We've Still Got Time

Chapter One: Goodbye, Hello.

[Author's Note: So here's part one! I hope you'd enjoy this! Vote and comment your thoughts! It would be much appreciated! - xo Shan]

The small café in between famous coffee shops beside Central Park was jam-packed with customers ordering for their usual on-the-go coffees in this cold autumn morning in New York.

My childhood best friend, Lizzie, is busy writing names on cups with her ink stained hands; while her boyfriend and my other best friend, James, is balancing a tray of frappes above his head while he got the cup of hot coco I just prepared with his free hand.

"Are you sure you don't want to accept that circus offer you got last year?" I asked him jokingly, slipping a stirrer behind his ear.

He rolled his eyes, going out of the counter, "Really funny Ella." He tried to look serious, but he can't hide the smirk on his face.

The three of us all work part time in this coffee shop during weekend mornings when we don't have classes in the university. We are in our third year in NYU. Lizzie is taking up Journalism, James' in the Engineering program while I'm taking Environmental Studies. The three of us are inseparable for years, and we don't have any problems with that. We're stuck with each other in a good way.

I caught Lizzie's eyes and raised my thumb in front of her. I mouthed, "You good?"

She nodded, exasperated. All three of us are helping our parents on paying our tuition and other school stuff, so no matter how hard and vexing this job is, we need to get our shit together all the time.

The other barista elbowed me and said, "I need two French Press and one Iced Coffee."

I nodded, turning to my own workplace filled with different types of coffee brewers, pitchers, stirrers and jars. I was about to start working on the French Press when my phone rang in my back pocket.

"Hey," I greeted, not looking at the caller ID; I'm pretty sure it's either just my Dad or our other close friend Janice. I pinned my phone between my cheeks and shoulder while preparing the drinks assigned to me.

"Miss Isabella McKenzie?" a soft voice of a woman on the other line greeted me cautiously.

I slightly flinched. There are only a handful of people who calls me with my full name; whenever I hear that it's either it's important school stuff or I'm under arrest or something. I put down the cup I'm holding on my counter and held my phone properly.

"Yes," I answered.

"I'm Laura of Bellevue Hospital. Are you Robert McKenzie's daughter?"

I swallowed; my throat suddenly dries. "Yes," I squeaked. My father's name and the word 'hospital' in one sentence suddenly made me anxious.

"There's been in a big road accident in E 34 St, 1st avenue, and your father is one of the victims who are severely injured," Laura went on, the same cautiousness in her voice from when I answered her call.

I nearly dropped my phone. I held on to one of the stools beside me to maintain my balance. I closed my eyes. Severely injured. That means he's not dead right? He's not dead. My dad's okay. He's okay, I told myself a couple of times before Laura spoke again. "Isabella. Your father needs you."

As soon as I hang up, I took off my apron and hat while sliding out of the counter. Lizzie saw me amidst the chaos of the coffee shop, she half-yelled, "Where are you going?"

I don't know if I should tell her in a place like this, or in this kind of situation. Also this is the first time something like this has happened so I don't really know how to say it. So instead of telling her what happened, between the strangers around us begging for their coffees and donuts, I told her, "Something has come up; I'll be back." I didn't wait for her response; I quickly ran out of the shop and grabbed a cab.