COMPLETED | "And under the moonlit café, along with the selcouth hymns, the outcast found a place to call home."
When her landlord managed to get rid of the troublesome pair she had as her neighbors, Ezra felt like she was ascending to a new world t...
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10 : neither friend nor foe, yet it was she who woe.
• • •
"Oh, you're here again," Ezra added after her mandatory greetings to the newly arrived blue-eyed customer.
Klarence was wearing an outfit that was somewhat similar to the one he wore when Ezra first saw him entering the café yesterday; a plain branded white shirt partnered with jeans. Simple but neat and screams luxury. He smiled at the gingerhead as he took the same seat he did the day before, beside the piano and near the counter.
"I find your coffee brews to my liking. It has a distinct kick in it. That must be why your café's popular with unusual crowds," he said with a smile that showcased his perfect white teeth.
"I'd be sure to relay your appreciation to our barista," Ezra thanked him for his compliment, although she was weirded out by his ending statement. What does unusual crowd mean, she wondered.
The next day, Ezra encountered a bit of a mishap on her way to the café and she found herself running a bit late. When she entered the establishment, she expected to see either Polaris or Serenity breathing down her neck. However, the first one to greet her was Klarence, who was sitting in his favorite seat, again.
She greeted him as she entered, and when she went to the employee's stall to change and leave her belongings, she found herself wondering again. She murmured, "That's the third time this week. Will I be seeing him every day now?"
It was not unusual for customers to be regulars in the café after their first time, and as an employee and co-owner, Ezra was thankful for his continued patronage. With that being said, she can't help the uneasiness that crawls in her skin thanks to her intuition. The man had been nothing but respectful and polite, but something about him seemed almost too perfect. She couldn't help but think, what if it's all just a ploy?
At least, that's what her gut feelings screamed.
Ezra would never tell anyone, but ever since the dark alleyway incident, she's become distrustful of the people around her, especially men. It could be the lingering trauma, but she sometimes discards her worries, thinking that it's just her overthinking.
Just like now.
Ezra shook away her crazy thoughts and made her way upstairs. Unlike yesterday and the day before that, Polaris was present today so the gingerhead was back to her usual station in the library upstairs. While on the way up, she met Klarence's gaze. But since he said nothing, she just ignored the eye contact.
Once she reached the top floor, she raised her eyebrow as she was surprised by the unexpected customer upstairs. Kid Clementine, her fight-loving new neighbor, was sitting on one of the desks, a book in one hand and coffee in the other.
