Her Darkest Secrets

2: The New Barista

It had been two weeks since the car accident. Paramedics were baffled as to how I had dried blood on my face, but no wounds. The police never found the woman. I tried telling them that she helped me, but they said she was a suspect because she left the scene. Like maybe she had something to do with my accident. I didn't believe that, which was partly because I didn't think she had a car.

I have never felt like such a loser as when I didn't have a vehicle. I was that girl. The one who always asks for rides or shows up late because she had to walk. My family understood, and they never made me feel like a burden. Although I still got a pit in my stomach every time I had to ask for help.

After a long day of boring classes at the local community college, I sat on the bench outside and stared at my phone as I waited for the city bus. I watched a familiar car pull into the parking lot and make its way to the empty curb in front of me.

"Hey beautiful!" Exclaimed Mason, a beautifully tanned and toned man with shoulder length sandy blond hair. He was wearing a plain faded blue T-shirt and some boot cut denim jeans. Mason and I had only been dating for a couple months, but I could already tell he was starting to become infatuated with me. Even though I had told him from the beginning that I didn't want anything serious.

"Hop on in!" He said with that slight twang in his voice that I used to swoon over. I climbed in the passenger seat of his white pickup truck and buckled my seatbelt. A brief flashback of my body being suspended from my seatbelt flashed in my brain.

"How did you know I would be here?" I asked him. He smiled and held my hand while his foot pressed on the accelerator.

"I know your schedule by now. I couldn't let you take the bus if I was available."

"Oh. Well thanks for the ride."

I know it sounded like I was being a brat. Mason and I had a very good relationship. Although we started as just best friends in high school. Our senior year he confessed to me that he had feelings for me more than a friend. I rejected his feelings and explained that I didn't want to ruin the friendship we had. A year went by and Mason and I were still super close. My relationship status hadn't really changed so I decided to give him a shot since I spent most of my time with him anyway.

Mason pulled the truck into the parking lot of our local coffee shop. It was a small café, family owned, and had a limited menu. The atmosphere was homey and polite, and people of all ages would come here to relax and drink a mediocre coffee and get an overly sweet Danish. We took a seat at a small circular table with barstool chairs and waited for our server.

"How was class?" Mason asked me.

I shrugged. "Same as always."

"What can I get for you today?" A voice said from behind me. I was startled because I didn't hear her approach us. The waitress was wearing the typical uniform, gray T-shirt with black pants, and a dark green apron tied around her waist. I almost didn't recognize her at first. Her hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail and her eyes looked less dark than I remembered. More like a chocolate brown. It was the woman from my accident.

"Do I know you?" I asked her. I noticed her cheeks flush pink beneath her pale skin.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm new in town." She composed herself quickly while telling that lie.

"You look very familiar." I continued. "What's your name?"

"Nova." She said quickly, then looked at Mason and turning away from me. "Can I get you a coffee?"

"Yes, please. Black." Mason responded, while eyeing me. No doubt wondering why I was harassing this woman. "And she would like a caramel Frappuccino please." He ordered for me which I found slightly annoying. Although it was probably to spare Nova the awkwardness of talking to me again.

Nova wrote down our order and then walked away. She never looked back at me.

"What? I thought I knew her is all, but I've never seen her work here before." I explained. I didn't tell him who I thought she was, even though he knows about the woman who pulled me out of my car. I needed to find out the truth. If I was wrong, I didn't want him to think I was crazy.

A couple minutes went by and Nova returned with our drinks. I smiled at her and said thank you. She just nodded. I watched her black pony tail swish back and forth as she walked away. It was odd seeing her as a waitress. Her walk was so graceful, but almost sexual. She could've been a model.

Mason and I chatted for a bit. All the while, I was nonchalantly checking out Nova. I was watching her help other customers and wipe down tables. I was hoping I would catch her looking at me, but I never did. How could she pretend she didn't know me? I snapped back into focus on Mason as he was telling me about a barbecue his friend Justin had invited us to that night.

"I'm not really feeling it tonight Mase, sorry." I wasn't really a social butterfly. I didn't have anything against Justin. He was nice enough. Sometimes I just liked to be alone.

"Okay, maybe another night then." He said a little disappointedly.

After we finished our coffee, Mason and I headed for the exit. I noticed Nova standing in the corner of the room cleaning a table from a family that had just left.

"Hey, give me a minute. I'll meet you at the truck." I told Mason. My brain had sparked an idea. I walked over to Nova and cleared my throat. "Hey."

She turned to me with a blank face. I put my best smile on. "I'm sorry about acting weird earlier. My name is Teegan. You said you're new to town right? My boyfriend and I are going to a barbecue tonight at a friend's house. Would you like to join us?" I rambled. Nova looked at me skeptically and I knew I had to sell it better. "No strings. Just a couple people hanging out, eating food, and there will probably be a bonfire at some point. Would be a good opportunity to make some friends and meet the locals?"

I could tell she was thinking it over. Her pretty eyes stared at me. I held my breath as I waited for her to answer. Finally I sensed her wall go down a little, and she smirked.

"Sure, that sounds fun." When she smiled, she could light up a room with ease. Her teeth were perfectly straight and impossibly white.

"Great!" I exclaimed. I gave her my number and told her to text me when she got off work so I could give her the address. I slid into the passenger side of Mason's truck and couldn't keep the smile off my lips.

"You weren't harassing that waitress again were you darling?" he said with a slightly concerned tone.

'No, I invited her to Justin's tonight," I said innocently.

"I thought you didn't want to go?" I could tell he was a little suspicious, but I didn't care.

"Well now I do."