Effortless (h.s.)

Chapter THIRTY THREE - canyon moon

sorry this story is moving so fast to the parts where action actually takes place but i dont always have a ton of time to write and i really dont want to just stall this story. thx so much for being patient!!!

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"Chuck!" I shouted a few yards away from the elderly man, his hearing aid dangled out of his left ear.

This morning was exceptionally busier than usual. All the regulars had sat in their normal spots at six sharp but around an hour later it felt like we had dozens of new customers. Most of them being younger girls, anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five. Each walked in and came to a halt in the doorway before slowly entering and staring at every object in awe.

An influencer must've came in and took some pictures. I also had came to the conclusion Chuck purposefully took his hearing aid out because all the girls where so loud.

I carefully rested my hand on his shoulder and bent over to meet his droopy brown eyes, "You need more coffee?"

He huffed and crossed his arms, wrinkling the checkered sweater he wore every Friday, "It is too loud! I can't hear you, girl."

My back cracked upon standing up, I poured the coffee regardless of his answer.

I couldn't believe how busy we were, there wasn't a single empty table in sight and a short line began to grow outside. Two younger girls sat at the table next to Chuck and could hardly peel their eyes away from any move I made.

The one closer to me with long brown hair resting on her shoulders, who couldn't have been older than sixteen, lifted her brows at me like we were old friends. I drifted my attention to the girl sitting across from her, lighter brown and streaks of blonde brought out her green eyes. She sat with a high posture, legs crossed, and hands clamped into a fist.

They both dressed similarly. Loose jeans with a turtleneck tucked in, a graphic tee shirt layered on top.

"Can I help you?" I spoke loudly over muted mumbling.

The blonde one averted her eyes to her friend, who was still watching me with curious eyes.

It was like I already knew what she was going to ask. I hushed my subconscious and forced the sides of my lips upward in a friendly manner.

As the girls mouth moved, the words dragged on and slowed time around us, "does Harry come here often?"

My stomach fell instantaneously to my feet. The presence I had in the cafe started shrinking in the home-like building I became comfortable in. I couldn't bring myself to move until a surge of electricity trickled from my heart to both my arms, I clutched the coffee pot.

I parted my lips to speak but came to find silence had swept across the cafe like a wildfire. I blinked around to see nearly everyone watching and waiting eagerly for my response.

"Who?" A nervous twinge attacked my fake smile.

The blonde dropped her jaw in shock, "Harry Styles."

I swallowed and shook my head no.

"I-"

"He wrote a song about this place," A voice a few yards behind me yelled out, I twirled around to see a thin red-headed girl with a floral dress sitting on the edge of her seat, "It's my favorite song on the album."

"Oh I don't think so," my simple answers weren't appeasing the crowd.

"It is! There's pictures of him here, they're all over twitter," another one chanted.

Tension grew in my shoulders and I stood frozen, no sentences forming in my head.

"I saw it too!"