MELODY (Book 1) ✓

Chapter 21 (Serpentine Invasion)

My heart flopped onto the floor.

The likelihood of this being a joke, a coincidence or even a bad dream was incredibly small so I felt my brain freezing up for a while.

Could it be her? How come? How did she find out where I work?

"Ha!" I uttered with a strained voice, trying not freak out, "is she still there?"

"Yeah! Your shirt looks adorable on you though. This one looks like a bimbo! " she sneered and skipped back to her place, her long hair dancing against her back.

Here's another confirmation of my suspicions!

I swallowed.

This is not happening!

Yes. This was really happening! But I had to make sure that it was who I thought it was! Even though I felt my stomach twisting into tight knots and my ears whistling like a kettle on the stove.

Feeling weak in the knees, I got up shakily from the hard barstool, creeping towards the front counter to sneak a furtive glance at the polo - clad visitor, which might never help to calm my nerves.

Asha turned to watch me with wide eyes, her eyebrows floating up as I ducked my head just below the marble surface of the counter.

"Just curious," I whispered with a fake calm expression, looking up from under her elbow.

Asha shrugged.

"She's sitting to the left, right next to the entrance," Asha whispered back, moving closer to shield me with her petite frame without even asking why I was acting so weird. Probably that didn't seem too weird in her book.

I poked my head to have a quick look where she told me.

My head bobbed up for a few seconds to check out the blonde head that sat casually, a dozen steps away from us, chatting on the phone. She was wearing said shirt over super skinny jeans, her black heels jutted out as she crossed her legs. The shirt hugged her bust tightly showing its perfect curves.

It never looked this way on me!

Even though I expected it was her, I almost slipped and fell on my butt when the blonde turned her stone gray eyes in my direction- so confidently as if she sensed that I was staring.

A Cheshire-Cat grin spread across Vivian's lips. We made eye contact for a second then she turned her face away, pretending she didn't notice.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Asha, whisper-shouted, bending slightly to give me a hand.

"Um!... I... slipped!" I stuttered. My heart was having a panic attack on my behalf.

I gripped her hand and the edge of the counter and glided forward into my little confined corner, internally quaking.

Breathe!...Just breathe!

Deliberately, I inhaled, hoping the oxygen would calm my trembling hands so I could do my work properly.

"She wants a skinny latte," Asha said giggling, "Nothing gets any skinnier than those pair of jeans."

Yes it does , Ash! You have no idea!

Asha had no clue how I was feeling right now but I was glad she didn't notice anything unusual in Vivian's fleeting grin nor did she guess we knew each other. After all, it was normal for people talking on the phone to show reactions that were meant for the person on the other end. Customers and their familiar habits!

Honestly, I couldn't handle it if Asha ended up hating me for hiding so much about myself. I'd tried not to lie to her but I'd given her a vague briefing about my life situation along with the same lie I told Akram about my parents. I couldn't tell her how messed up my life was. I just couldn't!