"finally you're back!" Selene was met by a boy her age, a full head taller with bright green dishevelled hair and sweet smile that could win anyone over in a heartbeat. "So what's for lunch huh?" Anyone but his sister. Selene reached up and ruffled her brother's hair "anything you want to buy, joey." she teased, scooting around her brother and settling behind the counter. She grinned, sliding an extra slice of carrot cake in a plastic container. "Yes! I knew it!" He grabbed the accompanying plastic forks and dug in, humming happily started eating. "So how was your little break?
Selene waved to the notebook she had set aside "mostly drew." She tried, looking through the computer to see the purchases made while she had been gone.
Joey nodded "meet anyone interesting?" He asked, going in for another bite.
Selene tilted his head, mind immediately going to Eve.
"I'm, yeah. But we didn't really talk or anything. Just made aware eye contact and then I left." She shrugged and glanced away, embarrassed.
Eve's fingers flew over the keyboard as if a bolt of inspirational lightning had struck her. She brought her tortoiseshell glasses down from their perch in her dark brown mane of hair and positioned them on her nose. Minutes upon minutes ticked by, and she didn't stop writing.
Behind the coffee bar, Katherine stopped what she was doing to watch. She nudged the other barista on duty, Celia, and the pair watched Eve working furiously.
"What's going on?" Celia murmured. "I've never seen her like that before."
"She's inspired," Katherine replied, cleaning the inside of a decorative mug as she watched her best friend perform her magic with words. "I'll go check on her in a few. For now, let her be. This never happens."
Eve, totally unaware of the talking behind her, only continued to write. Mystery girl…
"without saying hi?! What's wrong with you?" Joey exclaimed, plopping down across from Selene and patting her head as she dropped her head into her arm with a groan. "I know! I know! But she seemed busy with her writing and I was shy and didn't want to disturb her." She reasoned, peeking up at her brother. "Did I just lose my chance at meeting someone?"
Joey gave a laugh and shrugged "who knows. Maybe after your shift, you can go back to the cafe and check if she's still around." He suggested, Pressing a kiss to her hair before standing and shrugging on his bag. "Let me know if you see this mystery writer again! I gotta get going." He said, gently squeezing her shoulder before making his way to the door. Selene waved back, "tell Kai I said hi!" She called back, watching her brother leave before shoving her hair to the side and gathering a stack of books that had been ordered in for the store to begin inventory and put them back. At least it gave her something else to focus on than her missed chance with the mystery girl at the cafe
It felt like hours, but in reality… Eve still wasn’t entirely sure how long she’d been writing. Eventually, the river of inspiration dried up, and her fingers hovered in hesitation over the keys. She lifted her glasses up on top of her head again and sighed longingly.
“Finished already?” Katherine’s voice teased from behind her.
Eve closed her eyes and laughed wryly. “Something like that,” she remarked before opening her eyes again and turning to face her best friend. “How long has it been?”
Katherine tilted her wrist to check her watch. “Hmm… half an hour. Can you come start your shift now? Celia is leaving in fifteen minutes.”
“Yes,” Eve sighed, reaching out to shut the screen of her laptop. As she followed Katherine back to the counter, she couldn’t help herself. “What was her name?”
Katherine flashed an amused look over her shoulder. “Who’s name?”
Eve inhaled slowly. “The girl who was in here, say… half an hour ago?”
“Selene,” Katherine remarked casually. “A very… pretty name if you ask me.”
Eve wasn’t sure why, but Katherine's comment made something in her stomach twinge as she took her place behind the counter, not bothering to slip an apron over her extremely fashionable top. The rest of the day seemed to fly by — surprisingly. Before Eve knew it, it was only an hour before closing time.
Selene spent the next few hours of her shift attending to her customers and putting away new inventory. While exhausting, Selene loved her job at the little bookstore. She love her patrons, both the regulars she had seen almost every week, and the new ones, especially the new ones. Any opportunity she could get to recommend her favorite books or help find the next favorite, she’d always take.
