2 Chapter 2

Erin's POV

In a Monday morning, nothing beats a good hard-brewed coffee to start the day. Because just the like the saying goes; today is like coffee, it will be as good as you make it. It's actually one of my favorite sayings, I love coffee and it makes my day everytime I say it out loud, although my grandmother says otherwise.

Walking up behind the counter, I sneaked my way past the back room to get my apron hoping that she doesn't hear me while brewing some beans in the coffee machine. Her back was turned around so this is my chance.

I snag my brown apron from the coat hanger and tiptoed my way to the door,"Don't think I didn't hear you come in." she suddenly spoke.

I look behind me and she still has her back turned around to the coffee machine, how did she hear me?

"Alright, you caught me." I admitted, putting my hands up in surrender. I walk back to the room and stood beside her.

"Where have you been? I was waiting for over an hour. I had to manage the customers myself." she stated in an obvious irritated tone.

"I picked up the supplies from the store and went to Nate's "soon-to-be" bakery." I answered, even making an air quote.

"What did you do?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Nothing. We just talked, he asked me to name his bakery so I did." I said, feeling satisfied with the name I suggested.

"You have time to give bakery names but you can't come to your work on time." she put on a scowl face.

"I'm sorry Gran, I promise it won't happen again." I put my hand to swear and she made the I-don't-believe-you-but-I-don't-care look and walked away to the storage room.

Since she left, I might as well continue brewing the coffee she was working on. A few minutes pass by and I hear a bell ring on the counter, I dropped what I was doing and rubbed my hands on my apron before heading to the front counter.

Someone unexpected caught my eye as I stepped into the room,"Nate, so glad for you to come by." I greeted with a smile, he stood in front of the counter with an exasperating glare waiting for me.

"I've been waiting for a while, is this how you treat your customers around here?" he asked in a complaining-accusing tone.

Oh really? That explains the non-existent amount of people waiting behind him in line,"You would totally be a good 'Karen' in a restaurant." I greatly remarked.

He roared with laughter and attracted literally everyone's attention in the room, fortunately there weren't many people yet because it's still way too early.

"I totally would, wouldn't I?" he continued laughing,"I've been practicing it." he stated.

"Clearly, but try not looking like a dumbass while doing it." I advised him, his tone was good but his expression was completely obvious. He always finds a way to make himself look foolish to other people.

"Yes, ma'am." he straightened his back and saluted to me. God! He's so extra.

"What do you want?" I finally ask him, I shouldn't be fooling around at work or my grandma might scold me again. My long-time friends once came to order coffees but we got caught up because it's been so long since we've last met that the queue went all the way outside the street. Grandma would've killed me if she still had the strength.

"Lemme get a café latte." he ordered, looking up at the menu list. He pulled out some money from his pockets and handed it to me.

"One café latte coming up." I repeated, he moved to the waiting area and I entered the back room to make his order. I grabbed a latte cup from one of the cupboards, grabbed and put the espresso shot in and poured the steamed milk to the latte cup and topped it off with some foam bubbles. Last thing to do is put a little bit of art into it.

I carefully drew a heart on the cup with some more milk and didn't even notice that I was smiling the whole time while doing it. I put the cup on a saucer and brought it to the front.

Nate was on his phone standing at the waiting area when he noticed me come back with his latte and immediately got excited.

"One café latte for a Mr. Adams." I said as I put the cup on the counter. Nate quickly put his attention to my latte art.

"Whoa, nice!" he exclaimed,"What's this for?" he asked me, gesturing to the heart I put in.

"I put my heart into making this latte, I might as well put a real one on it." I answered, earning a chuckle from him.

"You didn't have to." he said and grabbed the cup.

"For my best friend in the whole world." I stated.

"Aww...I think I'm gonna puke at your sweetness." he joked before leaving, he sat at a table near the window.

I don't know why my heart ached when I said that, not that I would even give myself a chance. Everytime I mention that we're "best friends", it's like I'm pulling myself closer to my own misery. If only he knows how I truly feel then I wouldn't be acting this way. Confessing my feelings to someone isn't my strongest suit especially if it's someone who has their trust in me, trust that I wouldn't do anything as stupid as saying that I like them.

Ever since that day at the church, I thought about asking him but seeing his situation I backed out from the idea and hoped to see him another day. All of a sudden, he pops back up the next day in the café, I thought maybe it was destiny for us to meet but didn't get my hopes up just yet.

It was a month later I realized he wasn't looking to me as a potential partner but as a trustworthy friend. It was that day I drowned in my own tears, I knew I couldn't tell him how I feel because it would break his heart and I might lose him forever.

I gazed at him from the counter, looking at his phone while drinking the coffee I made him. I bit my lip as a sign of pain inside me, whenever I talk to him he always makes me feel welcomed and important. When will be the day I must up the courage to tell you?

"Why don't you just tell him already?" a voice from beside me spoke. I gasped at the sight of grandma standing beside me.

"Grandma, how long have you been there? I thought you were at the storage room." I spattered out, trying to act natural.

She turned to me,"I know what you feel for that boy, Catherine." she declared,"You shouldn't be afraid." she said.

I pulled grandma to the back room, I was hyperventilating like a person with asthma, contemplating whether I do it or not.

"I don't know if I can, Gran." I said, swallowing a lump in my throat.

"You can." she said, holding my hands,"You're not gonna live with this burden on your shoulders."

"What if he says 'no'? What if he leaves and doesn't talk to me ever again?" I start asking. My tears start flowing to my face.

"Then you will have to accept it, my dear. If he can't receive your feelings then it's okay, but at least you've told him." she comforted. She lifted my head to look at her, I can't stand myself crying in front of my grandma.

She pulled me closer to her and hugged me,"I raised you to be strong, be strong for me in the worst of times." she said.

She's right, if I don't tell him then I would have to live the rest of my life with a secret that could have either saved me or killed me, no matter what he says afterwards I can bear, I could handle a rejection or two. Ever since I was a child, my grandma asked me to be strong for her, that whatever obstacle comes in our path I shall overtake. It's time for me to prove myself.