Pov y/n

The following days have a very similar routine. I'm at the shop for my shift from 7:30 am until 1 pm. Jesse and I get along great, not just when it comes to the job. We do make a good team and work quite fast but I also like him as a person. He's calm and funny at the same time. We joke around a little when only a few guests are in the shop.

I spent my afternoons just strolling around, trying to remember the surroundings around my hotel and some street names so I don't have to be guided by my phone all the time.

The park is actually quite nice and I find it calming to look at the little lake and watch the goldfish swim around.

I also did a bit of research and if I have enough money, I can buy a membership card to the swimming pool I went to three days ago. If I had enough money, I could also rent a small place but I can't. Not yet at least, I won't give up the hope to find a second part time job and have enough money in total to rent a place.

What I did do though, was looking up free apartments around this neighborhood, after all I still work close to here. There were some nice places but I can't afford them yet.

Today is the fourth day of work and Thursday. I don't necessarily have to work on the weekend but if I want to, I can. I didn't plan on doing it this weekend but maybe the one after that. It pays a few more hours of loan so why not?

Right now I'm standing behind the counter, serving a customer. Behind him there are three more but after that the first morning rush should be over.

Suddenly my phone vibrates in my back pocket and I almost jump at the feeling. I was so caught up in my work that I forgot that I had my phone on me. And besides, I get barely any messages during work.

The people I chat with more regular, who aren't a lot, know by now that I'm currently working. But since it only vibrated one time, I know it wasn't someone calling me. I don't expect any calls but maybe there could have been an emergency.

My attention snaps back to the customer and I continue working on his order.

A few more people come in and I have my hands full with work. Jesse and I pass each other behind the counter as we both need something from the other end of it and smile at each other before putting back on the customer smile.

Half an hour later, it finally calms down and I let my eyes sweep around the shop to see if I'm needed anywhere before I wipe off the counter and lean against it, keeping an eye on the door and the seated customers.

I pull my phone out of my back pocket and unlock it. An unknown number messaged me. For a few seconds I'm very confused until I open the chat and a smile appears on my face.

Hey, it's Scarlett, from the train. Rose asked to see you again to color some more underwater pictures with you and I also would like to know how life in New York is for you. You don't have to take the offer but if you want to see us again, just text me when you're free.

My thumbs hover over the letters while I chew on my lip, thinking about what to write back. Honestly, I thought she wouldn't text me at all and I totally would have understood that. I'm just a random person she met on a train and who colored with her daughter. I thought she just let me gave her my number to be polite or to prevent Rose from complaining.

The first two days after we met I kind of hoped she would text me but yesterday I gave that hope up. The more I'm now surprised to see her message, she was probably just busy until now. Or did she maybe just text me because Rose wanted to color again?

Well, she did say she also wanted to know how I am but that could just be a friendly phrase. Maybe she also just hopes I would decline her offer? But why ask me then?

I'm brought back to reality by a hand on my shoulder and look at Jesse.

"Could you clean the now empty tables while I take care of the customers?" He asks friendly and I just now notice that there are people standing in line. I nod instantly and close my phone, putting it back into my jeans pocket.

The tables are soon cleaned and the customers have their orders.

I remember that I didn't answer Scarlett back and pull my phone back out to do just that. For a few seconds I think about what I should answer before I type in the message:

Yes, I would like to see you and Rose again. I work until 1 pm. today. Where would you like to meet?

Without thinking too much about it, I send the message and put my phone back, starring at it won't help with my nervousness.

Time goes by and I am distracted by my job again. I'm just refilling the coffee beans when my phone vibrates again. My heart jumps a little at the thought that it might be from Scarlett.

I take a deep breath and focus back on my work, I can check my phone when I'm done with my tasks.

Around half an hour later I have a little break and sit down at one of the tables. I smile when I actually see Scarlett answered me back.

That fits perfectly. We are flexible and can come to where ever you want. :)

I grin at the smiley she used and my heart beats a little faster. God, I should get a grip, I'm literally freaking out about a message right now.

For a few seconds I think about what to answer before I start typing.

Okay, then you could pick me up at the address I will send you, if you want to. [Insert address].

