Friend-lake Chronicles

Chapter 1 - In a little town called...

Looking around the man couldn't find any trace of a menu, and so he approached the woman behind the counter. Tapping lightly on the wooden surface to try, and get her attention. A gesture that failed to register in the woman's mind. Tapping any louder didn't work, and neither did just saying "hey".

It took tapping her shoulder in order to get a response.

"Hey do you mind? Can't you see I'm reading a book?!" the woman said, her raven hair going down past her shoulders, and draping over bits of her neck. The book lowered, as a glint of frustration reflected in her eyes. Which made for an icy stare that made the man feel a little cold, and meek.

But not even a second passed before that frustration turned to shock, and then excitement.

"Oh my gosh you're a customer!"

The dark skinned man blinked, stunned as the woman put her book down and leaned in close, going over the counter.

"You're a customer right? Like, you came in here to buy something to eat or maybe drink?!"

The man leaned back, as the woman seemed to have hopped onto the counter to get even closer than before.

"Uh...yes...?"

The woman smiled, before hopping off the counter and exclaiming "yes! A customer! Man, I haven't had one of those in a while..."

"I uh...I can see that".

"Whew, okay calm down Marcelle..." the woman said to herself, as she took in a deep breath and let it out.

Before looking at the new customer, and smiling asking "so, what can I get you on this fine night?"

"You got any tea?"

"Oh don't you know it! What kind are you looking for? We have English Breakfast, Green Tea, Apple Cinnamon, Maple Cider, Orange Pekoe, Relish, Earl Gray" said Marcelle, as she waltzed around the many boxes that hung off the wall behind her, checking and tapping each box with glee before turning around and facing the man with a smile.

"There's a lot of options".

"I...can also see that..." the man replied before thinking 'wait did she also say relish?'

"So what ya in the mood for?"

"Uh...Earl Gray".

"Excellent choice – though I personally favor English Breakfast" said Marcelle, as she pulled out a tea bag from the box labelled 'Earl Gray'.

"Just something about the taste of the British that makes it all the more delectable" Marcelle rambled off, as she got to work putting the man's tea together. Leaving said man understandably confused, as he tried to comprehend what Marcelle just said.

"Oh, and where are my manners? Name's Marcelle, and you?"

"Raj".

The woman smiled, as she let the coffee machine whirr to life and boil some water.

"Nice name. Haven't met a Raj before. Last guy I met was someone named Stephen, but he was no fun. Had a drinking problem, which was funny cause he was a writer".

Raj furrowed a brow, and was about to ask when Marcelle cut him off by asking "so Raj, what brings you all the way out here?"

"Uh, huh?"

"You'd have to go pretty far out of your way to wind up here, so what gives? Going somewhere remote?"

"Something like that".

"Where you headed? No wait! Don't answer that, lemme guess!"

Raj chuckled, and replied "I don't think y-"