ANNABELLE PULLED over in the parking lot and turned to me, "I won't spend so much time. Will you wait for me in the car?"

"Oh, I'm not staying here," I said, "I'm heading to work."

Annabelle scrunched up her nose and spoiled her mouth in a babyish frown, "That was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

I smiled mischievously. I was not going to let anyone cut my pay.

"But I want to see Thomas before I head to the cafe," I said.

"You're always about Thomas. Girl!" Annabelle exclaimed.

"If you had a boyfriend, maybe you'd understand where I'm coming from," I teased her, getting down from the car.

"Just be careful, okay?" Annabelle yelled as I walked towards the art faculty building, "And call me if you need a ride back home."

I searched my purse for my phone and dialled Thomas's number upon stepping into the building. I smiled as I placed the phone in a slant position against my ear. He'd be so surprised.

I giggled bashfully, covering my mouth.

"The number you have dialled is not reachable at the moment," my phone said, much to my dismay.

My smile drowned as I heard those words and I dialled his number again. Placing the phone against my ear, I strolled further down the long hallway. A few college students were in, either talking in groups or rushing into a lecture room.

Just some meters ahead, I saw Carlos talking to an unfamiliar light-skinned girl as they held hands. She kept touching her hair while they conversed and they were smiling stupidly at each other.

That girl must be Camila.

"...The number you have dialled is not reachable at the moment..."

I ended the call and walked up to the couple.

"Hi," I casually said to them.

They both turned to me at the same time and for some reason, I felt so small. The cheerful expression they had on their faces a minute ago had vanished and their eyes were now intently focused on me. They must have been wondering who could have been so foolish to interrupt a couple when they were having a lovely time together.

Once again I was at the centre of judging eyes.

"Wendy?" Carlos's eyes widened as he saw me, "You're here?"

"Uhm, yeah," I said.

"Why? I thought you were not feeling too well," he continued.

"Well, yes, but I came to pay Thomas a visit."

"All the way here to see him?" Carlos laughed, then stopped as he saw that I was not laughing along, "Wait, you're serious?"

"Yeah. Where is he?"

"He's not here," he said.

"I think it's pretty obvious that he's not here with us," I forced out a laugh, "I just want to know where he is. I've been dialling his number for some time and he isn't picking up."

"Maybe he went to your place."

I stared at Carlos in surprise, "Maybe? This is the first time I've seen you be unaware of something concerning Tom."

Carlos softly laughed. The whole time, Camila who was standing beside him just stared obliviously at us as we discussed. At least she understood what it meant to feel left out.

The door behind the couple opened and Shaquan poked his head out, "Are you two coming back in or what?"

As his gaze met mine, his eyes slightly widened, "Wendy?"

"Is Thomas in there?" I asked as I approached the classroom.

Carlos held my wrist and pulled me back, "Where are you going? Do you know what's going on in the classroom?"

"I just wanted to check-"

"I told you he's not here. You should go back home."

I stared at Carlos long and hard. Something felt out of place. The tension and unease that seeped out of their movements told me that they didn't want me around.

"You don't know anyone in there and you might feel a little awkward if you just burst in," Carlos added.

I released my wrist from his grip and nodded, "Okay."

"If you hurry, you might catch up to him on the way to your hostel."

"Thanks."

I sprinted off towards the exit and outside of the building. On stepping out, my phone suddenly vibrated in my hand and I checked to see who the text message was from.

Tom: Sorry I didn't pick up your calls, I've got a project to work on.
I'll call you later.

I stared at my phone screen, then placed my phone into my bag as I hurried out of the college grounds.

I had ended up wasting my time coming to the college grounds. To make matters worse, I had also ended up looking like an obsessed girlfriend to Thomas's friends. What was going on in that classroom anyway?

I hailed a cab as I walked past the college gates and settled in before the driver drove off to the cafe. Unlike during Annabelle's drive, I could peacefully stare at the buildings before the vehicle swept past them.

Didn't normal girlfriends search for their boyfriends when they missed them? Was I the weird one for coming to visit him?

I shuddered as the image of their intent gaze on me filled my head. Their eyes kept telling me that I didn't belong, I wasn't wanted. But why? Was it because I was only Thomas's girlfriend to them?

