Coffee Shop Girl

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dear Stranger,

I woke up early the next morning and used the time to finish the christmas tree. Hooking all the little decorations on to branches and reaching (it was only six foot tall but, but I was far shorter than that, and far shorter than most people) to put the big gold star Isablle had bought at the top. I stood back and admired my handiwork, Isabelle did not get up for an hour after that and when she did I was sat watching TV on the sofa. 'Are you planning on going out anywhere today?' Isabelle asked,

I thought about it, 'Well I have to work this afternoon, but I thought I'd stay in until then.'

'It's half past eleven,'

'Oh shit, really?' I said, not waiting for her answer but glancing at the clock instead on my way into the bathroom. I showered quickly, letting the hot water wake me up properly. Washing my hair quickly before getting out of the shower. I was dressed and ready by about 5 to 12, which I considered a massive achievement. Although of course, my shoe laces were not tied, my socks were odd and my hair was still dripping wet.

I raced to the cafe and arrived, panting, to work at 12 on the dot. 'Amelia!' Grace greeted me cheerfully, 'are you here to take over from Noah?' I nodded, still trying to get my breath back, 'I was going Christmas shopping after I close the cafe, want to come? I'll give you your wages early!'

'But I can't have earnt anything yet!' I laughed

'Oh, I'll give you some in advance,' she told me cheerfully, 'come on, get in to the christmas spirit!'

'Alright, alright, I'll come with you,' I told her, mock wearily.

'Good, you go and tell Noah it's your turn,' she said, pointing behind her towards the seated people and Noah singing softly. There was actually a crowd of girls, they can't have been older than 13, sat watching him as though they were rather in love with him. I had to try and stop myself from laughing out loud. He did have little fangirls, and to think I hadn't believed a word he was saying. I went and stood behind him and whispered to him, 'Noah!' he didn't turn around, 'Noah!' I called his name again, he continued to ignore me, oh I'm pretty sure he can hear me, I thought to myself. 'Noah! It's my shift! Get your arse off that stage!' I said, in rather a louder whisper this time, I saw him bite his lip resisting the urge to laugh, he came to the end of his song, and turned around to me. 'Don't worry! I'll take your shift too!'

'Noah- Noah- whats your surname?'

'Stewart,'

'Stewart really?' I said, thinking it odd to think of him as Noah Stewart now, when he had always just been Noah to me. He nodded, and I shook my head and continued with my rant 'Noah Stewart!' I said, in my best parent impression, 'if this has anything to do with that table of young girls swooning over you then you get off that stage right now,'

'it-'

'Or, if you wanting to take my shift is out of mere kindness and you had not even noticed the table of tween girls swooning over you then I apologise- but you can get off the stage regardless,' I said, a part of me was actually a bit angry that he liked the attention of his little fanclub so much he would sit here for a few hours more, but most of me was the part he could see, the part that was struggling to fight back laughter at how he was acting and my own attempt to get him to stop. He burst out laughing at the same time I did, and the two of us laughed hysterically for a little while, as we did so he picked up his guitar and stood up to leave the stage. I stopped laughing immediately, 'what?' he said, turning quiet too, worried for the look on my face.

'Oh it's nothing!' I said, seeing how concerned he looked, 'it's just I forgot my guitar,'

'it's okay, use mine,' he said, handing it to me.