Salted Caramel

Chapter One

One Year Later

"Cara? You have a visitor."

I look up from the drink I'm making, and over to where my co-worker is standing. A few feet away, behind the counter, is a young adult man. He smiles at me, a little sheepish, and waves. I smile politely, before walking to the counter.

"How can I help you?" I ask.

"Hi... You made me a drink the other night... I don't know if you remember. I was in a rush, and I was awfully rude. But.. You remembered my usual order, and even added extra chocolate and wrote a note on the side of the cup. I wanted to say thank you."

I feel my face flush. I did indeed remember him. His name is Andrew- he comes by every day, and orders a café mocha. Sometimes he orders a blueberry bagel. I remember the day he came in, uncharacteristically upset. He doesn't ever seem in a certain mood, but I've never seen him angry.

"Ah.. It's, um... It's okay. It wasn't even a big deal... I was just doing my job." I smile a bit, and avoid looking at him as long as possible. Eventually, I clear my throat and look up at him.

"It's really nice to have good people here. This cafe is really the only place where I feel comfortable being, besides my home. There's no stress here. It's nice. So... Thank you for that."

Andrew smiles at me again, and I blush.

"N-No problem, sir. Have a nice rest of your day." I mumble, turning and walking to the back room briskly. I don't want my co-worker to see me so flushed. She's always pushing me to go on dates.

No such luck.

"What did he want, Cara?" Aileene questions, popping up beside me. I nearly jump.

I look at her and stammer, "nothing, he wanted to say thank you," before I grab my phone and step into the bathroom in the back.

I sink to the floor, and pull my knees to my chest.

My heart is fluttering.

I turn on my phone, and type a quick text to my best friend, telling him what happened. I had no idea why my heart was fluttering so quickly, or why I was so flushed. He wasn't flirting with me... He was just saying thank you.

A soft, quick, and rhythmic tapping startled me, and I checked my phone again. Landon, my best friend, had told me he was coming by.

I open the door to the bathroom, and he slips into the slim gap between the door and the frame. He leans against the wall, and studies me.

"You okay, Cara?" Landon asks.

Landon is in nursing school, and he looks concerned... Which is never a good sign.

"Caroline... What are you thinking?" He asks, as he steps close to me, and presses his fingers against my wrist, pressing hard and holding my wrist, timing my pulse.

I stay quiet, and watch him. He pulls a notebook out of his back pocket, and writes something down on a piece of paper inside.

Upon putting the notebook back, he looks at me once again.

"Caroline, your pulse is normal now. Are you feeling okay?"

I nod a bit.

He wraps his arms around me, and pulls me close, and holds me against him. I pull my arms to my chest, and just take in the warmth and the safety that comes with being held by someone who cares for you. I don't know how long it's going to last. But, at least for now, I'm okay.