Where It All Started

4 - 11:34am

His watch is broken. That expensive looking watch I saw wrapped around his wrist Monday morning, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday. It's broken. I guess Friday nights are our thing, because once again we ran into each other in Mini Mart around six. He handed me my macaroni box I dropped and I noticed his watch show 11:34am. But it was 6:05pm....Why do you wear a broken watch? I want to ask but don't. "Sorry, I need to start looking where I am going" I chuckle, looking down nervously. I don't want it to come off as I purposely am bumping into him. I'm not, I'm just clumsy.

"That's okay, I should too." I notice him rub the back of his neck.

"Well better get going, see ya" I walk away and pay for my macaroni before I say something I regret, like asking for his number and him declining, or asking why his watch is broken.

𐩘

"A chocolate croissant with a small Apple Cider please" a younger woman with a baby in her arms asks, waving her mastercard card.

"Sure, five o'five" I hand the card machine to her and I hear the beep. "Thanks, have a great day" I give the tea and the snack to her, and she hands the paper bag to the baby. I wonder what it would be like to have a whole person to care for. I feel like just taking care of myself is a big responsibility.

"Emery, you can go on your break before the wave" Cynthia calls out, pouring a cup of coffee, adding a splash of milk to it and handing it to a customer. I look up at the clock just above the door of the store. 11:29am.

"Can it go in five minutes?"

"Uh, okay sure" she chuckles, now mixing a bunch of donuts in a box of six.

"Thanks" I smile, and three more customers come, until him. Exactly 11:34am.

"Hey"

"Hi, hm let me guess. Medium black coffee with an apple fritter?"

He smiles, "How'd you know?"

I shrug, "Just a hunch." I smile, punching in the price in the debit machine and hand it to him, then go to assemble his regular order. When I hear the beep I hand him his stuff and he thanks me before leaving. "Okay, I'm on break now" I leave the counter and this girl named Mazie takes over for me.

"Ohhh I get it now. You wanted to stay till Cute Boy came, huh?" Cynthia giggles, handing an apple fritter to a customer. Cute Boy? She thinks he's cute too?!

"What? No, I just wasn't hungry yet"

"Oh but five minutes is a big hunger difference?"

"Mhm, goodbye" I take a croissant and leave to go in the back.

I arrive home and watch some t.v with Harley as I eat the spaghetti I made, when I got home around 5:20pm. Harley and I are watching Gilmore Girls for the 13th time, the best show ever.

𐩘

I get to work for nine again, and this time Cynthia is there before me. "Morning Emery!" she curled her hair this morning.

"Hey you, where are you going?!" I tie my apron and help hand out coffees.

"What? Nowhere.."

"Explain then why you have pink lipstick and your hair is curled?" I flick her blonde curl off her shoulder, and giggle when it bounces back up.

"Ugh, fine. I'm going on a date tonight with this guy I met in the town over from here, on the weekend" she smiles at me, and then looks at the customer again, handing an old man his change.

"Whatttt, that's awesome Cynth" I nudge her shoulder before handing the man his honey dipped donut, and small coffee.

"I know right?!"

Since when are there exciting things happening in Willowbook?

It's 11:26am and I'm back on cash, while a new girl named Ivy helps me. "After Cute Boy comes and get's the same thing, make sure you put Ivy on cash and teach her" Cynthia calls out to me.

I roll my eyes at her, "Stop saying that!"

"What? Cute Boy? How you want to cash him out everytime? Never!" She walks past me, filling coffee beans in the coffee machine.

"Oh whatever! And I will. Ivy as a matter of fact, I'll help you right now" I switch places with her, and she welcomes the next customer.

"Uhh, no. Ivy you can take over cash after eleven thirty four" Cynthia walks past us again, but pulls my arm to switch places with Ivy again. "Sorry Hunny, don't take it personally"

"Hey, how do you know about that?" I turn to look at her as he walks past us again, putting filters in the coffee machine now.

"Know what? The eleven thirty four thing?' she smirks.

"Yes that" I smile at the customer accepting his ten dollar bill, and Ivy hands him his five coffees in a tray.

"Well, that guy comes in this shop at that time every single day!! Well that was before he found out what days you worked, now he just comes during the week"

What? "He what?" I feel my heart get all fuzzy.

"Yeah, Emily and Will that work weekends said there was this guy that kept ordering the same thing, and came in at the exact same time both days" she shrugs, walking back behind us to grab napkins and refill the dispenser.

"Really?!"

Cynthia smiles, "Oh yeah, that's why you need to hurry up and give him your number!"

"Shh" I giggle, and hand a blonde haired boy the debit machine. "Have a good day"

"Is that him?" Ivy bumps my hip and giggles, looking at the door.

I look up and see that blue eyed, brown haired, stunning human being. "Maybe" I look down, and shush her.

"Hi there. Could I get a medium black coffee and an apple fritter, please?" his voice rings in my ears and I nod, typing it in the till.

"Yeah, five fifteen" I practically whisper because he already knows the price of his regular order now. I leave to make his coffee and Ivy puts a fritter in a bag. I quickly grab a black sharpe and write my phone number on his cup, and take in a deep breath before turning back.

"Thank you" I feel his eyes roam my face, and I look up so our eyes lock.

"Have a good day" I smile, handing him his coffee.

"You too"

Here goes nothing.