But Camila was also just a girlfriend.

I sighed.

We'd meet again at the group date and I would study their gazes again before making any rash decisions.

The vehicle made one last turn and drove a little down the road before it came to a halt in front of the cafe building.

"Thank you," I said to the cab driver after settling my fare and getting down from the vehicle.

Just before I could open the cafe door, two teenagers who worked the afternoon shift walked out and were blushing from cheek to cheek as they walked down the sidewalk. I stepped into the cafe and saw the reason for their giggles, Adrian, who was deftly attending to some customers from behind the counter.

I rolled my eyes and walked down the aisle. As I drew closer to the counter, Adrian looked towards my direction and our eyes met for a second before he looked away.

He sure was passionate about the job, already behind the counter the moment he was on the clock. I had been working part-time at the cafe for eight months and never for once came that early.

I walked into the back room and put on the cafe's uniform before I joined him as he attended to the customers.

"Just tell me the orders and I'll mix them up," I gently tapped his shoulder with my index finger.

"Sure," he responded, not even turning to look at me.

Yep! This was going to be the relationship between us.

"One cup of Camomile tea and a glass of fruit juice," he plainly said to me.

"Right. To go?" I asked, wearing a pair of latex gloves.

"No," he firmly stated, "I would have said that if it was."

Okay, rude.

I picked up a tea cup and measured some Camomile flowers into a tea ball from the large jar in which it was stored.

"Two large cups of iced coffee to go," he said.

I didn't have seven hands, Adrian. Go easy on me!

I infused the tea ball into hot water, then walked over to pour out some iced coffee into two large-sized cups. I placed the covered cups into a cup tray and placed it on the counter.

"Iced tea," I said to Adrian in the most bland way possible.

I walked back to my station and took out the tea ball, using a sieve to strain loose flowers and leaves as I poured the yellow liquid into a teacup. Squeezing some lemon juice and honey into the tea, I placed it on a small coaster and then, on a tray. I grabbed a glass cup and poured some fresh fruit juice and set it in the tray also.

"Table four," Thomas said as I walked past him with the tray.

On walking down the aisle towards table four, I looked up from the tray to stare at the customer whom I was about to serve. It turned out to be the weird man who chased me down the street and rushed me to the hospital when I passed out the previous night, Devin.

He smiled at me and I looked away. Placing his tea and glass of fruit juice on the table, I held the tray to myself and slightly bowed.

"Thank you for last night," I said, with my head down.

"You don't need to bow," he laughed, "Are you on your break?"

I turned towards the counter and realised that there was no queue of customers, rather Adrian was staring at me from where he stood.

I turned back to Devin, "I'm not on my break right now but I can listen to whatever you have to say if you're going to be quick with it."

"I will be. Have a seat."

He slid the glass of fruit juice over to me as I sat down, "For you."

"Oh," I stared at the glass cup, "Thank you. Again."

He laughed and took a huge sip of his tea. I held the glass of fruit juice in my hand, letting the coldness of the glass cup cool my palms.

One... Two... Three...

I stared at him and he smiled before taking another huge sip of his tea.

...Four... Five... Six...

He wasn't saying anything. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"What do you wish to talk to me about?" I asked.

"Are you fine now?" He inquired.

"I'm better," I said.

He took a huge sip out of his tea again and placed the quarter filled tea-cup on the saucer, staring at me without saying a word. What was so big of a deal for him to say that he was taking so much time?

I stretched my lips and looked towards the counter. Adrian was still staring at me with a numb expression on his face.

I turned back to Devin, "Do you have anything to say at all? I'm to be behind the counter right now."

"I thought you had enough free time, since no one's ordering anything."

I thought so too but Adrian was staring at me like I committed a grievous crime.

"Well, I came to apologise for startling you yesterday," Devin said, "I only wanted to return the money you gave to me. It was almost ten times the amount I paid for your meal and it didn't seem fair to me to take that from you. I apologise again if that was the cause of your passing out."

He stared at me for a long minute before he took a sip of his tea.

"No, it's fine," I exhaled.

"Did your boyfriend inform you that I paid him the money?"

