CROSS MY SIN (forgive me please)

ch 6. enchanted

As the night descended, I immersed myself in work, deliberately avoiding the sight of darkness creeping in outside. With few customers in the shop, I focused on serving them efficiently. Then, a luxurious car pulled up outside, and a strikingly handsome man emerged. As he drew nearer, his features became unmistakable.

"It's him, oh God, it's him," I muttered in a panic, my mind racing with irrational questions. The same man who had rescued me from a near car accident that day, and yet, I had fled in cowardice. What was he doing here? Did he come looking for me? Why did he look so irresistibly handsome? The nonsensical queries swirled in my mind, refusing to be silenced.

-----

Entering the shop, I quickly spotted Pete waving me over. "Finally, I see my friend outside the hospital building," Pete exclaimed with a grin. I smiled in return, eager to catch up with him. "Okay, now tell me why did you call me here?" I inquired.

Pete chuckled sarcastically. "Oh, so now we can't go out with our friends?" he teased. I shook my head, trying to hide the turmoil beneath the surface. "Not like that, Pete," I replied, a pang of pain tugging at my heart. "Let's order something sweet first, then we can talk about your new profound life.

As Pete called over a server, he turned back to me with concern etched on his face. "So, what happened to you since Tayana cheated on you with your brother Sedi? It's like you've decided to practice celibacy. Was Tayana that unforgettable?" Pete probed, his questions digging deep. I forced a smile, masking the inner turmoil threatening to spill out. I couldn't confide in Pete, not even after all these years of friendship.

So, I concocted a vague explanation. "You know, I just decided to change for myself. Tayana and my brother hurt me a lot that day, so I needed to find mental stability... And this career was a perfect choice" My voice trailed off as I noticed him ooh God it's him the man I had saved that day he works here and he is now serving us ice cream. He appeared even more captivatingly more beautiful than that day.

----

Observing him the guy who helped me with his companion at the café, I couldn't tear my gaze away. They seemed close, and I found myself unable to stop staring at him. As his friend called out for their order, I hesitated,but Prim my co worker, was nowhere to be found, so I had to take their order myself. Walking towards them, my mind raced with questions. Does he remember me? Does he find my presence intrusive? Do I appear presentable? I don't know I wanted to be perfect in his eyes.

---
Handing us our ice cream, I noticed his hands trembling slightly. I knew then that he remembered me too. He looked ethereal in his shyness, and I found myself captivated by his presence. Pete's voice broke through my reverie, bringing me back to reality. "Cute, right?" he asked, oblivious to the whirlwind of emotions within me. Unable to find the words, I simply nodded in agreement.

As we noticed clouds begin to gather, Pete suggested leaving before his wife grew impatient. "Okay, actually, I see they are closing the shop," I replied, noting the approaching storm.

----

As I hurriedly secured the shop for the night, the storm outside intensified, its ferocity echoing the turmoil within me. Each clap of thunder felt like a taunt, a cruel reminder of past traumas. I fumbled with the locks, my hands shaking uncontrollably. The memories of that fateful night threatened to overwhelm me, and I fought to push them back, to escape the suffocating grip of fear.

With the shop finally secured, I ventured out into the deluge, my heart racing with each step. Rain lashed against me, blurring my vision and heightening my sense of unease. Every passing car felt like a threat, Desperation clawed at me as I searched for a means of escape, my thoughts consumed by the haunting specter of that night long ago.

Suddenly, a car parked nearby, and a wave of panic washed over me. My instincts screamed at me to flee, but my legs refused to obey. I felt as though history were repeating itself, the nightmarish events of the past echoing in the present moment. As the car window rolled down, I braced myself for the worst.

"Can I give you a lift?" he asked, his voice cutting through the pounding rain.