How He Saved Her

Chapter Twenty- Two

Aurora

After an excruciating three hours of waiting, Oliver's dad drops me off at the restaurant down the block from their house. I get in, feeling my heart beat pick up at the nerves passing through me. What do I say? As I approach the counter, the barista looks and her eyebrows deflate in relief, her shoulders slumping and I can hear her sigh from where I am standing.

She had been juggling taking orders and making coffee that the line was getting long and some customers started complaining out loud. "You're Aurora right? Get back here", she nods toward her and I walk to the back of the counter. She hands me an apron and says,"You take the orders and I'll make them." I nod chewing on my inner cheek. 

"I thought I was here for an interview?", I say to her once the chaos of the afternoon rush ends. The girl, who I learned was named Jude,  lets out a huge sigh as she sits up on the counter. I stay pressed on the wall. 

"You were. But we have been so understaffed that I picked you as soon as you came in the shop", she says her blue eyes dropping to her phone that had dinged with a text when she was talking to me. 

"Oh", I say not knowing whether to be happy or not. She types in a quick reply and then turns to me,"No but you were perfect. Poliet to the costumers and patient. I'm glad you walked in in the middle of a chaos." 

"Okay", I say and she laughs. Her laugh is soft and easy. I wonder if she has a background of violence or if she had a nice childhood. I hope it's the latter. Costumers walk in and her laughter subsides. She hands me the notepad and the pen,"And we're back again." 

I laugh and she smiles, grabbing her apron she dramatically took off a few minutes ago. The first costumer that approaches me is a old lady, probably the age of 70, wanting to buy hot chocolate for her grandbaby. It makes me smile and when I write down the order, I add a tiny heart. The next hour blurs by, eventful and stressful. 

"That was crazy", I say a soft smile on my face when Jess tells me she has to clock out now. She clocks out and then turns to me,"Who is he?" 

My eyebrows scrunch in  confusion,"Sorry, who?" 

"The reason you have a smile on your face at all times", she says pulling her brown hair up in a bun. She takes off the apron and hangs it up on the hook. 

I only stare at her for a minute and she laughs. "I know there is one." I shrug and then tuck in a piece of hair behind my ear,"There is."

"Is he hot? Where did you meet him? Does he go to your school? How often do you see him?", she bombarded me with questions so rapidly, her eyebrows wiggling at each one,  I only pick up on the last one. 

"I kind of live with him", I say nervously and she glances at my face to my body, back and forth. "How old are you?", she asks and I laugh a little. 

"I'm 17", I say. 

"And you live with him? Your parents must be awesome", she says and I frown. I'm only living with him because one of them is dead and the other is abusive. 

"It's kind of awful at home and his parents have been taking care of me", I say instead and she nods seeming embarassed at her earlier comment. 

I wave off her apology,"It's kind of nice living with him. His parents let us sleep together last night." 

"No wonder you are in such a good mood", she says and I shake my head violently. She laughs,"Even then. Tell me though, is he hot?" Just as I'm about to answer, the door rings at the notice of a costumer. I turn my head to find my boyfriend walking in with a huge smile on his face. 

"Is my girlfriend employed?", he asks loud, his hands outstretched in obvious excitement. I walk out from behind the counter and make my way to him, falling into his outstretched arms. He tugs me close and I smile, happy to be in his arms again. He takes a deep breath in, smelling me and says,"You smell yummy."