A SUDDEN VISITOR

"Let me in!" A loud shout sounded outside the grocery store. 

Terrence and Edwin were alerted by the sudden noise. They looked at each other with confused faces. 

"I'll go look what it is." Since there was already a line at the counter, Terrence volunteered himself. 

He took a deep breath and went straight to the door. 

Terrence saw a woman who looked like she was in her 30s. She repeatedly slammed the door, creating a loud banging sound. 

The woman's under eyes were black. A sign that she hasn't slept for too long. She was skinny, too, as if she hadn't eaten properly for months already. 

Terrence opened the door slightly. "Yes, Ma'am? What is it?" he asked with curiosity. 

The woman glared at Terrence. "Why are you guys locking the door? You're doing illegal activities inside, aren't you?" She pointed her fingers at Terrence. 

Terrence gazed at the woman as if she just made a big joke. 

"Ma'am, we are not doing anything illegal here." Terrence answered. He still tried to be patient with the woman.

"No! I don't believe you!" The woman shouted out loud again. She took out a plastic bag from her pocket and threw it on the door, almost hitting Terrence. 

Fortunately, Terrence was prepared. He stepped on the side and lightly pushed the door so that the plastic would hit it instead of him. 

"Ma'am, I suggest that you leave already. If not, then we will call the police." Terrence uttered. His patience was wearing thin. 

He only encountered those assholes yesterday. He was still tired from the fight. However, now, he was encountering another one again. 

'Will there be no peaceful day for me?' Terrence asked himself. 

He had just returned to this life a few days ago, yet he already encountered many people. He hasn't even had the time to fully adjust to his new life. 

The woman smirked. She looked at Terrence from the bottom to the top. "You know what? I'll only leave here if you guys give me $10,000," she declared. 

Terrence laughed menacingly, which irritated the woman in front. 

"You! Why are you laughing? Do you think I'm not serious about what I said?" The woman shouted out loud. She glared at Terrence. 

"No, Ma'am." Terrence kindly smiled. "However, what you're telling me to do doesn't make sense." 

"And so?" The woman rolled her eyes. "You know what? If you don't do what I say, then I'll stay here." She threatened. 

Terrence wanted to laugh at the woman once again. The woman looked so pathetic in his eyes. 

"Alright, Ma'am." 

As if the woman can't hear anything. She suddenly lay down on the ground, arms and legs open. She didn't mind how dirty it was. "See? I'm not kidding, so give me my money now!" She shouted once again. 

Terrence just smiled. "Have a good day on the ground then." He uttered before closing the door and locking it again, shocking the woman. 

Terrence sighed and went back to where Edwin was. "There's a Karen outside." 

"Ohhh…" Edwin glanced at the door quickly. "Should I call the police?" he problematically asked. 

Terrence shook his head. "That's not needed already. We just need to not mind that woman and act as if she was invisible. That will save us some time and effort." 

"Alright, but ready it just in case." Edwin worriedly instructed. 

"Yeah. No worries." Terrence assured him. He was already used to these kinds of events from his previous life, and so he already knew what to do. 

It was even worse in the past since people were so desperate then. They would steal and threaten people with knives just to get what they want. 

This one was the most basic threat out of all of them, so it didn't need that much attention. 

Terrence looked at the line of people in front of him. "Don't worry guys. Everything is fine and under control. You just need to ignore the woman in the front."

When it seemed like the people understood what he said, he and Edwin continued their job as if nothing happened. 

*Baam *Baam 

"Open this! You fool! You're doing illegal activities there!" 

The woman from the outside shouted once again after a few minutes of silence. 

Fortunately, it seemed like the people inside the grocery store were already used to it, too, that no one bats an eye to the door or the sound. 

The banging sounds quickly died. It became peaceful for a couple of minutes before the sound of knocking could be heard again. 

Thinking it was just the woman again, no one glanced at the door. 

*Knock *Knock 

"Terrence? Are you here?" 

