Chapter 10: Cross Path

Third Person's POV

*hdfbgb*

Astra's gaze shifted to Bryan, who lay sleeping beneath the counter, his words muffled by the counter's surface.

As she turned her attention back to the customer, she noticed he had vanished without a trace, much like his earlier appearance, which had occurred without the usual sound of the doorbell.

"What exactly happened?" Astra murmured to herself, her mind reeling with confusion and disbelief. She felt a sense of paralysis grip her, rendering her unsure of how to react. 'Did I just witness a paranormal event? I'm certain I saw it with my own eyes.'

Wide-eyed and stunned into silence, Astra's legs trembled with surprise, her mouth agape. Suddenly, a rustling sound caught her attention, followed by a flinch as a crumpled paper landed near her. Startled, she heard Bryan's voice as he awoke from his slumber.

"Whoa, what the heck?" Bryan's voice cut through the tension, causing Astra to gasp for breath. She realized the noise had been caused by the crumpled paper.

"You startled me," Astra exclaimed, her heart still racing as she recounted the strange encounter. "I saw a customer just now, but he suddenly disappeared." she stated, looking in disbelief.

Bryan scratched his head in confusion, attempting to make sense of Astra's words. "Like magic or something?" He asked.

"I don't know," Astra replied, her mind racing to comprehend the inexplicable events.

"Don't overthink it, Ms. Astra. Maybe you're just tired and seeing things," Bryan suggested, trying to reassure her.

As Astra composed herself and returned to her duties, the peculiar encounter lingered in her mind like an elusive puzzle. 'Maybe he's right,' she thought, attempting to rationalize the strange occurrence. 'Or perhaps I simply drifted off while reading and imagined it all.'

Frustration tugged at her thoughts, but Astra brushed it aside, unwilling to dwell on the possibility of supernatural abilities. Despite her occasional vivid dreams that seemed to predict future events, she remained skeptical, attributing them to mere coincidences.

Yet, this particular encounter felt different, leaving her with an unsettling sense of unease. The memory of the mysterious customer's gaze continued to weigh on her mind, casting a shadow of doubt over her perception of reality. However, Astra pushed aside these thoughts, choosing to focus on the tasks at hand, unwilling to entertain the idea of anything beyond the ordinary.

Soon after, the delivery for morning staff came.

~

As the sun began to rise, a few early morning customers trickled into the store.

"Thank you. Please come again!" Astra greeted as a customer purchased a hot coffee.

Shortly after, another customer entered, drawing Astra's attention. He stood out with his sunglasses, despite the early hour. Though greeted by both Astra and Bryan, he remained silent as he made his way to the coffee machine. Engrossed in their tasks, neither Astra nor Bryan paid much heed to his presence.

"Ms. Astra! I'm going to refill the cold drinks. I'll be right back," Bryan informed her before heading towards the employee-only entrance. Astra nodded in acknowledgment, watching him until he disappeared from view.

With Bryan occupied, Astra turned her attention to restocking the cigarette shelves behind the counter. As she finished, another customer entered, this time a girl in a mustard yellow shirt and black pants.

"Good morning," Astra greeted.

"Good morning. Could you please tell me where I can find bread?" the girl inquired.

"Right this way," Astra replied, stepping out from behind the counter to guide her to the bread section.

"Thank you," the girl said with a smile, and Astra returned the gesture before allowing her to browse the selection.

Approaching the counter with two loaves of bread in hand, the customer placed them down as Astra prepared to ring up the purchase. Since both loaves were identical, Astra scanned one before inputting the quantity as two.

"That will be $3.15," Astra announced the total bill, and the customer reached into her bag to retrieve the exact amount. After a brief moment, she handed over the money.

"Thank you. I received the exact amount," Astra confirmed, following the standard procedure of verbalizing each step of the transaction. She handed the customer her receipt and bid her farewell with a customary, "Please come again!"

As the customer exited, Astra's gaze swept the store, catching sight of the sunglasses-wearing man once more. His swift movement in the opposite direction as her eyes met his left Astra pondering, 'Was he looking at me?'

*Cough*

"Maybe I'm just assuming things," Astra thought to herself as she continued restocking the shelves with alcohol. Despite the passage of time, the man in sunglasses remained a constant presence in the store.

