Inky Hair Strands

Chapter 1 | Inky Hair Strands

Chapter 1 | Inky Hair Strands

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"This is the beginning, of anything you want." - Unknown

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Hesitantly, I opened the door to Ocean Delight and heard the ring echo throughout the shop. The smell of the ocean across the street made its way into the building, leaving me with a salty breeze that swept across my cheeks and exposed neck. Tables were filled, people were laughing, and strange Indie music was playing softly on the speakers overhead.

I stepped towards the counter with a nervous heart and took a deep breath.

My mom will be here soon. My real mother is going to meet her daughter for the first time since birth and vice-versa.

My throat felt clogged.

The employees were busy making coffee and heating up pastries, so I took this opportunity to look over the menu hanging on the wall. Quickly, I decided on my usual mocha. Nothing else on the menu looked appealing to me and I hate trying new coffees. I also decided not to get any food because if meeting my mom turned out to be a disaster, I won't want to sit through a whole meal.

Finally, an employee walked up behind the counter with his head glued to the large cash register as he typed in a code.

"Hi, how may I help--"

As soon as his eyes met mine he seemed to go blank. Big black glasses framed his face and his eyebrows and black hair were tossed all over the place. He was lanky but he wasn't tall--maybe just an inch taller than me at five seven.

"Sorry," he continued to look at me, "you're just really pretty."

Now I was the one who stared at him with shocked eyes and a blank face.

It's incredibly early in the morning on a Monday and some guy at the register is telling me I'm pretty? I always thought the rest of my family beat me in that department because of their stupid blue eyes whereas mine are practically black.

"Oh. . ." I nervously laughed. "Uh, thanks."

Shit, I thought, I have a thing for Asians--and he's definitely a cute one. I could feel myself get red. With all the mom-thoughts and cute boy compliments, I was definitely out of my comfort zone.

"No problem." He replied, obviously uncomfortable as well. "Anyway. . ." He cleared his throat, "how may I help you?"

I snapped back into my thoughts and looked at the menu one last time. I told him my order and he simply entered it into the machine. I felt all squirmy in front of him because he's the first guy who's ever told me such a thing. . . and I don't even know who he is.

"Can I have a name for your order?" He held the cup in his right hand and a sharpie in the other one.

"J. R." I replied.

He wrote it down. I was surprised that he wasn't confused and asked how to spell it. I always have to tell people that it's just two letters in the alphabet and they don't have to spell out Jay Are.