Luke sent me off to work before going to school by driving himself. I thanked him repeatedly for making me feel so much better and he said it was all he could be doing to make me feel good. I took in the fresh coffee smell the moment I stepped into the coffee shop and went into the boss's room after knocking on them and hearing a mere "come in" from the inside.

He looked up to see me wearing their uniform and smiled politely. "You're really excited for this work, Miss. You may take the counter job for today while I ask Josh to teach you how to make fast and neat coffee for our customers. Remember, we are one of the most famous coffee shops in Paris and often we get a lot of customers especially for breakfast. Now, go up to the red haired guy in the counter and tell him your name. Hurry up and learn things fast before we open the store in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, sir." I got out of the room and walked right up to the counter to find a red haired guy joking around with the coffee makers in the kitchen through the hole in between the kitchen and the counter. I tapped on his shoulder and he turned to look at me before smiling widely.

"You must be Hazel," he beamed and I could see the excitement in his tone. I chuckled softly and nodded. "Well, alright. You could put your bag there inside the locker," he pointed at a small cupboard below the counter table. "and I will teach you how to be the best cashier alive."

I chuckled again and said, "You are weird, but I like it."

He coped by raising his both hands in the air, "You mean, hot. That's my middle name." He grinned like a Cheshire Cat and I rolled my eyes playfully. "Oh, we've got a sassy girl here."

"That's my middle name," I gave him a sarcastic smile but laughed afterwards. Putting my back in the locker and locking it again, Michael, the red-haired guy started teaching me his ways of giving off the best positive vibes to the customers. My first thought was for sure all the customers were pleased with his service. He just had this happiness around him bubbling up and it was somehow contagious.

After opening the shop, as what my boss said, there were a lot of customers especially teenagers who were impatient and needed fast orders. As what Michael said, he taught me to take the order, take the money, give the change and the number, and then he'd take care of it.

A girl even asked me where was Michael. I guessed he must have been the famous cashier here. After the whole lot of customers got their orders and went off but not without saying a flirtatious goodbye to Michael, I turned around to see Michael looking all smug as he stared at me cheekily. I rolled my eyes playfully again, "Didn't know you have fans."

"Didn't know you're jealous."

"That's the last thing I would do, Michael." I chuckled loudly as I shook my head repeatedly. The door bell rang and a customer walked in. He had a bushy beard and he was wearing a large hoodie. His hood was on and he wore a pair of shades. He looked so mysterious, Michael's words kept playing in my head. 'Be nice to all customers.'

I smiled genuinely and asked for his order. "Thank you for coming to the Starbucks Coffee Shop, sir. What's your order?"

I beamed happily, but the man kept staring at me for a long period of time. I raised my eyebrows a little and asked him, "Sir? Your order?"

"You are so beautiful," the bushy beard man breathed out and I was in shock for a moment before I asked him his order without smiling this time. "Your order, please."

It couldn't possibly be him, right? This was the moment I wanted to avoid the most, but I still had to face it. How did he know I was here? And why didn't he react like he should? Shocked that I was here in Paris now? I must be overthinking, it couldn't be him.

He cleared his throat and said his order out loud. He paid me and when our fingers slightly brushed, his breathing quickened a little. I tried to avoid eye contact and gave him his balance.

"I will be back very soon, princess."

Before he could leave and take a seat, I went into the kitchen and sat in the small couch in there, burying my face in my hands, whimpering silently.

It couldn't possibly be him, it couldn't possibly be him.

—

Ayee.

11th of March, 2017.