Should I have used an emoji too? Or would that have been weird? I tap my food onto the ground, nervously staring at my phone. Maybe it was a good thing I was distracted by work earlier. My heart almost drops when I see her typing, I honestly didn't thought she would answer this fast.

Yes, sounds perfect. We will see you at 1 pm. :)

The smile on my face grows and this time I don't think about my answer for too long.

Great, see you then :D

Before I can start overthinking the emoji again, I get up and go back to work in an attempt to distract me from my thoughts.

Scarlett doesn't text anything further, yes I double checked, and I decide to finally change her contact name from 'unknown' to 'Scarlett'.

The next few hours of work, my mind constantly goes back to the short chat I had with Scarlett. I'm probably interpreting way too much into this but every time I think about it, I get excited for later when I'll meet her and Rose.

"Who are you thinking about?" Jesse asks with a knowing smirk on his face. I shake my head and look at him with a mischievous grin.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I ask back and he raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"I guess I have to leave you guessing." I say and point to some customers walking in.

Jesse rolls his eyes at me playfully and goes to serve the customers. We really get along great and I like joking around with him.

Once I busy myself with work, I forget to look at the time. When I hear the little bell over our door, I turn around to serve the next customer and my body almost freezes for a second. Scarlett walks up to the counter.

She's wearing simple jeans and a top, a bag over her one shoulder and Rose on the free hand. She smiles kindly at me and I catch myself and smile back, not the fake-customer-smile but a real one.

"Did I miss the time?" I ask, feeling my face heating up with embarrassment and glancing at the clock. 12:45 pm. Scarlett shakes her head.

"No, I just thought it would be nice to have a coffee beforehand and maybe a little treat for Rose." She explains and at the mention of her name, Rose beams up at me.

"Well then, what would you like?" I ask and watch as Scarlett scans over the menu. Rose looks up at it too but by her furrowed eyebrows I sense that she can't quite read yet. She looks at me instead and beams.

"Look, if you want something to eat, we have muffins and cupcakes in here. And the drinks without coffee we have are different kinds of hot chocolates." I tell her and walk around the counter to show her the glass display.

Her eyes look at each muffin and cupcake and she makes a cute face while thinking about what to choose. I let her choose and turn to Scarlett who's eyes are already on me and Rose, a soft smile on her lips.

"I will have a medium coffee with milk and a bit of sugar." She says and I nod, walking back around the counter to start working on her order. But before I can do that, Rose speaks up.

"Y/n?" She asks and I lean a little onto the counter to see her better.

"Yes?" I reply. Her eyes scan the glass display one more time before she points to one thing.

"Can I have the chocolate chip muffin, please?" She asks and I almost melt at the politeness in her question.

"Of course you can." I answer and quickly glance at Scarlett who nods with a happy expression. I get the muffin out from the display and put it on the counter.

"Do you want to eat here or take it with you?" I ask.

"We will eat here." Scarlett answers and lifts up Rose who stretched out her arms to her mother.

Rose watches me as I nod and start to make her mom's coffee. She shifts in her mom's arms to see everything and when I place the finished coffee in front of her, she looks at it with big eyes.

"You like watching me make coffee?" I ask and Rose nods her head.

"It's interesting how beans turn into a drink." She explains and I chuckle, agreeing with her.

Scarlett sets her daughter down again to pay and I thank her for the tip. They choose a table to sit on and Rose digs into her muffin while Scarlett sips on her coffee. She looks back to me and nods in acknowledgement, telling me she likes the coffee.

Happiness fills my body that she likes the coffee I made her but I concentrate back on work and serve the next customer.

When Jesse walks past me, he nods his head in Scarlett's direction and wiggles his eyebrows but I just roll my eyes at him.

The end of my shift is there and I hang the apron onto my hook and go over to Scarlett and Rose. Rose is currently telling her mom something about school and I smile at the girl's excitement. Scarlett gestures for me to sit down as well and I do so. I shift my attention to Rose as she starts to tell me as well what happened today at school but it's hard to not look at the beautiful blonde to my right.

When Rose ends her story, I agree with the fact that paper flowers can be hard to handcraft.

"How about we go for a walk and see if we find a park with a playground." Scarlett suggests after finishing her coffee. I nod in agreement but Rose pouts at her mother.

