Tamina
Twenty-four hours before present
To Brandon: Good morning, Brandon, I hope you slept well, and thank you for last night, it was great. Just messaging to wish you a good day :)
Three hours have gone by since I'd left a message for Brandon, and like a fool, I'd jumped at every time it buzzed for spam or random notifications such as the weather or news. Nothing from him. Throughout my shift, Jasmine has hounded me and gave me jealous glares, and even Charlie caught her and gave her a small punishment for her 'poor work attitude' and to say it made it worse was an understatement. Incorrect orders, and sly remarks, but nothing harmful.
After checking my phone one last time, my mind distracts itself with Gladice's maple coffee and coconut cookie wedge. She's a sweet old lady with frizzy pink hair that loves to talk about everything from the minute she wakes up to the time she sees you in great detail, but we'd have it no other way. At least, we other than Jasmine who throws her a sour sneer.
Charlie dabs at his brow with his napkin, Isabelle opens the door for a customer with two cupholders on hand, allowing a nice gust of fresh air to billow in. It's been overly warm for the shop today, and the only thing that comes to mind is Jasmine's Cheshire cat grin whenever one of us mentioned the heat.
"Tam, can you clear the cups away when you have a minute?" Charlie calls whilst exchanging cash over the till and twisting over to the coffee machine.
"Aye, Sir," I chuckle before shuffling around Elena who's answering a customer's enquiry over a frappe.
Gathering up stray wrappers and napkins in one hand, I take two cups in the other before making a trip behind the counter and back to repeat until each section is spotless and wiped down. Washing up would've been straight forward if it weren't for Jasmine trying to win over Charlie for her earlier offence, so I let her. Happy Jasmine, happy job.
"Tam, can you occupy the second till? It's getting busy!" Isabelle yells once she's served a lanky man in a baseball cap, and I'm quick to do so.
Squeezing past a couple of customers who thank me on the way, my feet come to a steady stop behind the cash register and my lips tug up into a smile. "Alright, who's next?"
I can't wait to go home.
Work finished just over an hour ago, and after a reassuring talk with myself, I'm now shopping for brownie ingredients for when mum and dad return from their spa trip tomorrow. I'd rather find something to distract myself now rather than later to get my spirts back to normal.
Clenching the device in my hoodie pocket, a ragged sigh comes from me. I've lost count of the hours when I'd last messaged Brandon, and now I'm too tired to try. The only thing keeping the doubt at bay is the fact he might be working, and shamefully, it's good enough for me.
With a long huff, my shoes squeak against the grey vinyl, and my eyes stray on each side of me for the ingredients needed for their surprise. Ten minutes later, I find the flour needed tucked in the back of the shelf before shuffling down the aisle toward the till where the familiar raven-haired girl stands. Sammy stands with her natural gleaming smile, and it only brightens when she spots me. Whenever I'm in and it's her shift, there's never a moment when she isn't smiling at one of the customers or asking how their day is.
"Hey, Sammy, how's your day going?" I ask, setting the items on the belt.
Operating the mechanics for it to move, she says, "All's good here, thank you. How about yourself? Didn't you have work today?"
YOU ARE READING
Only Yours
RomanceLike every other book worm, Tamina used to have that dream where a man would swoop in and buy that desired book, and that is how she meets Brandon. Never believing a sweet gentleman like himself could exist outside the pages of a book, doubting how...