As she hauled another stack of new arriving books, Selene stole a glance up at the analogue clock on the wall behind her work desk. Chewing her lip indecisively, she looked around her little shop. There weren’t many patrons around, save for a few tucked away in the crevices of the shelves, most in a world of their own. There typically was a lull in customers around this time so Selene saw no harm in heading out for a few moments. Tapping her customers or waving to get their attention, she apologized for disturbing them then told them she’d be heading out or a bit, if they had any questions or concerns, she’d be across the street.
Double checking everything was alright, Selene grabbed her bag and practically ran back to the cafe, worried she may had been to late in catching her.
Gripping the straps of her crossbody satchel bag, she scanned the area, disheartened to see the spot the girl once occupied now empty. “Excuse me, have you seen the woman who was here a few hours ago?” She asked one of the baristas she recognized from that morning. “I-“ She paused, not really sure hat she had wanted to say. She hadn’t gotten that far yet, all she knew was that she wanted to see her again, maybe even talk. “I was just wondering who she was and if I could possibly get her number.”
Katherine looked up from cleaning the counter and slung her towel over her shoulder as prepared to take an order, but instead, she found herself looking at the girl from earlier. She smirked a bit hearing the question and headed over to the coffee machines to clean those instead of the counter. “Eve! Register!” she called.
“Can’t you get it?” Eve’s British-tinted voice called back.
“Nope!” Katherine replied.
Eve sighed and came out from a back room. She was still not wearing an apron, and her Manolo Blahnik heels clicked as she walked over to the register. Not paying attention to who it was because she was fixing her hair into a bun, she began her greeting. “Hello, welcome to All-City Coffee. How can I help—?” She looked up and froze, meeting eyes with the girl from earlier who had given her the drawing. Her mouth fell into an "O" shape.
"oh! I don't want to cause any trouble, I can always come back…" Selene trailed off, seeing that it was futile. She tapped her fingers against the counter nervously, quickly glancing behind her just in case there was a line behind her. Her attention snapped up when she saw the lady from before emerge from the back of the shop. Selene his an amused smile at seeing Eve still in her casual clothes instead of work attire.
"h-hey," she managed out, giving a small wave, offering a shy smile. "I-i'm Selene! I-i'm mean, you wouldn't know that since I didn't give you my name…oh…u-uhm…I was sitting behind you you this morning. I gave you the picture? Not that I expected you to keep it! I-i'm oh God.." she sucked in a breath, cheeks red from rambling, "I just wanted to say hi. I'm really sorry for not introducing myself earlier, you probably thought it was weird for a stranger to randomly walk up to you and give you a picture of you. Now that I say that out loud, that actually sounds creepy…not that I was trying to be creepy!" She fidgeted with her hands for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I was just wondering you'd like a coffee sometime? Or maybe hang out? I run the bookshop as cross the street." She pointed behind her with her thumb. "If you ever wanna drop by or something."
Eve blinked and listened intently as Selene spoke – rather, rambled – about the events from earlier. "Well, I own All-City Coffee," she began slowly, "so if we go for coffee, we could maybe try somewhere my employees aren't staring me down like a hawk. She glanced over and saw Katherine watching them, obviously not cleaning. "I could fire you, you know," Eve told her.
"But you won't," Katherine retorted. Even so, she turned her back and began to clean.
"But I might," Eve muttered, facing Selene and her words again. She blinked quickly to focus herself. "Anyway, I wouldn't mind going to a bookstore either. You said you run it? And the picture from earlier… it's very nice," she murmured quietly, not wanting Katherine to eavesdrop.
Selene gave an akward laugh, amused by the interaction between the two. "Yeah, I'd like that. I don't really know the area all that well but I'd be willing to explore." She bounced on her heals, a mixture of nerves and giddy excitement. Was this considered a date? Wait did that mean she just asked somoke out? Selene took another deep breath and mentally shook herself. No, she barely knew this girl. This was a chance to make a friend at best.
