Chapter 4: A Different Perspective

I've been watching over her all her life, trying to protect her. She doesn't see me, nor does she even know I'm there, but I've been doing my job to make sure she's okay. Ever since her mom died, her father has been acting up. I'm not the best at influencing other people, and though it's been hard, I've so far been successful at making him not hit her. This time was a little harder though.

Her father wants her out of the house now that she's turned 18. They're having a screaming match and I'm again struggling to make sure things don't get physical, though then again, my influence on humans is kind of minimal.

I can feel her pain; she's trying to hide it but I can feel it. I want to help her; I want to do more than just sit here and watch. I want to more than barely prevent the worst; I want to bring her joy and make her happy.

It's so frustrating not being able to do anything. I try screaming out, telling this man to leave her alone, trying to comfort her, to say anything but it doesn't reach them. He leaves and she starts packing. She doesn't know what she's going to do. She has nowhere to go. She doesn't have any money. I need to help her somehow.

I start trying to grab her attention in any way I can; I bang in the walls, I try to throw books, I try to swing the door open. Nothing. It's all in vain. She leaves and I start to lose hope. I can't help her. But before I can continue to follow her, feeling forever useless, I see a light in the room. A small orb, hidden away behind a book. A go and grab it and everything fades away. I know what this is.

On very rare occasions, a guardian like myself can make a wish, a wish to help the one they are protecting. Though, this only happens when the ones we're watching are in grave danger.

I want to do more than just protect her. That is my only wish.

I suddenly find myself in a room I've never been in before. Information begins to fill my mind, but it's if it's always been there. This isn't some random room; I own this place. This is my coffee shop. I now have money and a place to sleep. It feels so familiar, even though I just got here. I now have a physical body too, with clothes and a… name tag? I now understand my mission, she'll come to me.

The sun is up, and I prepare the shop for opening. It feels almost too natural, like I've been doing this for years. There's a car that pulled up in the parking lot, I don't know who it is, but my mind has been racing. What if it's her? Maybe it's just some random person. But what if it's not?

I see the car door open and out comes her. I get behind the counter. I don't know what I'm going to do? How do I talk to her? I know everything about her, and she knows nothing about me, what if I let something slip up and I seem creepy? As my mind continues, she comes in and takes a seat. She starts browsing her phone and sits there for quite a while. I should talk to her. She's clearly only here for the free internet. I managed to make a cup of coffee, one that I know she'll like. I go up to her, coffee in hand, waiting for her to realize I'm standing there. This is the moment I've been waiting for forever. Once she realizes I'm there, I speak my first ever words to her.

"Don't worry, it's on the house," I say while subtly gesturing for her to take it.