"But you can't draw pictures at the park and I want to draw with y/n again." She complains, looking at her mother with puppy dog eyes. Scarlett looks over at me, silently asking if I'm okay with that and I nod.

"Okay, sweetie, we can stay here and draw for a little while." Scarlett agrees and runs a hand through her daughter's hair. Rose claps her hands happily and slides off her chair to open her mom's bag and get out a paper and crayons. Scarlett seems to be good prepared for this.

The paper is placed in the middle of the table and the crayons next to it. Rose climbs back onto her chair and opens the crayons.

"I can draw a new fish now." She tells me proudly and I make big eyes, which seem to encourage her to talk further.

"Mommy and I watched 'Finding Nemo' the day we arrived back here and since then I've been training to draw Dory, so I can add another fish to our underwater world." Rose says excitedly and starts to draw onto the paper.

My heart goes soft at her words. She learned to draw a new fish just to show me. This child really is so pure and sweet.

Her little tongue sticks out as she concentrates on her drawing and I watch her. My attention snaps to Scarlett when she pushes her chair back.

"I will get another coffee, do you want anything?" The question is directed at me as Rose is way too occupied with drawing. I think about it for a few seconds before I nod.

"I would take a tea." I answer and go to grab my wallet but Scarlett waves it off.

"Let me invite you." She offers and I smile at her and nod. Her smile grows and she walks over to the counter. Before I stare at her for too long, I look back at Rose to see that she is just finishing her fish.

Her blue eyes shoot up to look at me and she almost bounces in her chair, waiting for my reaction.

I look at the fish before smiling at her. "That looks really good, you drew that very well." I say.

Her eyes start to sparkle at the praise.

"Can you draw some of the other pretty fishes again?" She asks and pushes the box of crayons into my direction.

"Of course, which one would you like?" I ask and wait for her answer.

"All of them." She beams and I chuckle at her enthusiasm.

"Alright, all of them it is." I reply and take the colors I need. Rose takes out a crayon as well and starts to draw a dolphin again.

I'm almost too occupied to notice that Scarlett sits down next to me again. She sets the cup of tea down and watches as we draw our underwater world.

In between drawing the different fish, I take a few sips of my tea. I glance over at Scarlett who is already looking at me again and I smile. She returns the smile before she is addressed by Rose who started to tell a new story. This time it's about what happened in school on the playground today. I suppose she only had a short day today because otherwise she wouldn't have been able to visit me this early.

When she gets up, I watch as she gets up and walks around to stand next to me.

"Can we switch seats? Then you can draw more fish on my side of the paper and I can draw more dolphins on your side." She explains and I smile at her cuteness.

"Of course we can." I answer and get up to walk around the table and sit down. Rose's chair was closer to Scarlett and I don't want to be rude and scootch away from her, so I just let it be and draw my fish.

But the closeness to Scarlett somehow makes me nervous. When our knees touch underneath the table, the nervousness mixes with a bit of excitement but I do my best to hide it. After all it was just a touch of our knees, nothing more.

At some point we finish the drawing and Rose looks at the picture satisfied.

"It looks a little like an aquarium." She giggles and I smile at her.

"It does a little." I agree and Rose beams up at me before rolling up the paper and handing it to her mom so she can safely put it in her bag. I help Rose to put the crayons back into the box before Scarlett puts it in her bag as well.

While they get ready, I bring the cups back to the counter and meet them at the door. Rose is now wearing an adorable little hat to protect her from the sun and Scarlett wears a cap. We step outside and Scarlett slides on some dark sunglasses before we start to walk.

"Do you know a park with a playground close by? I think Rose needs to get some energy out." Scarlett asks while holding out her hand for Rose to take. Rose takes it and jumps around a little while we walk.

"I do actually, it's this way." I say and lead them down another street, that will eventually bring us to the park. Scarlett smiles at me and a comfortable silence lays over us.

So far the day is pretty good, I'd say.

A/n: Together again :D

I am aware, that I didn't write an address into the space, that's simply because I don't really know anything about New York. If any of you live(d) there or so, feel free to comment or send me a dm if you have suggestions for this story when it comes to activities etc in New York. :D

Thanks for reading and love to you all