By Chance

Ten

“Any time now, it’s this one on the corner.” Elle instructed Harry who had kindly driven her to work that morning.

“Hence ‘The Corner Bakery’, right?” Harry said as he read the sign.

“Right.” Elle smiled at Harry’s obviousness. Harry pulled up alongside the rear ends of the cars that had already occupied all the available car parks.

“Thank you, Harry. I really appreciate it.” Elle thanked him as she opened the passenger door to exit his small, black and incredibly flash car.

“Wait, Elle.” Harry grasped Elle’s attention as she turned to see him before she got out. “What time do you finish today?”

“It’s Friday, isn’t it?” Elle asked and Harry nodded in response. “I always finish at five, but on Fridays Nat usually lets me go at around four, half past maybe.” She answered him.

“Here, I’ll give you my number and you can send me a message to let me know when you’re being let off. I’ll come and pick you up.” Harry said, entering his number into Elle’s phone.

“Thanks, Harry. See you this afternoon.” Elle smiled as she got out of his car with her phone. He drove off as soon as Elle was inside the small cafe.

“You don’t see a car like that every day.” Nat said, replacing her usual friendly greeting as Elle put on her black apron. “Who does it belong to?” She asked, the rest of the day’s employees listening in for answers as well.

“A friend of mine.” Elle said as she tried to resume her usual position at the coffee machine.

“A boy friend of yours?” Nat hinted, nudging Elle who narrowed her eyes at her.

“A friend that happens to be a boy, yes.” Elle confirmed.

“If you say so.” Nat gave a smile that said she thought there must be more to it. She stood very closely next to Elle and whispered in her ear so nobody else could hear, “I want all the details later on.” Nat was in her thirties and was quite sassy. Elle got on very well with her, and if she had to choose, Nat was her best friend she had in the city despite their age difference and their position at work. Elle gave Nat a promising smile as she finally let her be at the coffee machine, contemplating what she should tell her, if anything.

As Elle worked away, she remembered everything from running into Liam and losing her key to waking up on the lounge this morning. She remembered each boy, how they looked, and as much of their personality that she had discovered in one night. Thinking back over the short time she spent with them, she realised just how nicely they had treated her. They were honest, genuine and incredibly friendly towards her. For people who were incredibly famous worldwide, they were really down to earth. She was beyond grateful that they so willingly invited her to stay for the second night.

To Elle, as she had met them personally, they definitely fitted into the friends category rather than the celebrity category. It must have been an instant result of not exactly recognising them first up. As confused as she had been, she was glad it happened that way. She had met five lovely people who just happened to be famous, rather than meeting five famous people who she had befriended. And she couldn’t wait to see them again.