Sophia POV
I watch as Simon climbs down from his van, when he spots me he smiles before climbing up the stairs and stopping in front of me
I did not realise you will be moving in so early he says
I smile neither did I but I snatched the opportunity
He nods, so do you need help settling anything
I shook my head, nope all I had were my clothes and am pretty sure I have hands
He nods, so which one is yours
The fourth
He pouts which makes me laugh seeing him this way you're two doors down from mine
I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing, so who are my neighbours?
The one by your left is a hooker and the one by your right is is a gang member
My eyes go wide,
He starts laughing am just joking Sophia, the one by your left is Mr Chandler he owns a flower shop down the road
I nod I noticed
The door by your left belongs to a girl, she usually doesn't come out to associate with others so I have no idea about her
I chuckle at least she's not a hooker cause I love my sleep and I don't think I want to hear people moaning when I sleep
He laughs, don't worry, I've never heard anything weird so you have no problem he whispers
I nod with a smile
So you want to go have dinner he bits his lip
I smile and tilt my head to the side, what makes you think I haven't had dinner already?
He shrugs, then you can come with me to my apartment to have tea
I chuckle what's up with you Brits and tea anyway
He shrugs his shoulders, you don't like tea?
Am more of a coffee girl you know
He nods, we are all different
So that dinner I smile am really hungry
He laughs I thought you weren't hungry
I never said that
He laughs, we can go to the most awesome burger shop in the world just down the street
I shake my head, then you haven't tasted mine yet
You cook?
Nope, but I bake a lot but am not too big on cooking I say as we climb down the stairs
So from 1 to 10 how good are you at cooking anything
I bit my lips 3.5
He laughs at my sincere answer why don't you just give your self a four, we walk down the street, its really not dark yet, people are around us walking and minding their business
I smile I don't remember the last time I did something so normal, because am simply not a four I shrug
He smiles, I have this friend his really good at cooking anything but doesn't have a job yet maybe-"
I'll have to talk to Rosie and Johnny first about hiring we will have to start small with staff maybe just a chef and an extra waitress or waiter
He nods so what are your ideas for the shop he says pulling open the door of the Burger shop leading me to a booth and we take a sit
I was thinking cafe in the morning and afternoons then we can close up by 2:00 or 3:00 then right back up by 7:00 for a restaurant you know extra cash
Hmmm that's actually a good idea but can you carry the work load? He stares down at me
I nod I have nothing to do anyway all we have to do is finish with the clean up and design, first we'll have to try the cafe first before trying the dinner you know too see if we attract people
And if you don't?
I have some tricks up my sleeves I smile
A waiter comes up to us and we make our order I order a double cheeseburger and strawberry milkshake Simon orders the same thing except with a vanilla milkshake
We finish our food and Simon pays before we walk out together again and it's pretty dark now with all the talking we did in there
Hey you're really good at this business stuff
I smile I did go to school for it
He nods and we walk in silence
So I was thinking do you know where I can get a Microphone for the cafe
For?
I was thinking of something, just get it for me and you'll know sooner or later
You're a weird woman he smiles at me
I never said I wasn't, I walk up the stairs to my door and I bid him goodbye before entering my apartment, john should see me now that bastard am surprised he hasn't called me by now for his missing money but I don't think he wants his wife to find out about his escapades
I chuckle and strip down to my underwear before bouncing on my bed with happiness, I smile and close my eyes my parents would be so proud of me, I fold myself in a ball, remembering the day I had to bury all 5 of my family members, that was the day I cracked, and I got crazy.
I wonder what would have happened to me if they were all still alive, my sister Susan was just 19 in her Senior year, she knew she was going to die because it was too late to save her, she even did all she ever wanted to do in her bucket list and she practically planned her funeral like it was her wedding sad I know but she wanted to be remembered with happiness and not sadness I saw her die right in front of my eyes, her boyfriend was there too that boy was madly in love with her I wonder how he is?
I called my parents to come to the hospital when they got into the accident that killed them, a truck ran into them and crushed their car along with another car, I lost 3 people in one day yea bad but that's not even near bad, 2 days later my twin brothers bodies where found in a garbage they were just 16 for goodness sake and nobody in the family had any idea they were involved in any gang shit imagine my surprise when am visited by the police that my brothers are dead and that were shot by probably a rival gang and I was alone, I had to handle everything and they expected me not to lash out yea please, I lift my hand to touch my cheek which is wet since I did not realise I was crying.
I wipe of my tears, and close my eyes trying to get some sleep for tomorrow, I really want to finish up clean up and design tomorrow and also the storage room with the equipments and plates and all those essential stuff I totally forgot about that by Tuesday we should be going shopping for food stuff and tomorrow I'll have to put up a help wanted sign, Johnny will have to go print out the menus too after we hire a chef of course
I smile, who would have thought Sophia the slimy taker of things not thief would be running a restaurant
I smile into my sleep before dozing off
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You know normal people find alarm clocks unbearable but right now am loving the sound, it represents the start of a new day of a new life for me.
So I quickly stand up, removing my underwear throwing them into my basket hamper I skip to my bathroom naked, when am done with my bath, I comb my hair and blow dry it with the blow dryer Rosie gave me, I let slip down my back in its curls, before moving to my wardrobe which is now filled with my hanged clothes, I grab a pair of blue ripped jeans and a grey tank top and my coat, I put on my sneakers before heading to the kitchen I grab an apple before heading outside, locking the door after me.
