Twisting Our Minds

Chapter One

The rain felt icy cold against her face as she struggled to open the plain black umbrella in her hands. It rattled and clunked - which probably wasn't a good sign - from shaking it and constantly attempting to pushing the stiff runner up the stick.

Raindrops pelted harder, and they began to soak through the winter jacket she wore. She swore, and turned to rush under a nearby bus stop shelter for some cover. Here, she tried on the faulty umbrella again. She pushed harder on the runner this time, but the stick only split in two seperate parts. Damn it.

Pushing her hood up, she ran back out into the rain, dodging other pedestrians and abandoning her broken umbrella in a bin that lined the footpath before continuing on.

It was like this everyday for Harper. The crowd of business men and women arriving and leaving on buses for work; small children walking home from school with their parents; preppy teen girls out shopping with friends; and of course, tourists taking cheesy photos in front of random shops and buildings they found interesting.

Harper bumped shoulders with an older man, and she began to whirl around to apologise when a taxi sped by on the road, splashing her with a wave of rain water.

What a brilliant day this was turning out to be.

She was shaking her dripping wet hands as the cafe came into view. Thank goodness, she could get out of this rain.

The warm air wrapped itself around Harper as she entered the cafe, like hugging an old friend. She had to take a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath, feeling the relief of warmth on this freezing winter's day. Harper was surprised that it was still winter. But, then again, it always felt like winter in London, didn't it?

"Harper!" A familiar squeal pierced through the murmurs of customers.

It was Madison; Harper's best friend from, well, ever since she could remember. Her earliest memories had Madison in them. Wherever she used to go, Madison went, and vice versa.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Madison had turned down the volume of her voice, as she was now embracing Harper in a bear hug. Her long, silky brown hair fell around them both like a curtain, and it smelt like... peaches. Peaches and mint. It was nice.

"I had to see you before you left," Harper had managed to break free from the hug - if she had stayed any longer, she'd never get free from those strong arms. "I don't think I could live with myself if i didn't."

Madison sighed deeply and began walking over to the counter, where a small line of customers was beginning to form. Harper quickly stepped in front of her friend, stopping her in her tracks and forcing her to look at her.

"It's only a year, not forever." Harper saw the twitches of a smile appear on Madison's soft naturally pink lips. "And its an opportunity to start your own chain of cafes. Which is something you've been wanting to do since we met. And that's saying something."

"You're right." Madison admitted and continued walking to her customers. "Besides, I'll come and visit during break."

Harper gave a thumbs up, and watched as Madison served customers. She loved the way she did it; how confident she looked with that flour stained blue apron, the way she communicated, so swiftly jotting down an order on a small notepad, how carefully she handled the baked goods picked from the glass display case, moving them from their shelf into a brown paper bag.

Harper took the time to look around the place. It had a rustic-vintage vibe to it, with wooden seats and tables, old fashioned Coca Cola posters and various paintings and signs. There was a long and wide glass window seat along the front of the cafe, where raindrops slid down the pane. It was decorated with an assortment of pillows and blankets; wooly and thin, fluffy and bumpy, large and small, each one beckoning for a customer to relax there. Many people sat in chairs and booths, each drinking a warm drink or eating a homemade pastry or cookie.