The Exchange Student

Chapter 3

" Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know. " -Pema Chodron

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These past few days I've been getting settled in and have explored a little bit of the town. It's been boring just sitting around the house.

I walk downstairs to the living room where Anne is. Gemma is at her apartment and Robin is working so it's just Anne and me. She's sitting on the couch reading a book when I walk in. She doesn't hear me come in so I clear my throat to get her attention. " Oh Ember I didn't hear you walk in. " she says with a smile. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her comment. I look at my hands and start to play with them. After a few seconds of silence Anne speaks up, " Is something on your mind? " She asks concern laced with in her voice. I know she knows about the accident, my dad told her and robin, so she probably thinks it's something related to that. I see the concern grow across her face. I decide to ease her mind by actually telling her what's going on.

"Um I was wondering if I could get a job in that coffee shop in town. I saw a help wanted sign and thought it could give me something to do." I say to her looking down at my feet. "Oh" she says probably thinking that I was going to say something else. "Well of course you can." She says with excitement in her voice. "If it's okay with you can I walk into to town to see if they still have the job opening? " I ask her. "I can drive you if you like." she says. "No it's okay I like the fresh air. " I tell her before she gets off the couch. "Oh okay". She says a little bit disappointed, "thank you for the offer though" I say to her with a small smile. I head up to my room and grab the house keys they gave me and a jacket and start to walk towards the coffee shop.

After about a 20 minute walk , im walking into the coffe shop, the little bell on the door dings as I walk in. I instantly smell coffee beans and it relaxes me a bit. "May I help you?" I hear a deep british voice ask me. I turn around to find a guy around my age behind the counter. "Um yes i was wondering if I could speak to the manager, about the job opening." I tell him. "Sure just let me go get him." He says as he turns and goes towards the back. "So Axel here tells me that you're here for the job opening, right?" He says as I nod my head yes." What's your name? " He asks me. "Ember Young." I tell him. "Oh look an American, well Ember..??" He says emphasizing my name. "Since we really need the help you can start tomorrow on the register, be here at 9:30 a.m." He finishes and turns to Axel "You'll be teaching her how to work it."

"Ay Ay caption." Axel says and mock salutes him, while Ricky, well that what his name tag says at least, rolls his eyes and walks to the back of the shop. "So I'll see you tomorrow." Axel says to me with a wink. I roll my eyes at him and head towards the door ."Bye" I say back to him and all I hear is his laughter.

I get back home to find Anne gone and just Gemma there."Where did Anne go?" I ask her. "Oh Robin had a business trip to go to and my mom went with him." She answers as her phone vibrates on the counter."I got to take this." She mouths sorry as I nod to find something to eat in the fridge. "Hey Ember I got to go , apparently my roomate Cole clogged tiolet and he cant get it un clogged with out my help. So i have to go and I may see you tomorrow.Will you be okay on your own? " she ask. "Yeah I'll be fine go help Cole." I tell her with a smile. "Okay ill see you later." She says as she walks out of the kitchen and I quickly remmber that i need to tell her about my job but shes out the door before I can get to her.I shrug my shoulders grab some yogurt and head to the living room. After a couple of hours of sitting on the couch and watching t.v. I hear the front door open."Gemma I thought you were-" I stop walking when I notice that thats not Gemma. But a tall man with curly hair and emarld eyes.

He stares at me, confusion crosses his face.

"Who are you?" We say at the same time.