Return to Me (Soon to be Published!)

Chapter One- See Me

[See Me]

*Poppy*

May 12, 2016 (Roughly 10 years later)

I sit in the corner of the coffee shop, sipping my hot mint tea as I watch customers interact with the employees.

Laughter sounds from behind the bar, providing a perfect example for how friendly the environment of the local Starbucks really is.

The tall, handsome man with dark hair leans across the counter, flirting with a barista named Susan. Susan, flustered with the attention, abandons her tasks as her focus shifts primarily onto the man before her.

Shaking my head, I take one more sip before I gather my drink and pastry as I stand, heading towards the bar. I toss my half eaten croissant and then dump the rest of my drink down the sink.

Donning on my green apron, I clock in a few minutes early to relieve Susan of her position. I tell her to go spend sometime with the guy, out from behind the bar. She gladly heeds my order and I resume making the drinks she had forgotten.

After the small rush of drinks and food are handed out, I roll my neck, trying to relieve the tension that is gathering. "Pop, we're all out of Grande hot cups." I internally groan as I look over at Megan walk out from the back of the house, carrying every size of cups except Grande hot. She goes to stocking them and I turn to call another store to see if I can borrow cups.

A few hours of work and a gifted sleeve of cups later, I find myself leaning against the counter as Susan and Megan gossip over the man that was flirting with Susan. I shake my head again, looking at them with wide eyes as I silently urge them to get to work.

"Guys, can you please clean the bar." I mutter, frowning when they look over at me with a confused expression.

Was I speaking Spanish?

No, because I don't know Spanish.

I roll my eyes. "Poppy!" A small smile crosses my face as I look over the counter to see the petite blonde who decided to name herself my best friend.

"Hey, Rach." I glance over my shoulder one last time. "Get the bars done. I'm taking my last break." My voice is filled with more confidence, something that Rachel always seems to give me when she's near.

I grab my water and hurry around to wrap my arms around her small form.

"Coworkers giving you a hard time?" I roll my eyes in answer as we take a seat in the middle of the booth, next to a couple who seems to be on a first date.

"Lets not talk about work. How are you? How's school?"

Rachel and I have been friends since we were fourteen years old. Her family moved to Illinois in the middle of the school year and for some odd reason, Rachel decided to befriend the quiet, loner girl.

Her brother, Reid, is two years older than us. He went away to college when he turned twenty and returned this year. He took two years off in between his Sophomore and Junior year, trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He graduated last year and moved back to Illinois, in an apartment in Naperville.

Rachel followed her brother, going to school out of state right out of high school. She is studying to get her doctorate as a Pediatric Nurse. She is back for summer break and I am honestly the happiest I can be.

My life is so different when Rachel is here. When she's gone, I am alone and all ounce of confidence seems to evaporate. She has been my strength since day one and I rely on our friendship everyday.

"School is fine. All A's." Rachel smirks, her eyes gleaming with happiness.

I went to a local community college for a few years and graduated with my associates. I am now a shift supervisor at Starbucks with no idea of what I want to do with my future.