I skip down the stairs while munching down on my apple when I bump into a brunette girl about to climb the stairs
I smile Hy am Sophia the new neighbour
And am Lara, and I need to get to my house bye she walks up the stairs not sparing me a glance
I shrug my shoulders, it would have gone worse, I start my walk trying to remember the route when I reach the shop in no time just 20 minutes I think.
I open up the back door with the extra key Rosie gave me I know its a little bit too early since its just 6am so I do things quietly maybe that's why Lara was like that cause its simply to early to talk to people.
I head to the front to see the floor is swept and I can clearly see the wooden floor, I nod at our progress and use a rag to clean up the booths and the chairs and tables which I removed from the sheets earlier, when am dome I continue with painting them the brown color making the tables and chairs shinny, I smile separating them so they can dry, I continue to remove the newspaper tapes we taped yesterday since we left it yesterday, the sun has risen and the lights are shinning into the shop, it looks great I pack everything into the garbage bag before grabbing a mop, when am done Rosie comes down
Wow her eyes are wide
I smile, almost done, the seats just need to dry
Wow she says again am so glad Chuck sent you
I smile am glad he sent me too
When did you get here?
I bit my lip 6am
She folds her hands across her chest have you had breakfast yet? she says
I smile an apple a day keeps the doctor away
She chuckles come on, Johnny is cooking up something we could discuss everything before you continue with your amazing job
I smile and drop the mop in the kitchen following her up the stairs to the top floor
Good morning Johnny I say stepping inside the kitchen
Oh Sophia wow you look good today
I smile thank you, you're both looking younger everyday
Oh that's just a lie Rosie snorts
Even when were old and can't see again, you will always look beautiful Johnny says to Rosie making me aww but they don't hear me
Her cheeks cover in pink but says nothing
I turn to Johnny you were the smooth one in your younger days right? I laugh
Rosie smiles proudly you have no idea
She put me through so much Johnny says with a shake of his head
I chuckle and listen as they tell me their love story while we eat, soon were in deep discussion about the cafe, they support my decision with everything as far as I don't change the name which is Rosie's named after Rosie herself
I nod I had no plans to change it, I even refreshed the painting at the top of the doors
Rosie nods, common why don't we go take care of the things in the storage room and john can go take care of the printing of the menu he points to the piece of paper with all our ideas for the dinner menus after we called the apparent friend of Simon who will be our chef,
since the menu for the cafe will be written on the chalk boards I bought yesterday and kept near the counter then will be removed each time for the evening.
We all set to work and by the time we are done with all the plates which are surprisingly plenty, along with glass cups and mugs I move to the front and start arranging everything,
When am done I move to start removing the plastic cups for smoothies and milkshakes you know those ones with the round top with only a small hole for the straw, am gingerly putting the cups in the cupboard when I hear the door ding with the bell johnny installed earlier I turn to the door where a guy about 25 or 26 walks in with curly brown hair and green eyes, he's tall maybe 5'6 but its obvious am taller he's not that muscular but okay
I smile sorry we are not yet open
He smiles am Andrea the cook
Oh i smile, thankfully when I talked to him earlier on the phone I found out he was American so doesn't have the accent that seems to make me shiver each time I hear a hot guy talk
Oh I smile widely you're early
It's 2pm is that too early for you? He turns to me eyebrows raised
My eyes go wide really 2pm wow, time seems to run when you're having fun
He smiles looking around, the place looks better than before he eyes the double chalk board I arranged near the counter, I was supposed to wait for him before filling anything in
We we could start with this now am done with every other thing
I can't believe you were able to achieve this in 3 days some interior designers take weeks to achieve this
I smile I guess when you want something done you take action immediately
He smiles before I grab the packets of colorful chalks, I walk out from behind the counter through the small waist length door,
You can start I have to do something first
He nods, grabbing a nearby seat and start scribbling on the first board
I head outside and place the help wanted sign before moving back inside
I head to Andrea
So where is the list we made this morning we are going to need that he turns to me
I smile politely before heading to the kitchen grabbing the pieces of papers and shuffling outside, I hand him one and I grab one
Soon we are writing quietly with the usual questions about our likes and dislikes then the menus and our drawings by 6pm we are done and I smile keeping them where they are supposed to be
Andrea smiles we did a great job
I nod, we can go shopping with Rosie tomorrow and we open on Wednesday
Wow all this was so fast!! he exclaims
I smile, the faster we open the faster we get the money
Oh you won't be getting much with those prices
I smile,we start small and as we grow and get successful we increase the price, our only problem is I need to find someone that can make coffee and tea so well that people will be coming back to beg for more, I know Rosie baking is the best that for sure is okay but I dont know about the coffee and tea
He shrugs, I have to go
I nod you have to be here by 7am
He nods, alright boss he salutes me playfully before heading out
I smirk john should see this someone is calling me boss, I shake my head, saying goodbye to Rosie and Johnny before heading out.
Am walking home with the bag of Chinese food I bought at a shop near my apartment, I see a pub on my way, its light up, I debate inwardly if I should enter or not but my stomach growls loudly telling me how hungry I am, I pass the pub and head to my apartment defeating my craving for alcohol.
I finish my food before going to bed with a smile on my face.