The Gold and the Forest

II

Chapter 2: Two Ends

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Forêt d'or. The name of the shop she worked at. They sold cute desserts and coffee, paired with fairy lights and a few polka dot prints, the store attracted a lot of young adults and couples.

Vivi worked at the reception.

At 10:43 am, Vivi was approached by who she presumed to be a customer.

"Hello, how are you—"

"Hi—I saw you guys were hiring?"

His voice was soft and awkward, he had interrupted her. Her heart started beating loudly in her ears, she looked up slowly and nearly fell to the floor in shock.

Forrest.

"Yes. I'll get the... the manager."

---

The two poles in the high school love square met once more. It was brief. It was scary. Vivi was dazedly making coffee while the store boss was probably interrogating the new guy. The very new, not-yet-hired-but-most-likely-is-going-to-be guy.

She absentmindedly fixed her hair, her hand working in stiff and rapid movements. She went to deliver the finished coffee to the designated customer, who thanked her. She nodded briefly before turning back to the reception desk.

After a while, they came out and he left the store.

The store boss went back to check the coffee bean stock.

"Sean!" Vivi spun on her heel, running to her boss. "Is he—"

Her boss looked at her in surprise, "Who? What?"

"Did you hire him?"

"Yeah, I did."

---

Set to work the later shifts. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Vivi bit her lip. It was clashing with hers. She was going to see him often, she let out a defeated sigh.

"You know him?" Sean asks.

Vivi nodded. "I suppose I do."

"Well, we'll see how he works out."

"He does work out..." Vivi mumbled until she stiffened, realizing what left her lips. Sean let out a brief chuckle.

"Alright, so you know him in a certain way."

"Back!" Vivi paced to the storefront. "Back to my station! Working! Need a pay rise!"

Sean was in his late twenties, having started with this shop with his hipster aunt, he soon realized he was to take over the store completely due to the fact that his hipster aunt was completely unreliable in the workings of business managing. His aunt was the friend of Vivi's mom, which was what prompted Mrs. Aurelie to push Ms. Vivien Aurelie to come and "help out".

Vivi disliked the idea of a summer job and whined about it, but her mom got her father in on it and they said the experience was good, even if one was well off.

Also, they agreed that if she worked here they would consider buying her dream car. She knew they had already given in to buying it, but she was pushed into working anyway. She didn't hate the job, actually, since it was relaxing. Although it meant spending less time with her friends, which was a downer.

If a certain someone was to come to work with her, she may or may not consider looking for a new part-time job to satiate her parents with.

"That's too dramatic." Sean remarked. "Don't quit. I'll try to fix your schedule then. For this week, though, you have to deal with your... unresolved issues."

Vivi groaned.

"Just a week."

---

She already hated "just a week". It was completely awkward between her and... Wolfie. She was going to substitute his name with Wolfie. Like Min. Except with no gushy feelings.

She thought of Min and Kade on their little road trip, no boundaries, no worries. Tons of flirting. She sulked in envy.

Meanwhile, I'm stuck with this guy who doesn't even talk. Yes, she was stuck with him on a night shift. A night shift. Although she had to work with him earlier in the week, they barely got to talking. He worked like a machine, kept his eyes on his work. Lift. Drop. Lift. Drop. Move Boxes. Clean.

She almost wished he would just speak a little more instead of: "here", "thanks", "sorry".

Today she had to close up shop, since Sean was away on a little emergency trip.

"You can leave first. I'll clean up briefly then close up." She stated without turning to look at him. She went to get the broom.

He stepped next to her, grabbing the next cleaning utensil.

She jumped a few feet back.

"Sorry." His bangs cover his eyes, he had the same messy hair as in high school.

"It's fine." She breathed out, they split the room, cleaning at opposite sides, as far away from each other as possible.

After they finished, he stayed towards the very end, watching her close up shop. She began walking to the bus and then realized that he was still there.

"Same way?" She asked.

"Yeah." He mumbled, avoiding eye contact. The streetlight glowing orange on his skin, contrasting the dark sky.

She nodded slowly, willing the bus to come sooner. But he wasn't budging.

"Same bus?" She asked, realization settling.

He nodded.

The bus came, and they both went on. She stepped in first, accidentally making eye contact with a drunk man.

"Hey, sweethear—"

His sentence was cut off when Carl stepped next to her.

The man looked intimidated and hunkered down. Vivi closed her eyes, feeling a thousand different degrees of embarrassment wash over her.

"Thanks." She whispered.

Carl offered slow nods, as she did to him just a few minutes before.

After she got home safe and sound, she realized the reason he had separated from her a block away from her house was because it was brighter in her neighborhood. And the fact that he was not stalking her, but he was trying to... walk her home.

He wasn't trying to find out where exactly her house was, since he went straight the other way without taking even a single look back.

She felt herself blush.

"That's so awkward." She muttered wistfully.

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