"Mhm! Me and big brother run it." She rummgaed through her satchel bag, pulling a small ornste business card. "Seraphine's Indie Book Seller"
"You're more than welcome to drop by anytime you'd like. That goes for your curious coworkers too." She smiled softly, gaze flickering towards where she had seen Katherine dissapear to. Her attention snapped back to Eve's, a rosy tinge appeared in her cheeks. "I'm glad you liked it! Honestly I was worried you'd think it was creepy, considering it is a picture of you. By any chance did you ever figure out what you were going to write? I saw you kind of struggling in front a blank document."
Eve looked playfully suspicious as she took the business care from Selene. She turned it over to observe the ornate designs and read the card's details. "Seraphine's Indie Book Seller. Joey and Selene Jensen," she read aloud. She looked up, and her brown eyes widened. "Oh, don't you say that! You'll give her ideas, and she'll spread them! That's the last thing I need."
Katherine was smirking where she stood behind a backing that separated the front counter from that back where the coffee was made. "Too late, the ideas are already in motion."
Making sure to face Selene, Eve rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she remarked sarcastically to Selene, but she shook her head and smiled to show she wasn't actually upset. Then the topic of the drawing returned. "Yes, I was a bit confused at first, but never mind that now. It's nice to see you've come back and you're not just some creepy one-time stalker." She flushed a bit as her writing was brought up. "I-I did, actually," she admitted with a small smile. "It was a little bit after you left, actually."
Suddenly, Katherine came out from behind the back holding two cups of coffee. One was Selene's drink she had ordered earlier, and the other was the drink Eve had finished while Selene was in the cafe. "You two go sit and talk," she said extending the drink towards Selene and slipping Eve's into her fingers. "I've got this, it's a slow day anyways."
“I’m so sorry!” She apologized between fits of giggling as she looked between Eve and Katherine. “I hadn’t realized you wanted privacy.” She found her breath after a bit and nodded with a sweet smile, it only growing when she saw Eve’s own grin. “But of course, it’s my pleasure to indulge your friend’s schemes.”
She perked up and nodded “nope! Definitely not creep.” She reassured, waving a hand in the air. “Just a simple observer. I’m glad you found your inspiration, whether it was brought on by my drawing or not.” Selene watched Eve for a few moment, finding that she quite liked seeing the girl blush. It was a nice change, giving Selene a break from all her flusteredness.
“Oh, thank you so much, really. But I have to get back to the store, it’s still my shift. You’re more than welcome to join of course if you don’t mind hanging around while I tend to customers and do inventory.” She offered, looking at Eve with a hopeful smile.
"Do not indulge in her schemes," Eve playfully scolded. "She schemes enough on her own, along with the other riffraff I hire…" As Katherine rolled her eyes, Eve continued. "On another note, I'm so sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to make it over to your bookstore toda–"
Katherine was quick to put an elbow in Eve's back, which caused the woman to abruptly stop talking and groan softly. "Nonsense! She doesn't know what she's saying. Of course, she'd love to go. Her shift is actually almost over, and she owns the place so it can be over earlier if she wants it to be, right?" She batted her lashes innocently, and Eve sighed.
"Alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt–"
Again Katherine interrupted Eve by pushing her out around the counter. "Yay! Go!"
Eve rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you're so eager to be rid of me," she remarked, finally able to finish a sentence as she took her coat from the hanger by the door and slipped her arms through the sleeves. She tossed her mane of dark hair out from under the collar, sighed, and smiled pleasantly at Selene. "Shall we?"
Selene waved her hands in the air as two went back and forth. “Really, it’s no trouble if you need to stay here. My doors are always open if you prefer to drop by another time, I understand you’re busy and it’s probably better than sitting around a bookstore.” She reassured profusely, taking a small step back to excuse herself until She saw Katherine pushing Eve around the counter. She chuckled softly and gave an apologetic look to Eve.
