Vues/Views

verve

'verve' : noun
Meaning: vigour and spirit or enthusiasm.

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Amber knew love could be pleasant, passionate, peaceful. He confirmed this when he came into her life. When she first met him, it wasn't overly cliché, nor corny, or fantasy-like. Instead, she found that the love she had for him was raw, the realest and most intense feeling she had ever encountered—a newfound way of feeling.

Life felt mundane on this particular Sunday, Amber allowed herself to drift into daydreams while the café sat eerily quiet for the afternoon. Vues had only been open for 2 weeks. Here, Amber mainly spoke to her manager Oliver and a few colleagues.

Houston was a maze, but an intricate and exquisite one which Amber was more than happy to explore. Life here felt like a fresh start for Amber, a chance for new beginnings. There was an undeniable sense of optimism in the air, as if the universe was conspiring to bring good things her way. And indeed, that belief was affirmed when a bold poster unexpectedly caught her eye.

Just a brief stroll away from her new skyrise apartment, Amber spotted a job listing for a barista. It felt like fate knocking on her door—a clear sign of opportunity. Self-employment had been no walk in the park, but Amber's determination was unwavering. She was tenacious and knew she owed it to herself to really explore her one shot at doing what she loved and being financially free. Houston would be her one shot at elevating her fashion brand and meeting all the networks she needed, but for now she needed a temporary job to bounce back from the spending from the move.

Her family held reservations about her moving of course, some of them which were fair, some of them which felt like clouds of projections and pessimism. She could understand why her family, her mother in particular, felt that a 21-year-old moving across the globe from London to Houston by herself was borderline insanity, but she knew they wouldn't understand until she had a leg to stand on.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of the café door opening and warm laughter. She looked up to see her manager Oliver approaching a tall guy who wore a dark crew neck jumper, complemented with black minimalist jeans. She couldn't figure out what Jordans he had on as they were matte black, but what caught Amber's attention especially was his jet black curly hair. He embodied the essence of tall, dark, and handsome, his skin reminiscent of the rich hue of the latte she brewed daily. She couldn't deny his appeal as she watched Oliver and the man embrace briefly until Oliver's gaze shifted towards her, and the man's eyes followed... their eyes met fleetingly, igniting a spark in her stomach that came but swiftly disappeared as Oliver redirected her attention with his words, pulling her back to reality.

"Amber you see, is a godsend" he began as he strolled towards her, the towering figure at his side, his tone brimming with admiration. "She's our new barista and the best company I've enjoyed since my father opened Vues, no shade to our other staff," Oliver spoke as his laughter mingled with his praise.

The tall man seamlessly continued Oliver's thought, "And I must say, she's also quite stunning." The words slipped from his lips as if they were Oliver's own, completing his sentence seamlessly and in turn causing Amber to blush instantly. From the satisfied glint in the tall man's eyes, it was clear he had achieved exactly what he intended.

"Don't mind him Amber, he's the biggest flirt you'll ever meet," Oliver chuckled once again "Amber meet Aubrey, Aubrey, meet Amber."

And at that moment her heart was filled with verve, despite every previous heartache endured, despite the aching sensation she had grown accustomed when she found herself reminiscing about how tragic love had been, the sensation in her stomach when Aubrey spoke told Amber to find solace in what love could be.