"Natalie?" Terrence's eyes flew to the door after hearing a familiar voice. 

'How did she know that I work here?' His eyes widened. Curiosity was written on his face as he stared at Natalie, who was standing in front of the door. 

Edwin smiled teasingly at Terrence. "Who is that? Your girlfriend?" 

Terrence shook his head. "Nah," he answered. 

Edwin looked at Terrence with doubtful eyes. He didn't believe what he had answered. "Go and talk to that person… she came here after all." 

Terrence sighed. "We have a lot of customers here." He pointed out the line of people in front of them. 

"What do you mean? There are only 6 people left. Go to that person now. What if she's a customer, right?" Edwin smiled as he pushed Terrence's shoulders a little bit. 

Terrence shrugged his shoulders. He didn't like how Edwin teased him, but he followed his words. He was curious why Natalie was here, too. 

As far as he can remember, he only said his name to her. He just wasn't sure if his mom had talked to Natalie over a few things. 

"What are you doing here, Natalie?" Terrence greeted Natalie with a question after opening the door. 

He looked side to side to see if the woman from earlier was still there, but fortunately, she wasn't. 'Good thing that she's not here already.' He thought. 

After all the minutes of slamming the door and shouting repeatedly, he somehow got irritated and annoyed over it. 

"Uhm… Hi?" Natalie waved her hand. 'Oh no! That was awkward.' 

Natalie looked flustered as the door opened all of a sudden. She was still practicing what she would say in her mind, but now it was all gone because of her surprise. 

"Hello." 

Natalie's hands fidget. "Do you have a few minutes available? L-Like, are you free? I mean, I kinda want to say thank you for helping me yesterday…" she nervously uttered. 

Natalie just wanted to get swallowed by the ground at this point. She was nervous as hell that it was affecting the way she thought. 

"My work won't end until 6. It's just 4 pm right now." Terrence answered as he looked at the time on his phone. 

"Ohh…" Natalie nodded even though she was a little bit disappointed. However, she understood what Terrence meant. After all. she didn't announce that she would come here. 

Natalie looked around to see if there was a place where she could stay in the meantime. She saw that there was a small coffee shop from a distance. A smile appeared on her lips. 

"Then that's fine! Did you see that?" Natalie pointed at the coffee shop. "I'll just stay there and wait until you're done from work." She enthusiastically uttered. 

"Alright…" Terrence answered after he saw the excitement on Natalie's face. "Oh, right, how did you know that I work here?" 

"Oh! Your mom told me about it," Natalie chuckled. "She was curious about what happened yesterday, so I told her the full story." 

"Oh…" Terrence slowly nodded. It seems like his prediction was right. It was really his mother who told Natalie about it. 

"I'll get back to my work the—"

"Can you give me your number first?" 

Terrence was about to bid goodbye when Natalie interrupted her. 

"Come again?" he asked again as he didn't hear what Natalie said. 

"HAHAHA…" Natalie awkwardly laughed as she looked away. "I said… can you give me your number first? I will wait in the coffee shop, but I don't know when you will actually leave for work. So, I'm asking for your number for communication." 

"Oh, sure." Terrence shrugged his shoulders. "Let me have your phone." 

Natalie shyly gave her phone to Terrence. She could Feel her cheeks reddening. 'Why am I so embarrassed right now?' she asked herself. 

She watched Terrence as he put on his number on her phone. Terrence looked so calm and collected as he typed in his number.

Terrence smiled at Natalie before giving back her phone. "There. I'll message you once I'm done here." 

As if she was struck, Natalie's eyes were focused on Terrence when he smiled. It was her first time seeing Terrence's face clearly, and that was the only time she realized that Terrence probably belonged at the top when it came to looks. 

"Hello?" Terrence waved his hands in front of Natalie's face. 

"U-Uhm, Sure!" As if just woken up from daydreaming, Natalie panicked. She hid her phone in Terrence's palms in her pocket before she bid goodbye and walked away.