The Start Of A New Beginning

One afternoon when I was working in my cafe on a Sunday…

Mh… I hummed softly as I was working, I checked my watch and it said 3:30pm… Not again… my stomach felt the presence about to appear.

The cafe door opened as expected.

It was Lily Bennett, a former bully victim of mine and she's been regularly coming to my cafe for the past 2 weeks and she's giving me hell because of her weird demeanor even though I bullied her…

Oh well, so I'd like a- Lily spoke sarcastically as she was about to order and I paused her mid order.

Ey ey!, so a caramel macchiato with 2 milk drops, a cherry, with extra foam and less ice? Am I right or wrong Lily-san? I guessed her order very specifically. I immediately stopped her, I had said her entire order with a straight calm and maintained voice.

Oh my my how great of you Ace… I-I m-mean Kenzo. She called me by my first name accidentally. Her face blushing from the accidental spoke from her words, her eyes darting to everywhere but me...

A practical slip of the tounge.

Hearing my first name spoken by her so casual and intimately sound, it made my brain short circuit for a second.

I… uh… Y-Yeah! yeah! whatever tch   I blushed... I moved my hands and I spread her delicate fingers and gently put the coffee cup in her hands. Here. Now go away, shoo.

Lily smiled at my flustered demeanor, almost seemingly like a seduction tactic...

Mh? What's that all about? Look I'm not getting out of your life so easily Kenzo-kun, do you hear me loud and clear? she slammed her hands on the counter, her bracelet… rɇvengɇ and on the opposite side lovɇ.

Wait… L-Love? R-Revenge? I stammered as I looked at her bracelet 

N-Nevermind, yeah! I hear you loud and clear! “you're not getting out of my life so easily” ok I get it! just go away sit somewhere there or something... My fingers pointing on empty seats frantically and aggressively...

Why? Something wrong with my bracelet? Hee hee… why? Did it catch your eye? Well it's just a bracelet you see... she lifted it up to my eye to see both sides of rɇvengɇ and lovɇ, pay no mind to it, and wow you're really trying to be a gentleman for pointing on seats instead of kicking me out, do you like me or something? hehe... She said teasingly, trying to get a reaction from me.

Go die. I said with a straight face.

Oh how rude Kenzo-kun, well I should have known already… a tone of sarcasm from her, while still sounding honest.

Tch… Shut up! Just go away or something. I blushed frantically. I grabbed some cookies and gave some to her…

Here don't think of it as hospitality or something... My lips slightly trembling.

Oh… my my… her soft laugh echoing throughout the cafe, Hahahaaha, hee hee hee. Seriously Kenzo-kun? Well I'd like it no matter what, hospitality or not it's still special…

Nothing is special about cookies…

...

Lily's hands moved swiftly as she took the small bag filled with cookies. She walked away and sat by a window, the one she always sits in, one where she can still keep an eye on me…

My mind breezing through the coffee grounds, and Lily's vanilla scented perfume, my mind swirled around from confusion… Why did Lily now wear a bracelet like that? And why is this day like this?! why do I feel romance why…?

My head trembled. I covered one of my eyes to focus, I stumbled slightly on the counter. Lily noticed this…

She walked over to me, her heels clicking softly 

You ok? You seem to be working hard… too hard these days… get some rest Kenzo-kun… 

Mh? Oh Lily… I'm fine really… nevermind… Don't worry about me, just sit there and I'll rest… I replied tiredly but still honestly.

It's Monday tomorrow… back to school just try to stay away from lily… I don't want any drama… especially now… I'm sorry Lily I was a moron I'm sorry for doing such cruel things to you… I… 

Published by: Ace John Delos Reyes.  8th grader.                                        From Philippines.