Bryan returned to the counter to check the stocks one last time before the opening shift workers arrived. As more customers came and went, Astra couldn't spot the sunglasses guy. It wasn't until the end of her shift that she realized he had disappeared.

As her shift came to an end, Astra felt a mixture of relief and curiosity. She couldn't shake the feeling that something peculiar had occurred, but without any concrete evidence, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. With a sigh, she tidied up her station one final time before bidding farewell to the manager and making her way to the locker room.

*Inside the locker room*

"Ms. Astra? Did you notice the guy wearing sunglasses earlier?" he asked.

Bryan's unexpected question about the man in sunglasses caught Astra off guard as she checked her phone for school schedules. After a brief pause, she responded, noting the man's presence but uncertain of his actions.

"Yeah, I saw him," she admitted reluctantly, her tone guarded.

Bryan's brows furrowed slightly in concern. "He seemed fixated on you, you know?"

Astra's eyes flickered up to meet Bryan's, a hint of discomfort evident. "No, I don't know him," she replied curtly, her unease mounting.

"Well, maybe you should take care of yourself more often from now on. Maybe he's stalking you," Bryan suggested, his tone laced with genuine concern.

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine," Astra replied dismissively, her words tinged with frustration. She shrugged into her jacket, eager to leave the conversation behind. "I'll leave first. Good work today," she added before briskly exiting the locker room, leaving Bryan to ponder her cryptic demeanor.

As she walked away, Astra's thoughts swirled with self-doubt, her internal monologue revealing her struggle with social interaction and her tendency to retreat into solitude rather than engage in conversation.

~

As Astra exited the store, Bryan hurried to catch up with her.

"Wait for me. Let's go together," he proposed, but Astra immediately declined with a shake of her head. "Why not? We have the same way home."

"Because I don't want to. Could you please leave me alone?" Astra replied, her tone tinged with irritation. She felt uncomfortable with his insistence. They weren't particularly close, so his offer seemed unwarranted.

"Fine, but I'll still follow you," Bryan persisted, causing Astra to shoot him a cold, sharp glance. "What!? This is also my way home."

With a sigh, Astra continued walking ahead, maintaining a distance between them. Bryan didn't attempt to engage her further, and Astra found solace in the silence as they made their way home.

Upon reaching her house, Astra found Aunt Morph busy in her own laboratory room, yet still thoughtful enough to prepare breakfast for her.

As Astra was about to go to bed, she heard the faint sound of Aunt Morph's footsteps approaching. The door creaked open, and Aunt Morph entered with a warm smile, her hands adorned with smudges of various colors from her experiments.

"Good morning, Astra dear," Aunt Morph's gentle voice filled the room as she entered. "When did you get home? I didn't notice you," she added, her eyes warm with concern.

"Just a while ago," Astra replied softly, her exhaustion evident in her voice. "By the way, thank you for the meal," she added, offering a small smile.

"Of course, my dear," said Morph, returning the smile with a reassuring nod. "How was your day at work?"

Astra sighed, her thoughts still consumed by the events at the convenience store. "It was... eventful, to say the least," she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Aunt Morph raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? Anything interesting happen?"

Astra hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to divulge. "Well, there was this customer wearing sunglasses who seemed to be... watching me," she explained, struggling to find the right words to convey her unease.

Aunt Morph's expression softened, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. "That does sound unsettling. Did anything else happen?"

Astra shook her head, the memory of the mysterious customer lingering in her mind. "Not really. It's just... I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aunt Morph placed a reassuring hand on Astra's shoulder, her touch warm and comforting. "Sometimes our instincts pick up on things our minds can't comprehend. If you ever feel unsafe or uneasy, don't hesitate to let me know," she reassured, her words imbued with genuine concern.

Astra nodded, a sense of gratitude washing over her. Despite her stoic exterior, Aunt Morph always had a way of making her feel understood and supported.

"Thank you, Aunt Morph," Astra murmured, her voice filled with sincerity.

Aunt Morph smiled, her eyes twinkling with affection. "Anytime, dear. Now, why don't you get some rest? Tomorrow is a new day, and I'm sure everything will turn out just fine."

With a nod, Astra settled back onto her bed, the weight of the day slowly lifting from her shoulders. As she drifted off to sleep, she found comfort in Aunt Morph's presence, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, she would always have someone to turn to.

~ To be Continued ~