The Detective: Frankiana

CHAPTER 5: Mystery Newspaper Girl

"Uh huh. And then?" Sophia asked, intrigued.

"I was specifically craving for Classic Beef Lasagna that day but my craving was turned down when the barista said that the person before me had bought it, so I had to order another pasta from the menu." Hannah recollected while Sophia was just listening intently.

"When I got seated across her, she was halfway through her lasagna. And that's when I knew she was the customer before me."

"Okay, okay. So the physical appearance?" Sophia asked excitedly.

"Can you just wait, okay?" Hannah almost squealed at the excitement she's feeling. "Well, she's fair-skinned. She has chestnut brown hair, well-trimmed eyebrows, pointy nose, and a beautiful face. She's a foreigner, if not Half-Filipina." Hannah smiled at her description before continuing. "She has very nice nails, and at our first meeting she was wearing a black top, black jeans, and black boots." She continued. "And..." as if prolonging the agony, "she was reading a newspaper."

"Wait, first meeting? So you mean you met more than once?" Sophia interrupted.

"Yes. I first met her the day we arrested that perp who kept 21 Billion drug money in his garage."

"Ohhh. Interesting." Sophia excitedly said.

"Well..." Hannah thought for a while, "The first time we met, she was drinking a tall Hot Espresso and Matcha fusion but the milk substituted for soymilk."

"How'd you know?" Sophia asked.

"Well, I kinda read her cup."

"So doesn't the cup have a name?" Sophia replied.

"Oh! I remember! There's a TODS written in the cup. But I don't know if that's her name or if that was supposed to mean something. TODS as in T-O-D-S." Hannah continued.

"Maybe that's her nickname!" Sophia suggested.

"Maybe. But the second time I met her, her cup says DSS. I don't know what's that supposed to mean."

"Tell me more, tell me more." Sophia said.

"It was the day Captain Romero rewarded me with this trip because he said I was in a slump. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and he gave me the rest of the day off for me to pack my things." Hannah explained as Sophia was just listening intently.

"I went to that Starbucks for the first time in two months. I ordered myself a Classic Beef Lasagna, which luckily was still available, and guess what?"

"What?" Sophia replied almost immediately.

"I ordered her drink for myself because I was intrigued by its taste." Hannah admitted, laughing which made Sophia laugh too.

"The table we were seated the last time we met was vacant so I decided to sit there. I enjoyed my lasagna as more and more people flock the place. And I was about to eat my last bite when she appeared in front of me asking if she can share the table with me. And did I tell you she has a Swedish Accent?"

"Swedish? Wow Hannah. The more you talk the more I'm falling in love with her."

"Hey! Off limits." Hannah protested.

"Okay, girlfriend." Sophia mocked her. "Next, next!"

"So I told her it's okay and that I'd also be going after a while."

"And then?"

"She still has the same International Spy aura except for the denim jacket and the eyeglasses she's wearing at that time. But I got to admit, she's even hotter when she has eyeglasses and a denim jacket on. And I also noticed her small birth mark by her neck."

"Yeah! I'm getting the international spy vibe here." Sophia commented.

"And guess what?"

"What?"

"She was drinking the drink I ordered the last time we met!" Hannah exclaimed.

"What?" Sophia almost yelled.

"Yes Soph! She was drinking a grande Iced Espresso and Matcha Fusion!" Hannah exclaimed again.

"No soymilk substitute?"

"Nuh-uh." Hannah replied while shaking her head.

"It's as if you switched drinks. And then what?"

"So I finished my coffee in comfortable silence while she continued to read her newspaper. And by the time I had to go, I excused myself and thanked her for the comfortable atmosphere, but she replied that she was also finished and she offered to walk with me outside. And she grabbed her unfinished coffee and returned her newspaper in the rack and we walked side by side to the parking lot."

"Awwe, that's so sweet. So what did you guys talk about?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Nothing?!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Yes, nothing. We just walked to the parking lot in comfortable silence."

"Wow. I can't count the times you said comfortable throughout your story." Sophia noted.

Hannah laughed slightly. "So, yeah, when we got to the spot where I parked my car, she was shocked as hell that I was driving a black Peugeot 5008 because she said that's what she was driving too."

"Awwe, talk about destiny." Sophia acted as if with heart eyes.

"And she told me that she'd walk to her car only after I get inside mine, so we bid goodbyes and I hopped inside my car not without looking at her walk away from my side mirror. And I drove to my unit."

"I like how she's gentle with you. And that was really it? You never really asked for each other's name?" Sophia couldn't believe it.

"AHHHHHHHHH! So stupid!" Hannah screamed again causing Sophia to laugh a little.

"But I never really realized that I like her romantically, until I was already halfway through my drive home, and I still can't get the smile off of my face."

"That's so cute."

"But I don't even know if I will ever see her again. I don't know, but I have been craving for her presence after that night."

"But what about your boyfriend?" Sophia asked.

"I don't know Sophie. Prince and I have not been in good terms lately. He has not been talking to me since I paid him a surprise visit the same day I first met the mystery newspaper girl."

"You've been ghosted Hannah. You just can't admit it. And I hope you'll settle things with Prince when you get back. You deserve the closure you're deprived of."

"Yeah, I know."

"Call me as soon as you talked to Prince, okay? And oh! Call me when you meet the mystery newspaper girl again. Don't ever forget that." Sophie said as she enveloped her arms to her little sister.

"Yes po." Hannah replied, reciprocating the hug.

—————
💕