Coincidence (ii)

It's been a fortnight since I commenced working here, and the experience has been nothing short of incredible. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the most remarkable individuals, including a frequent customer of the bookshop named Mary. We quickly struck up a friendship, and she would often visit with various delectable dishes, as she is a chef. Another person I befriended is Fred, a genial fellow who has a deep love for reading. With these two friends, I never felt alone. This morning, I completed my morning routine and began preparing breakfast, as I had the day off.

Mrs. Andrea and I had agreed to add a pastry and coffee section, which has attracted a new wave of customers. As a result, our profits have soared, and she increased my hourly pay to $15. I finally saved enough money to purchase a new phone, which I intended to get today. As I was deep in thought, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Mary, who I presumed was here for our outing. I invited her in as I quickly finished my meal, and we departed. We hailed a cab to the mall, where I planned to purchase my new phone. Once we arrived, I was astounded by the vast array of phone brands available. Ultimately, I settled on a lovely pink Android phone, which I promptly purchased. We then proceeded to the grocery store, where I picked up some groceries, new clothes, and skincare products before returning home.

It was my birthday, and it was the first time in a long time that I truly enjoyed it. I am exceedingly grateful for the experience.

Natalie's POV

I had been staying at my grandmother's house, barely leaving the premises, and I was becoming increasingly bored with each passing day. I needed to find something to do before heading off to university. My grandmother walked into the room with a plate of mashed potatoes and chicken, and it looked positively scrumptious. I took the plates from her and placed them on the table, taking a small portion for myself before settling down to eat. "Natalie, I want you to take some food to the shopkeeper. I haven't seen her in a long time, and I'd like to check in on her soon," my grandmother said. I agreed to go once I finished my meal and continued eating while watching a movie.

Naomi's POV

Mary and I were in my room, enjoying some cake and Alfredo pasta with chicken. I was having a fantastic time, which was a rarity for me.

" have you ever been in love"Mary asked.

" me, nahh I haven't had the Time and luxury for that"I replied

" what about a crush"

I then recalled the girl who had helped me when I crashed my bike. I hadn't thought about her much since then, but I wondered where she was now and if she was still still in lake town. I had never seen her again after that day, and I couldn't shake the memory of her kindness. Mary noticed my distant gaze and asked me if there was someone on my mind. I hesitated before admitting that there was someone, but it was just a small crush and nothing more. Just then, we heard a knock on the front door. I was startled, as Mrs. Andrea had not mentioned any visitors. Mary went to check, while I remained seated, Mary called out to me, saying that someone wanted to see me. I put on my slippers and walked to the shop, where I saw a young lady sitting on a chair, engrossed in her phone. She had some flasks by her side, and I wondered what she was doing there. I asked how I could be of assistance, and she raised her head to look at me.

Natalie's POV

I was taken aback when I saw the girl staring at me. I had searched for her everywhere, but she was nowhere to be found, and now she was standing in front of me. I wondered if she was working for my grandmother.

"Uhh hi," I said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Hello," she replied, equally surprised.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me, stumbling over her words.

"My grandma owns the shop, and she asked me to bring this for you," I said, handing her the flask. "Naomi, I'll be leaving now. It's getting late. I'll go take my bag from the room," her friend said, hurrying into the storage room and coming out with a bag before waving goodbye.

"Your grandma owns this place? Wow, such a small world," she said.

"Yeah, but how did you get here?" I asked. "Well, it's kind of a long story, but your grandma really helped me," she said, taking the flasks from me. "Would you like to come in?" she asked,

" sure" she lead me inside. I sat on the bean bag, noticing that most of the furniture belonged to my aunt. I had a lot of questions, but I didn't know where to start.

"How did you get here?" I finally asked.

"Well, your grandma needed a shopkeeper, and I happened to be available, so now I'm here," she explained. Even though it wasn't the answer I was hoping for, I didn't push it to avoid making her feel uncomfortable.

"It's nice to meet you again, Naomi. We didn't really have the time for a conversation the last time we met. I hope we can finally be friends," I said, holding my hand out for a shake. She took my hand and held it for a while.

"I didn't thank you properly the last time, but I was really grateful. I hope it's not too late to say thank you," she said, with a little smile that melted my heart.

"No, it's not too late," I replied.

"Anyway, today happens to be my birthday, and I have this leftover cake. Would you like to have some?" she asked.

"Yes, sure," I said, standing up to take a piece of cake. We watched a movie, laughed, and talked about Laketown. I stayed there and lost track of time. When I finally checked, it was so late, and I had to go home. She escorted me to the door, and before I left, I gave her a quick peck and a smile before waving goodbye. I could feel lots of feelings flowing through my body.