Imagine Us

Chapter Four • And Then There Were Four

When Beth's phone rang and Reece's name flashed on the screen, she couldn't help but be stumble in her steps. After their talk, the guy went radio silent for two days straight and with his flight due this evening, she was suspecting he'd decided to end everything on his own. Granted, what was there to oppose the intention of calling now was to announce it?

Nervously, Beth answered the call.
"... Micah and the others won't be in around three. Come over."

Just like that, he hung up without letting her get so much as a peep in. Of course the jerk would simply assume she had all the time in the world instead of considering she has plans. Sadly, those plans happened to be the apartment tour which she gladly would trade for whatever attempts Reece planned for a romantic evening.

Beth pondered if her mother would be understanding enough to reschedule with the truth alone as she sauntered into the humble store. The sweet aroma of flour and sugar tinkled her nose as she tugged her cap further down that masked her. The bright décor proving to make it more difficult to go unnoticeable even in her dullest clothes. She made herself to look attentive with a group of elderly customers marvelling and chatting away at cakes behind the display counters.

Gradually, Beth found what she was looking for stationed at the front with the patisseries. Whether hotel lighting or a bakery, it appeared nothing could give an unflattering filter on the dark haired beauty.

Today, the pink bomber jacket had been traded for a casual, slim fitting grey jacket with a short hem line to reveal those gracefully long legs wrapped in tights that clung to them like second skin. Jun Zhou's focus was fixed on the cheesecake the patisserie had brought fresh from the oven, flashing a wink which she let out a hearty chuckle to.

The sight both relieved and frustrated Beth that Jun's 'magic' hadn't seem to have worn off in the slightest. In hindsight, Beth should've probably known Reece's advice on trusting herself more didn't exactly imply to this. At first, it had been a harmless little act of making a new profile in order to follow Jun on the accounts she was most active on.

Though, the newsfeeds remained dormant for several hours and in studying previous posts and pics, the majority captured Jun dinning out or at least with some kind of snack accompanying her selfies. Running on an impulsive thought, Beth was already calling up the StarLite hotel to transact a custom food delivery, knowing they wouldn't decline a request by the daughter of their legal team's golfing partner.

Beth justified it as a simple gesture,. She felt it was only right that as a local, she should have Jun get acquainted with the finest desserts the city had to offer. What followed was the longest ten minutes of Beth's life, waiting for new upload and sure enough, several were posted of Jun's bright smile as she held the cheesecake.

Beth would've been satisfied with that but then another picture was uploaded the next morning. This one, a selfie taken behind an all too familiar bakery.

The next thing she knew, Beth was grabbing the closest thing in her closet and slipping on comfy walking shoes as she dashed out. Now that she stood there hidden behind a baseball cap and oversized letterman jacket as she observed Jun purchasing the same cheesecake that was delivered, Beth had to question if this was bordering into stalker territory.

Reece would be her best and frankly, only voice to ask. She reached her pocket for her phone right as it rang out, jostling her for a moment.

Her mother.

Beth gladly let it ring out until it eventually stopped. As anticipated, a text arrived in its place. A mere brief summary stating that she was held up at work and wouldn't be available for the apartment tour, spreading a smile on Beth's lips. Until reading the last paragraph;