The first day of school was over and it was safe to say that it was a relief. Usually the first days suck and then the rest of the school year sucks too. At least you get used to it after the first one. As usual, I didn't head to my flat after school. I went to the Café below it. My mum named it the Chestnut Tree Café, after 1984. A book she had once studied for her GCSE's, I studied it too but never understood why she loved it so much. Manipulation wasn't a game I was willing to play. She opened it on the day she married my father. It still runs today even without my dad's presence. It's the only place which I still remember him in. If this place closes, then that was it for my connection to him. So, I work afternoon shifts from four to seven to keep this place alive. My mum and two other chefs worked in the kitchen whilst me and Maggie worked waiting tables.
It was a comforting place really. The walls were a warm yellow and the tables a soft oak colour. Apparently when I was a baby my dad would sit me in one of the chairs at the bar and I would watch him male drinks all day. That was what I liked most about about my job. I had the same one as him, so that made me closer to him, I think. We got two tables today, it was a worrying amount for a Wednesday afternoon but it was the first day of work so people were probably in a rush to leave South London. It wasn't exactly the most relaxing area but I loved the city centre. You could hear the bus and car noises and sometimes you could hear ships from the Thames. All the sound made a person feel less lonely.
Around five thirty a boy entered the room, he was around my age and really tall. I would give him that. But I didn't look closer into his face, I couldn't. I was the waiter and he was he customer. Anyways, I had promised my dad that I wouldn't date until I was eighteen, so even if he was... He sat on the table next to the window and I went up to him.
"Hello, how can I help you?" I asked and plastered a fake smile onto my face. Step one of keeping a café together, customers have to be happy. Once I looked at his face I tried not to gasp. He was somewhat... beautiful. I knew boys to be handsome and heck he was handsome. But handsome couldn't describe him well enough. I looked away, knowing that if I kept on staring, I wouldn't be able to stop.
"I'd like a cup of Camomile tea, please." I nodded and quickly headed over to the bar with my head down. I got a bit clumsy and mixed up tea bags but I got it eventually. I usually did that when I was nervous, I had no need to be nervous. I had seen boys before, I go to school with them. And yet he seemed different. More mature than the usual. If I got that from a couple of words than I must really be a lunatic. I wobbled the cup to the table and tried to awkwardly smile.
"A cup of camomile tea for you," I said as I lowered down the cup onto his table. Half way through the process, he lifted up his hands, as if he was going to take the cup from my hands and not just wait until I placed it on the table. I got really confused and when the boy's fingers touched mine my idiotic reflexes kicked in. I dropped the cup out of my hands, and, because of him, it dropped all over me.
"Ow!" I yelled, as if it would stop the pain. My skin was burning. I didn't know what to do, I was sort of in shock from the boy's fingers. No, I wasn't supposed to get distracted from a useless boy. I needed to push him away as soon as possible.
The boy looked panicked. "Are you okay?" He asked looking very worried. I shot him a death glare.
"CLEARLY I AM NOT OKAY THAT TEA WAS EIGHTY DEGREES!" The boy looked guilty but I didn't care I HAD to act like I hated him. He grabbed the napkin on his table and tried to help by drying my arms but the sting didn't go away.
"That won't help you know." I said as I got up and walked behind the bar.
"Is there anything I can do? I feel really bad." I scoffed at him.
"Trust me, you should." I got a towel and started dabbing myself. It wasn't working, the pain continued to irritate my skin.
"Okay, you need a distraction. So, this is kind of off topic, but I was going to ask it anyways. Can I get your number?" Wait, this boy, who saw my pain was trying to hit on me? Was he serious? Turns out pushing someone you don't know away was easier than you thought. My rage continued,
"YOU JUST SPILLED ME WITH TEA, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW MY FRICKIN NAME AND YOU ARE ASKING ME FOR MY NUMBER?" That was when my mum burst in through the doors.
"Ava, what is going on?" I smiled at her, not looking at the douche again. I didn't want to upset my mum.
"Nothing mum. I just spilt tea all over myself, can I go back upstairs and change clothes?" I asked. We were really quite lucky to find a place right above the café. My mum turned around to the boy and I knew what was coming out of her mouth before she said it. In that moment I wished I had just blamed the boy. But the customer was always right.
"I'm so sorry about this. My daughter is a bit clumsy. I will quickly make you a new cup and you can have it on the house."
"That won't be necessary as I was the one who dropped the cup." The boy said staring at me. He wasn't having the whole hero situation today.
"No, no, mum. You're right I really do need to get my grip. I'll just go upstairs now, alright?" She nodded and i turned around.
"Will I ever get to see you again?" He asked which got me pissed off.
"Nope!" I screamed to him as I started going up the stairs.
This chapter is inspired by a song I found on tiktok called Bubblegum Bitch. I know it has a weird name but it's actually a good song so go check it out!
This was a short chapter too because I haven't really started the book. The official story plot starts in the next chapter where we officially start the book. Sorry if you feel like I rushed it. I might go back and add some extra scenes to these two chapters as they were so short. Then again, I might not because this story is going to need a lot of chapters anyways. I have planned out the full scenario of the story but I have some parts that I need but don't know what I should write in them. So please, if you have any suggestions on what the story should have next, write them in the comments. Also, I will add them but not straight away. I have the first plot of the first five or six chapters.
Xoxo -BrooksAreGreen
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Say Hello, Wave Goodbye -- Louis Partridge
Fanfic"You know, you kind of have to say hello first, before saying goodbye to someone." Louis grins and I hated that he was right. "Hello, Louis." "Hello, Ava." "Now, Goodbye, Partridge." If you don't know this already, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is a so...