“She’s a pushy one, isn’t she?” She smiled and took a sip of her drink, bouncing on her toes. The second coffee of the day probably wasn’t the best coping mechanism to ease her nerves but it kept Selene from fidgeting. She nodded and opened the cafe door, waving hand through. “After you.” She looked back at Katherine and mouthed ‘Thank you, I owe you one.’ Over her shoulder as she waved and followed Eve outside, a giddy smile on her features.
“Maybe you’ll get more inspiration for your story,” She mused as she jogged to Eve’s side, taking another swig of her drink. “After all, what better inspiration for a story than other stories. Maybe I can help you find a book that’ll help. Was there a specific genre you were thinking of focussing on?” She asked, running ahead and opening the door. “Welcome to my home.” She waved to the small corner bookstore, smiling proudly.
"She is," Eve agreed, rolling her eyes. "I can't quite remember the reason I hired her in the first place. I think it was because she was promising…" Behind her, she was unable to see Katherine winking and mouthing 'You're welcome' back to Selene as she waved.
The woman was sipping from her drink, and she nearly spat it back out at Selene's suggestion. "Oh, um… yes… possibly," she remarked, taking another healthy swig from her coffee to distract herself. "I don't particularly keep to a certain genre, though. I write whatever I'm inspired by at any particular moment…"
A small smile of amusement drew on her features as Selene hurried to open the door for her, but she only saw it as a kind gesture, not what it was potentially supposed to be. "Thank you," she murmured, nodding to the girl as well as she stepped into the bookstore.
The scents immediately overwhelmed her. Inside, it smelled like the pages of books and… vanilla? Eve sighed softly, taking in the rows and stacks of books around her. "Oh, this is amazing," she murmured. She continued inside, almost like she was in a trance and being led haphazardly around the store. Her fingers brushed over the spines until she found one interesting looking and plucked it from the shelf. She looked at home.
(sorry for ghosting for so long but I am back!)
Selene smiled as she followed behind Eve through the threshold of the book store. She was so excited to show someone her home, the thing that she was so passionate about. All she wanted to do was gush about all the books she recommended, the candles and tea that went best with a cozy book, her favorite reading nooks around the store, the new additions of books that were coming into the store the next week! But she stopped short of diving into her obsession, just long enough to notice the dreamy look across Eve’s face. Paired with the warm glow of the various lamp fixtures above, casting dot and star shapes and the fairy lights Selene and Joey had managed to string up throughout the years, she looked spectacular.
Eve breathed a small sigh before slowly skirting around Eve and heading over to the check out counter, deciding to let Eve discover the same world Selene adored so much. She was almost positive the store could speak more volume than she ever could.
“Please enjoy yourself. Let me know if you have any questions.” She said softly, smiling before letting Eve lose herself among the book, trinkets, nooks and crannies of her beloved bookstore.
(I think as far as ghosting goes… I win XD But I’m back now lol)
Eve looked over at Selene and smiled warmly. “Thank you,” she said quietly. Her eyes roamed the shelves, and her nimble fingers occasionally slipped a book out to read the back cover. She let the aroma and ambiance of the bookstore take her away from her lonely life, and she pretended, if only for a moment, that she was fine.
Finally, she approached Selene again behind the counter. "This place is wonderous," she said, her eyes alight with joy. "Thank you for showing me."
(glad you see you back!)
Selene watched a few moments as Eve disappeared into the shelves, recognizing familiar wonder in the girl's eyes that matched own everytime Selene entered her shop. Not wanting to make her first impression even more akward, Selene eventually settled into her worn office chair and began looking over inventory, every so often peeking up when she caught sight of Eve through the shelves. She bit her lip to hold down a giddy smile before she finally was able to focus…for no more than 5 minutes.
"Of course! I'm glad you enjoyed it. You're more than welcome to stop by anytime you'd like. Well, obviously since this is a public store but you know what I mean…." Selene's sighed softly, giving a soft embarrassing laugh. "A-anyways, I'll be here…everyday…so if you have any questions about the store then you'll know somone and it'll be less weird." She reasoned, smiling through even more awkwardness. "Oh and about your story if you ever want help with that I'd be more than happy to help!"
