Chapter One
Do you believe in love at first sight? It’s such a simple question, and yet one where everyone has a different opinion. As for me, I don’t know. I believed that there are times when people came together, just by coincidence and fell in love. But if it was from the first time they met, I'm not quite sure.
The digital clock on my wrist flickered to 12:00 right as I entered The Book Shoppe. Despite its name, they didn’t sell books but coffee, and the lovely aroma hit me like a bus as I made my way to the back of the café to place my bag down.
It was never loud in The Book Shoppe; most of the people who came here weren’t the rowdy chatty type and besides the occasional blender, the machinery barely made any noise. People came here when they wanted a quiet place to sit and read for a while; hours if they wanted to. It was cozy, with a warm fireplace located off to one side. There were tables and chairs scattered about and people pulled them around the store to sit with their friends, Maggie, the owner, didn’t mind.
I set down three books (it was basically illegal to come in here without at least two) and my laptop on the farthest table from the door; the closest to the counter. Quickly, I made my way to the bathroom pulling on the heavy ancient looking door for a few seconds before it would open. Once inside, I locked the door and washed my hands thoroughly. Gazing up at the mirror for only a second, I chuckled at my appearance.
I wore a large panda shaped hat on my head and huge black glasses that shrunk my face, the combination making my red bangs still out in different directions. Moving down, there was a heart shaped mood necklace that sported my name, Haley, on it. Right now it was blue which stood for “loveable” even though, when you think about it, “loveable” isn’t a mood at all. After that came my simple black deep-cut V-neck that sported the saying “I thought we were dancing, my bad” and a ratty pair of blue jeans. Altogether, the outfit seemed pretty childish even though I was officially an adult.
I walked back out of the restroom, wiping my hands on my jeans which probably ruined the whole “thoroughly washed” thing, but didn’t really care. Walking up to the counter I shouted, “Hey Maggie, how’s life today?” towards the back, where I knew she would be working.
“Good, very good,” I heard her exclaim as she burst through the swinging doors. “How are you m’dear?”
“Pretty good, took a walk, did some laundry,” I explained.
“Don’t you have work to be doing?” she asked, wiping her hands on her stained white apron.
“I’m…taking a personal day,” I smiled, reaching over the counter to give her a hug.
“No such thing as a personal day, only a day when you’re too lazy to get your butt to work,” she shook her head.
“Well, I’ve always been a lousy worker,” I chuckled, “You should know that.”
The truth was I finished a large project last night and didn’t currently have any work, but I liked to humor Maggie every now and then.
“Yeah well, all you ever did here was sit and read in the back while customers angrily rang that silly bell,” she smiled. “I shoulda fired ya.”
“Well then why didn’t you?”
“You seemed kind enough and you were just gettin’ started in life, I didn’t wanta ruin your whole life by firin’ ya,” she explained while making me a cup of her famous Pumpkin Spice Latte.
YOU ARE READING
Same Time Tomorrow?
Short StoryI didn't know if he would come, hell I didn't even know his name, but that cozy feeling of anticipation was all I needed. I walked from the window and collapsed back into my seat thinking of what would happen at the same time and place tomorrow.
