Prologue

" Susan!"

She called me. We're just watching her struggle to lift the box left outside because Angel and I were already taking a break with the brownie on our hand that I made. I didn't hesitate to drop the brownie I was holding on the plate while Angelo remained occupied with eating.

" You keep on eating there, Angelo. Susan should fire you already," she said, lifting the box with me with both of her hands.

" It's Angel," he corrected, pretending to set his hair on the back of his ear " I have already done helping you with two boxes,"

" Two small boxes,"

She grunted after we dropped the box inside the storage room.

Not long enough, we heard the bell ring that we hung on the door for whenever a customer's coming in. we'll know.

But the bakery isn't open yet, we're still fixing the boxes since these are the stocks we need, the tables haven't been clear yet, and even the chairs aren't on their respective table.

Maybe one of them flipped the sign already.

" Angelo!" I called him.

Instead of a correction from him, he came running inside the storage room, giggling, " We have some handsome customers,"

My eyes rolled at him and then went back outside.

I simply hid the plate under the counter while I moved in the middle in front of the computer. It's embarrassing for a customer to see this.

"Hi, welcome to Promise Cafe. Sorry, Sir, but we're not yet open in 10 minutes," I slowly lose the volume of my voice after seeing who comes by.

But, afterward, I let out a smile, and the guy from my left tapped the other guy in the middle on his shoulder.

" They're still close, bro,"

" But, the sign says you're already open," the guy on my right asked, pointing to the door with his thumb.

" Our staff mistook it, Sir, but if you let us set the cafe, we'll get it done within five minutes of your time,"

They gave me a nod as an answer without wasting another minute, and that's when I went back to the room, only to find out they were arguing again.

" Lyv!, Angelo, we have a customer!" I called them, rushing back inside, " I will definitely send you both home,"

I turn my back on them after intercepting them from their argument. There wouldn't be a single day they wouldn't find something to argue.

" It's Lyvie's fault," I heard Angelo say. I didn't mind them behind me as long as they were following from behind.

" I'll clean the tables," he volunteered, snatching the cloth on the counter before Nica could hold it.

" I'll fix the chairs," Lyv viciously said to Angelo, glaring at him as they both walk-in different directions.

And I'm supposed to prepare the baked goods.

I let out all the fresh-baked I made, that's cookies and other snacks. We also sell cakes but only if they're pre-ordered. We have waiters, but they're running late. Good thing, Lyv, and Angelo aren't busy today, and I got some help, but they're arguing every minute I find them or after leaving them alone. I also hired baristas to make the drinks. And this is my full-time job.

Lyv and Angelo seem to finish already doing their respective jobs, so I get to press the bell on the registrar to start calling our first customers.

I had expected who stood in their middle a while ago would do the ordering for them. I listed every order he mentioned while looking at the menu above us.

" Your name, Sir?" I asked, holding a marker and a cup.

I didn't hear an answer from him, so my eyes shifted to him, encountering that I made eye contact with him.

" Sir?"

" Peter, no, just Pete,"

" Okay,"

I wrote his name on the side of the three-cup after he mentioned his name.

" That would be.... 565 pesos, Sir,"

" Carter, do you have 5 pesos?" he asked one of his friends since they were sitting near the counter, but without looking at him since he was busy placing the bill on the counter.

I saw how his friend, Carter, searched his pocket for 5 pesos. He tossed it to him after he angled his back on me. I clicked the register open and gave him the receipt.

But, I felt his hand touch mine, and I immediately pulled away.

My head was looking low when I heard the door ring a bell again. He gave me a wave of his hand after stepping inside. I tilt my head, letting him inside the cafe.

" Bri, take care of their orders, okay?" I ordered one of my staff while giving her the receipt.

" Yes, Ma'am,"

After brewing the coffee he always requests in our cafe, I walked towards the table Mark was seated, which was already surrounded by Lyv and Angelo.

" Here comes the legal wife," Angelo said while I was walking.

" Shut up! "

" Yeah, he already has a girlfriend,"

" I'm just joking, and you're already jealous,"

Angelo has always had something he can use against Lyv since she used to like Mark but eventually stopped after learning he's in a relationship. I thought at first he wouldn't find a girl after they broke up years ago, but they were back just last year. I guess they're too in love with each other.

" Don't you have work to do?"

" You're already shoving him away he just came by," Angelo said with a frown drawn on his face.

" I'm just asking, unlike the both of you who got a lot of free time or maybe not--"

I was cut off by Lyv, with her chin resting on the back of her palm, " Maybe he hasn't had his breakfast yet go serve him, Angelo," she ordered him.

" Why me? " he questioned, pointing to himself.

He tried to give his eyes on me, but he stood up from his chair beside Lyv and went to the counter. I watched him fetch what he could by the use of the tongs.

" Isn't that Peter?" he looked to the other table.

" You know that customer?" Lyv looked at the guy Mark's pointing at.

Before he gives Lyv an answer, I elbowed his stomach under the table, " Used to be my friend, " he answered instead, after downing a coffee while leaning back on the chair.

Ever since I became friends with Lyv and Angelo, they never knew about our relationship. I didn't spill anything about him, about Peter.

It took a while to move forward, but I have to. Everything changed after that day, but it didn't let me feel empty. I made friends, other than Mark. I finished my dream course. I failed. I mourned. I suffered.

But I made a promise, that I would never stop living every time something will come to its end because that is where everything will go, although in every end, there's a new beginning, they say.