjects.

And when it was now time for them to go home, Luke, Damian, and Jonas could be seen together heading to their detention.

Gazing at the puppy, wolf, and rabbit walking together. Bethany wasn't certain who was more dangerous between the wolf and the rabbit who wasn't a rabbit at all but a monster.