Winter Bakery

5. Bench

There was a consecutive buzzing and ringing come from Jigi's bedroom. She had stayed up all night watching movies, eating popcorn and cookie dough ice cream. She didn't remember how she made it to her bedroom. Her sleep schedule has been messed for the past few months. She feels practically aimless, exhausted while she hasn't done anything straining or energy draining.

Her phone was still ringing and vibrating. She groaned and curled even more into the sheets.

"What is it this early morning?" She thought.

She stretched and grabbed the phone, not bothering to check the number.

"Hello?" She whispered audibly.

"Hello, Is this Miss Lefèvre?" The woman on the other end of the phone asked.

Jigi pulled the phone from her ear and noticed it was an unknown number. She placed it back on her ear.

The woman was saying," Hello miss. Are you there?"

Jigi immediately responded," Sorry. Yes! Yes! This is she." More to herself than the caller. Fortunately, the woman heard.

" Lovely. I am calling from Library Eugène Flachart. Your application for the  assistant library position has been reviewed. Would you be able to make it for an interview today?" She asked.

Jigi sat upright on her bed. Her hair all messed and a bird nest is way better. She pulled her phone from her right ear again and checked the time.

12:04 pm

She cuss softly almost forgetting someone was on the line. She immediately place it on her right ear and said, "Yes. I will be available. When should I report?"

"Your interview is in the last hours of the day." The lady on the line responded.
" Okay. Erm... thanks. I'll make it." She sigh as the call ended.

She should probably add phone speaking to her list of anxieties now. She couldn't be blamed she thought. How is she supposed to act when a call just woke her up. Wait, what was she to do again, yes the interview.

She quickly rushed through her routine and run towards the living room. She checked the time again 1:43. She was running late. She actually thought she had done it.

"Arg!" She grunts and grabs her key and rushed out of her apartment. She wore something formal but not too formal. Dark academia aesthetic. She wore an olive green turtleneck, a pair of  beige flannel trousers and a black blazer. She also wore a cream hooded longline puffer coat. She paired it with a chocolate hued hand bag. She had done a minimal amount of makeup; mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner and a bold lipstick.

She had missed her train and had to wait ten more minutes. She fidgeted and anxiously bites on her nails. She knew it was a bad habit but she couldn't help herself. She hoped she had taken her medication, because she would definitely need it.

She could feel an attack burst onto the surface. She clenched her head slide into a squat inches away from the ground. She took deep breaths. She began reciting the alphabet song in her head.

It wasn't working. She removed her coat and any other extra clothing. Her breaths came in rapid and she began reciting the alphabet song backwards till a random stranger came towards her whispered things into her ears.

Her breaths began to slow down and the stranger handed her water. She took it in a trance and her phone buzzed, signifying the arrival of her train. She collected her things and frantically looked around. There was no one by her side. In fact, she would not be able to recognise them anyway. Then, she went aboard her train.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She walked out of the building, head down. She puffed her breath out but the anxious nauseating feeling in her throat she resided. She did like she would get the job at this rate. She was knee deep in her head to answer the question properly.

Most of all, she didn't have experience and her qualifications weren't in that aspect. She was that desperate. She had even realised she had gotten to a park. She sat on a bench and gaze at the family taking a walk at the furthest end.

She missed her family so much. She lost both of her parents before she had turned nine. At seven, she lost her father to an accident she was never told what it was.

Afterwards, her mother went back to her home country. She married her high school sweetheart in three months and left her with him to a cruise ship. She never saw her again. She was sent to a foster home. She wondered what happened. Was there signs she missed? She didn't understand it.

In the middle of her thoughts, someone took a seat at the other end of the bench. He had glossy dark skin, he looked like he had either African or Caribbean descent. The sides of his head were faded and he had a short braided cornrow. He had sharp jawline, high cheekbones and full pink lips.He had an athletic built. He was casually dressed wearing grey Adidas joggers and hoodie.

He rubbed the nape of his neck lost in thought and in a swift motion they locked eyes. Jigi found her staring at the same brown eyes.

He smirked the exact smirk from before and Jigi blushed.

"We meet again." His husky smooth voice sounded.

"I-I didn't mean to stare." She stuttered.

"I don't mind." He shrugged and slouched on the bench, closing his eyes and folding his hands behind this head.

"I'm Wyatt, by the way." He said.

"Juniper but Jigi is fine. Jigi with a J." She found herself saying.
She could believe she didn't feel any anxieties talking to him.

He opened is left eye an peeked at her and calmly said, "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."