Change of Heart 3

Chapter 8

 "You know," She folded her legs on the red metallic stool that stood up around the island in the middle of the coffee shop. "California used to be a wonderful place to live." With a sigh she turned the page on the paper and made eye contact with the waitress. Her dark eyes looked at her as though she was trying to see right through. "Don't you think?"

"Huh?" Lydia was so focused on putting the right amount of coffee beans into the maker that she completely zoned out and forgot she had company. The shop was as busy as it was on a Saturday and her appearance sold out just how tired she really was under all of that cheerfulness. Her blond hair was swooped up into a messy bun and her lipstick was beginning to fade, leaving her lips a light shade of rose pink. Wiping her face on the sleeve of her white shirt she looked up at the woman who was still flipping through the paper.

"I was just saying that California was such a nice residence." The woman smiled and closed the paper. Unlike Lydia at the moment, she looked quite picture perfect. Her platinum blond hair fell neatly down her back; each wave looking individually styled. Her face was so smooth and perfectly made that Lydia wondered if she morphed out of People's magazine.

"Was? Isn't it still a nice place?" The tired waitress leaned onto the counter and looked directly at her flawless customer. She couldn't put a finger on it but something felt off about this woman.

"I don't think it's that nice anymore, I mean, look at these numbers." She held the paper up. "Over a dozen women were killed during the past three months, one of which was a very popular therapist. Now, day by day, more and more murders are happening. There are some serious killers on the loose and they're starting to freak me out." She dropped the paper on the counter and held her head in her hands. She really looked stressed but all Lydia noticed was her perfect manicure. How she longed to pamper herself like that someday.

"The killings are scary yes but hey, crime is universal." Lydia shrugged and poured the freshly brewed coffee into a white coffee cup with the "Stefano's" logo printed at the top. "I think when you have people here it changes the way you think, you know?"

"What do you mean?" She raised an eyebrow and added sugar to her cup.

"Well, I've made some friends within the past few months and they make me happy. Sure there're some messed up stuff going on but they make it better." An unconscious smile spread across her face as she wiped the counter.

"Seems to me like these friends are more than just that. Anyone in particular is responsible for that huge smile?"

Immediately Adrian came to mind. When Lydia first saw him they didn't speak; in fact, he didn't see her that night. She kept herself hidden behind the doors leading to the kitchen and admired him from that very spot during the nights that followed. At first her heart raced, then came the butterflies. Finally, she admitted to herself that she wasn't just crushing on him but she was allowing herself fall in love with a complete stranger.

After she built up a wall of courage and wrote him a note one day which complimented him, hopefully soothed him and requested his name she did indeed find out what it was but not from him.

That was the night, just as she was about to lock up, was approached by a girl with curly hair who introduced herself as Ember. Not only did Ember tell her that the beautiful curly headed boy's name was Adrian Reynard, but she also let loose a boulder at Lydia's wall of courage causing it to crumble.

"You are now Adrian's Caretaker and only that!"

During her following encounters with Adrian, Lydia chanted Ember's words like a mantra in her head reminding herself that Adrian, through no cause of her own, was out of her league. It was hard at first, but after spending countless nights at the coffee shop after closing time which could've gotten her fired, Lydia and Adrian became inseparable best friends. She loved him and he loved her dearly. Their friendship was definitely going to be one to last.