Who finds you

Part one

"Your total is $10.48," I said, giving the woman a polite smile.
She dug into her purse and handed me $11.00. I took the money, placed it in the register, and counted out her change. "Twelve cents is your change," I said, handing it to her. "Have a great day!"
"Thanks, you too," she replied, smiling as she grabbed her food and walked out of the store.

"Wanna grab some food after work?" Jessica asked as she walked up beside me.

Jessica has been my best friend since eighth grade, and we've been inseparable ever since. Now, we're coworkers too.

"I don't know. I'm pretty tired," I admitted, leaning on the counter.
"We can smoke before," she suggested with a grin.
I couldn't help but smile. "I'll think about it."
"Yay! Okay!" she squealed, practically bouncing in place.

I glanced up at the clock. Thirty minutes left in my shift.

"Hi," someone said.

I turned to see who it was. A girl about my age stood in front of me. She had long black hair and striking green eyes.

"Hi! How can I help you?" I asked, keeping my tone light.
"Can I get a coffee, please? Black coffee," she added quickly, correcting herself.
"Of course. Is that all?"
"Yup," she said with a small smile.
"Alright, that'll be $3.57," I said. She handed me her card, and I swiped it.

"Okay, we'll have that right out for you," I said, handing her card back.
"Thank you," she replied, her smile lingering as she walked to a nearby table.

Jessica was at the coffee machine, preparing the order, when I leaned over the counter next to her. "Do you know her?" I asked casually.
"Black coffee girl? Yeah, her name's Dylan," Jessica said, glancing at me.
"Oh, okay," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she handed me the coffee.
"No reason," I said, taking the cup from her.

I walked over to Dylan's table. "Here's your coffee," I said, smiling as I placed the cup in front of her.
"Thank you," she said, looking up at me. Her green eyes were even more captivating up close. "Your hair is so pretty," she added, almost shyly.

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Thank you," I said, unable to hide my smile.
"Of course! I've always wanted curly hair, but mine's pin straight," she said with a small laugh.
"Well, I think your hair is really pretty," I said.
"Thank you," she replied, her smile widening.
"Let me know if you need anything else," I said as I backed away toward the counter.

Jessica was waiting for me, barely holding back her laughter. "What was that?" she teased.
"I was just giving her the coffee she ordered," I said, shrugging.
"'Your hair's so pretty,'" she mimicked in a high-pitched voice, cracking up.
"Shut up," I said, laughing despite myself.

The rest of my shift dragged by. Dylan had left a little while ago, and the store was quiet now.

"Ready to go?" Jessica asked as I clocked out.
"Yeah, but can we just grab food real quick? I'm exhausted," I said, stifling a yawn.
"Of course! Let's get some orange chicken," she said excitedly.
"Okay, let's go," I replied, perking up a little at the thought of food.