Another Day

Chapter 1

Her pale cold hands gripped onto the steaming ceramic mug filled with hot chocolatome. She moved her arm up to her face to sweep a loose piece of hair from her face. Clearing her throat, she lifts the cup to reach below her rosey lips, blowing softly over the boiling beverage. Her eyes dart to the bell noise that goes off by the door. It shakes as a blonde women walks in. A sigh of relief makes a presence on her lips. She takes a sip and feels the burn on her sensitive tongue, scalding when it sears her mouth. She puts the cup back on the marble table, She lifts her phone to check the time displayed on her lockscreen. Noon. She came 20 minutes early just to insure she was mentally prepared for the meeting that was about to occur. She anticipated he would be about five minutes late. She sighs once again and sets her phone back on the table. She looks around the small coffee shop, admiring the familiar scent of coffee and scones, the large paintings that decorated the back wall and the marble table with letters and numbers scratched into it. It was a rustic place, and she loved the tone of it all. Her eyes then shifted to the large bay windows that existed right next to the glass door. Within moments her leg begin to impulse shake, jumping up and down. She pulled her bottom lip into her teeth and sunk her teeth in. He was here. She knew that she had to this but the question of whether she was ready for this echoed through her conscience. His hand slid across the door knob of the coffee shop and he pushed it opened. His eyes darted around for a moment before he met hers. He walked slowly towards the table. Taking a second he paused before slightly smiling and his voice spoke her name.

"Harley." It came out as a familiar mouth movement, smooth and effortless. Her heart skipped a beat, having not heard his voice in some time.

"Max" She replied. No smile appeared on her face, just a longing stare in his direction.

Memories come flooding through her mind consuming her thoughts and separate her from reality.

"Harley! Come to the front!" yelled Harley's boss. She replied with a loud yell in return letting him know she was headed there. She reached the front of the bookstore smiling at a few customers on her way there. Her smile faded when she seen a boy she had never met before.

"Yes Al?" She echoed, her eyes moving from the unfamiliar boy to her elder boss. Her smile returned back to her face as she gleaned at a man she considered to be her second father.

"This is Max, he is my nephew, and also the new assistant manager. Can you please show him the ropes today? I was suppose to complete orientation for him, but I have a doctors appointment. I wouldn't trust anyone else but my most loyal employee." Al's smile gets larger the further he talks. He was the nicest, most compassionate person she had ever met, meaning there was not a single way she was going to say no.

"Of course, Al." Her smile stretched across her face as she reached under the counter grabbing handing it to the tall boy on the other side of the counter. He graciously took the piece of cloth and unfolded it.
"Follow me, Max. I'll show you everything you need to know."

"Harley? Harley?"

"Yeah? Sorry." Her head slightly shakes as if she were shaking off the flashback. Her hand slightly trembles.

"I asked how you are." His smile returns to his face replacing the worried frown. He softly pulls out the metal stool and sits across from her. His eyes glued on her face.

She has waited for this moment for what seems like years. She is finally face to face with Max. She has wanted this but now she is struggling on whether this is something she still wants. She needs the closure but as she sits across from him staring at him, she isn't as sure. His dark brown hair is gently placed into a swoop, the same style he has worn for the past 6 years. His lips are slightly shiny from licking his lips moments prior. His eyes gleam with feelings that haven't yet been said. His arm rests softly on the table merely inches away from hers. He is the closest he has been in years, yet the distance between the pair couldn't be anymore obvious. Does she want this? This was a mistake. Her heart sunk as her mind said the words.