"Yes, of course!" Eve replied eagerly. "I'd love to come by whenever I can! And if you ever want to pop over across the street, Katherine will probably give you loads of free coffee. And any of my other employees would be charmed to meet you, I'm sure."
At the mention of her story, the woman's mouth opened, closed, opened, and closed again. "Ah, uh… thank you," she said shyly. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and sipped from the coffee Katherine had pushed into her hand before they left All-City.
Eve paused to look around the bookstore again. "Goodness, it's lovely here," she sighed, her features softening in the atmosphere of the shelves. "Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, turning back to Selene with an excited light in her eyes. "Don't you work here with your brother? Can I meet him?"
"I'll keep that in mind the next time I pull an all nighter. And I would love to meet your coworkers." Selene nodeed her head in thanks, smiling to herself when she caught Eve's suddenly timid response.
"It really is." Selene agreed, following Eve's gaze around her bookstore. "You know how some people say you need to separate work and home? It's not like that here. This like our home away from home, out customers are like our extended family. Sure there are some days where we don't want to be here or deal with each other's crap but that's just like a regular home."
Selene couldn't help but let out another delighted laugh at how excited Eve seemed to have all the energy in the world. "He does actually, joey-"
"You call I come dear sister!"
Joey announced, the little bell ringing as Selene's brother and another boy came waltzing in, bags of takeout dangling from there hands. "And I have brought with me food…oh and a stray cat."
Selene laughed and not so subtly gestured towards Eve. "Perfect timing. Before that though, Joey and Kai, this is Eve, Eve this is my brother Joey and his boyfriend Kai." She introduced, winking at Joey as he nodded his head in greeting. "So this is the cute girl you were telling me about before, hm?" The wink could have been all but invisible to Joey and he wouldn't have cared, seeing his sister blush was worth it.
"They'd love to meet you," Eve murmured into her drink right before she took a sip. She hoped to drown the words as she spoke them. Slowly, she was coming to the realization that this girl – this enchanting, slightly mysterious, adorable girl – would be in an out of All-City often. The thought made the dark-haired woman's heart rate pick up.
Eve grinned as she listened to Selene explain the store's atmosphere. It was strikingly similar to All-City. Selene had already seen the dynamic between Eve and Katherine play out, and to an extent, it's how she interacted with all of her employees. Not that there were too terribly many of them. Eve had herself, Katherine, and about ten other women who worked as baristas.
She jumped a bit as the store's bell signaled an arrival. "Perfect timing indeed," she remarked quietly. She smiled politely at the couple. "Hello." She nodded her head back at Joey, but his remark made her eyes widen. Several thoughts raced through her mind, one after the other. She told him about me? Does she think I'm cute? What exactly did she tell him?
Eve glanced over at Selene to see the other girl's face was all red. She was sure that hers had probably formed a pink flush on her cheeks as well.
Selene was frozen in place for what seemed like forever. "I-!" She cleared her throat and forced herself to suck in a breath. Meanwhile as Selene was trying to compose herself, Joey arched an eyebrow and almost challengingly grinned at his sister. Selene clenched her jaw and gave her brother a glare, promising worlds of pin once they had gone home. "Y-yes actually." She finally admitted, refusing to look at Eve, fearing she'd die of embarrassment, or worse, find rejection in the beautiful girl's features. She wasn't sure she could hadn't that so soon into their meeting. "She runs the coffee shop across the street you like the croissants and mocha from." She explained, relieved when Joey nodded in recognition. "We got to talking and I offered to show us our little shop."
Joey smiled proudly, glancing down occasionally when Kai latched onto his arm before he looked back up to Eve. "Well, I hope you like out little slice of heaven, I can already see you've taken a liking to its owner. I hope you'll come by more often. If you want, I brought more than enough food for all of us if you'd like to join us for dinner." He offered, lifting the two bags in his hands with an innocent grin.
