The Love Illusion

Chapter 4 - Finding Him

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Shut up!" I scream at my alarm clock.

It's Saturday! 7 in the morning on a Saturday!

I manage to fling myself out of bed and switch off the alarm.

Gathering my Starbucks uniform I left on the chair last night, I start to put it on. I look at myself in the mirror and attempt to try and rub the bags off my eyes.

Yeah that was never going to work.

I get breakfast, slap on some makeup and brush my teeth and I'm out the house by 8:00.

By the time I get to Starbucks it's 8:15. I see my boss, Stacey as she opens up.

"Hey!" I shout to her. She turns and waves at me,

"How are ya, Mollie?"

"Tired." I call. She nods.

"We open in 15. You're on drive-in duty."

"Ok." I shout, dashing inside.

I put on my apron and clean the window.

Over the next hour I get the usual: a cantankerous man on the way to work, excitable teen girls road tripping to the closest beach, an flirtatious 18 year old trying to get my number and an exhausted mother and father having been dragged there by their two young kids.

I'm about to pack up my stuff and go on my lunch break but then there is a honk. I roll my eyes and hold a button down.

"Hello, this is Starbucks," I say, "What can I get for you?"

"Um, I'll have one Chai Latte please."

The voice sounds familiar. I recognise it.

"Anything else?" I add.

"No thanks."

"Ok." I say and take my finger off the button. I make the Chai Latte and the car slowly drives up. I look at it with an open mouth to see it's a Ferrari.

Geez. They must be rich.

"One Chai Latte?" I shout.

"Yep!" they call.

I wind the tray up towards me and place the drink into it.

The window of the car opens and I see his face. It is half hidden under sunglasses but I know it's him. I can still see the scar on him from when he fell over in the playground and cut his lip.

"Oh my god," I say, "Nathaniel?"

He takes his sunglasses down, to reveal his puppy dog eyes.

"Please don't tell anyone. I can't face the paparazzi for the second time today."

My heart drops as a wave of sympathy washes over me.

"No of course not. How are you?" I ask.

"I'm sorry do I know you?"

"My name is Mollie." I whisper breathless.

"Wait Mollie?" he asks.

I nod.

"You don't have to pretend like you-"

"Mollie Hague. We were best friends when we were little. Mollie who I used to eat pizza and chips with every Monday. Mollie who held my hand when I tripped and cut my lip. Mollie who gave me the biggest hug when I left elementary school. How could I forget?"

I can't help but smile.

"You actually remember me?" I ask.

He looks me in the eye,

"Yes."

And in this moment I feel like there was never anytime apart.

A car beeps behind him.

"Oh," he says, "I should move along."

"No." I shout, "Well you should, but I want to catch up."

"Here," he says, writing out his number on a piece of paper and putting it in the window.

"Thank you." I say, "How much longer are you in Colorado?"

"A week." He yells over the re-started engine of his Ferrari. He begins to drive away.

I wave and bite my lip, looking over at the number gripped in the palm.