I slowly shook my head in the negative, "He must have forgotten."

Devin drank the last drops of tea in the cup and placed it back on the saucer, getting up, "I should get going. My only purpose of coming here was to check up on you."

I got up from my chair also, "Thank you, I'll walk you to the door."

"Alright."

I trailed behind him as he headed towards the cafe door. As he walked out, he turned to me and stretched his business card to me, "I'm Devin. Feel free to call me if you ever need someone."

It would be weird to decline again, wouldn't it?

I accepted the card, "Wendy. I'm Wendy Davis."

He nodded and walked off. Watching him as he got into his car, I saw Clara approach the cafe from across the road. I immediately shut the cafe door and strolled back towards the counter with the tray and glass of fruit juice in my hands.

As expected, Thomas was behind the counter and was busy cleaning the countertop. Even though the task was simple and plain, he still managed to look so majestic doing it. He was slow with the movement of his hand, making sure to clean every single corner of the countertop. He folder the yellow duster in his hand into two, then went wiping again.

He must have gotten a certification for cleaning perfectly.

I gradually drew nearer to the counter and my gaze slid over to his manly figure. Tracing his body upward, I ended my stare at his hair.

It looked so similar to that of the guy I saw on the college grounds earlier. Could they be the same person?

The doorbell softly jingled as Clara walked in and Adrian turned her way.

"Sorry I'm a little late," she giggled.

It seemed her expression was back to normal.

"It's okay," Adrian smiled at her.

She walked past me without saying a word, only leaving me with the seductive vanilla scent of her perfume. She and Adrian walked into the backroom together, while I was all alone behind the counter.

I took a sip out of the fruit juice Devin got for me and exhaled loudly. Placing the glass cup on the counter, I walked back to table four to clear the teacup off the table before another customer would walk in.

"Yeah! That magazine," I heard Clara's voice sprawl out as she stepped out of the backroom with Adrian, "You know the lady on the front page?"

"Annabelle Kimura?" Adrian asked.

My eyes slightly widened and I glanced at them as I picked up the empty teacup.

"Yeah, I just happened to see her today," Clara said with a bright smile on her face.

I approached the counter with the cup and saucer in my hands.

"Did you get her autograph?" Adrian inquired.

Clara shook her head in the negative, "No, I was in a hurry."

Right. Not like anyone slapped you or anything.

She picked up the glass of fruit juice on the counter and took a sip, relishing cutely, "This is for you, isn't it?"

"No, it's not," Adrian replied to her, "I didn't buy a fruit juice."

As I got behind the counter, I set the cup on the counter and stood in front of her, "It's mine. Put it down."

"Don't get so cranky, over a glass of fruit juice, girly," she retorted, "You just might pass out again."

"And don't go yapping what you're not supposed to, you might get slapped across the face again," I smiled.

Adrian stepped between us, "Okay, ladies. Let's all calm down."

"Oh no, I'm very calm," I grabbed the fruit juice from Clara, intentionally spilling some drops on her skirt, "Just tell our cute little princess here to keep her hands off what's mine."

I walked away from them and was just about to step into the backroom when Mr. Lenin walked out of his office, "Thank goodness all three of you are here. I just got informed that there's an event going on down the street tomorrow and we're going to stay open for an extra hour to provide refreshments to whoever attends, so keep it in mind that you're closing by nine."

Wait, tomorrow?

"I'm sorry, I won't be able to show up," I quickly said, "I have something planned."

"Miss. Davis, if you skip work one more time, we just might have to lay you off," Mr. Lenin stated, "I've been trying to be very lenient with you because of your health but it seems you're starting to take that for granted. There's no use having you employed if you're going to keep working for only half the time you're on the clock. Tomorrow's an important day for the cafe, so if you don't show up, you might as well forget about having a job here."

He turned around and walked back into his office. I stared lifelessly at his office door as he shut it, then walked into the back room.

Shit.

I took out my phone from my purse in my locker to text Thomas about my new issue. After making such a huge promise to him, I was going to cancel out again.

I stared at my phone keyboard, wondering how to begin my text.

"Shit," I softly exclaimed.

———————————————
Tip: Wendy often wears her hair in protective styles.