To Wed A Prince (Loki Laufeyson)

Chapter 1

"Good afternoon! Welcome to Cups of Coffee, may I take your order?"

Anna Carter knew that some people would be annoyed by how bubbly she sounded all the time, but she knew this was the only way Ravi, her manager, would probably consider giving her a higher paid raise.

"hmm... definitely a firecracker, probably poor, about 5'6 in height." Anna raises her eyebrow as the man dresses in a black tux analyzes her and keeps talking on the phone. She didn't want to assume that he was talking about her but ... it was definitely about her.

"excuse me sir, just to let you know, I'm right here and not deaf." She frowns as he ignores her and keeps nodding as if the person on the phone keeps giving him information. She turns and sees the other people sitting on her tables and waiting to get their order through. She huffs and gets ready to turn away to give him a few more minutes until he hears him speak. "I'd like a Cappuccino with an extra shot." I write down the order before giving the undeserved man a kind smile. "Sure thing."

Anna was not one to speak up on herself considering her high school experience with being the weird girl who would bring the exact same clothes to school daily. It was hard to go to school each of the following day without feeling as if you don't belong there. It was an everyday thing. She at times wishes she was brave, but she had tried to accept the way she is. Weak and fragile. Anna felt guilty at times for deciding not to go to college, well not right now. She wouldn't be able to have the money to pay for it.

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Her shift has finally ended which means that she's finally able to visit her mother. She walks to the back area of the store and places her apron on the hanger. She smiles at the idea of the apron, which had a cup of coffee with smoke steaming on the top. The display of the coffee almost reminded her when her mother would make her coffee in the mornings, even if she somehow knew it was bad for her to drink coffee. Her lips twitched at the memory.

"Are you planning to visit her again?" Dallas leans against the door frame with a worried expression. It was obvious to both of them that he felt pity for her which would upset her. "No..." Dallas gives her a look as if he knows she's lying then she groans and says, "Fine yes I am! But it doesn't matter , its perfectly normal for me to go see her constantly and you shouldn't have to worry."

As she speaks, she makes her way to the cashier place before placing a 5 dollar bill, "oh and I'm taking a sandwich with me." He rolls his eyes as she grabs the sandwich and follows her as she hurriedly tries to leave , not wanting to hear his words at this time. "Let me come with you so you wouldn't have to be alone, okay?" He abruptly goes in front of her and places his hands on her shoulders. She gives him a blank look , "Dallas..." she sighs before she gets interrupted by Amanda, another employee, "god , Dal, give the girl some space! she clearly wants to be alone at this time." Dallas looks at me expectedly but I just shake my head and turn to leave, "I'm sorry." I mumble as I walk out but not before giving Amanda a thankful look.

It was not surprising to have people pity her. She remembers when she first found out about her mother. Her whole world turned completely blank and she fought to try to get some light to shed. Of course, there were many people who had found out. Like close relatives, or even just people who had heard about the gossip.

The New York weather has turned bipolar and it's times like this that she wishes she had checked the weather channel and brought a coat. the only thing she was thankful for was that today she had brought black jeans instead of her usual use of skirts. She's not far off from where her mother is and she just wishes she hadn't rejected Dallas. She probably wouldn't feel as melancholy as she feels right now. The cold breeze constantly slapping her in the face... it all sounded like a novel. except this wasn't one.

Her stomach grumbles and she's glad she bought the sandwich with her. She steps into the cemetery feeling slightly paranoid at the feeling that she was being watched but she shook it off. I mean it was a creepy cemetery after all, who wouldn't feel that way? She sits down in front of the tombstone.

Judith Anne Carter
1965 - 2017
Forever in our hearts

She slightly smiled at the cursive lettering, "you know it's odd that this stone is in cursive considering you always said you hated cursive..." she longingly stares at the letters, "'I don't know why but I guess it's just one of your many qualities." I laughed and opened my sandwich, as I ate it peacefully. If anyone saw me, they would think I was crazy talking to myself but I felt like if I wasn't. Maybe... just maybe my mother might be hearing me.

It was a year ago when the day happened. When I had received the call that my mother had passed so to a brutal car accident. However, my mother was 53 years old... she shouldn't of been driving. I don't know where she was heading to for her to of been driving so fast. I know my mother. She was smart and I wouldn't believe for a second that she had purposely driven herself into the river. Anna shivers at the thought. She tries not to remember that because it at times makes her feel as if someone had been after her mother, but who would go after an old woman who was nothing but kind to the world.

She feels her eyes start to water and she sighs. "I'm sorry for crying in front of you, mom. I'm trying so hard not to but i still question why you left me? I'm just so lost without you and I feel ... horrible. I can't even pay my bills and- and what if I get kicked out , mom?!" My voice starts to crack as i lay down on the dirt, staring at the now darkening sky. "I would have no where to go." I stay silent as I stare at the sky, hoping she'd hear me.... but like always there was no answer.

A twig snapped and she quickly pried herself off the ground and looked around. She really hoped no one had seen her , or heard anything because that would've been embarrassing. "hello? anybody there?" she calls out but there's no response. It feels as if she's been getting zero responses lately.
she decides its time to head home as she had spent half an hour just staring at the sky peacefully with her mother.

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She walks into her apartment complex and smiles at Matt the desk clerk (I know she doesn't live in a hotel but i don't remember if an apartment has a clerk haha) "Have a nice night Matt." He notices the dirt smudges on her face but doesn't question it. He's seen her with them before and at this point just didn't really think much about it besides that maybe she got dirty at work a lot. "Same to you, Ms. Carter."

She pressed the button on her elevator and catches the eye of the same man from the coffee shop sitting on one of the seats on the small lobby. She furrows her eyebrows and ponders as the elevator doors close. You'd think a man with a fancy looking tux might be a bit richer.

When she get to her rusty looking door, she sees a note taped to the door and frowns as she sees it's her landlord telling her to pay the rent. she might have to wait for a week for her raise, so she'd made a plan to try to avoid any signs of her grumpy landlord.

she enters her door and feels a heavy feeling in her chest at the silence. she makes sure to lock her door because she's been feeling very paranoid today. she checks the time to see it's past 10 PM and showers hastily since she has to work her shift early in the morning tomorrow.