Set Apart

Chapter 61~

Cristina's POV:

It was a work day today. I didn't mind though. I loved my job. After I left the hospital I had to find a new passion. It wasn't easy, but I love my job. I love showing people what their new home could look like. I love the idea of knowing that I sold someone a house that their kid gets to grow up in. That I sold someone a house where they'd have years and years of happy memories in. It sounds cheesy, but it makes me happy. And my therapist said I had to hold onto things that made me happy.

I learned that the hard way too.

Another thing I loved about my job was that just because I worked 40 hours a week, doesn't mean I always have to wake up at 7 or 8 am. Some openings start at 10 am, or noon, or even 3 pm.

Maybe it's not the most glamorous job perk, but Violet and I appreciated it. We aren't morning people. We are night owls.

He was a night owl too.

No. Focus Cristina. Forget it. You may still love him, but he's over you. He's past you. He hates you.

I tried to shake the thought as I got up to go make Violet and I some coffee. I was still a terrible cook, but coffee was one thing I never messed up.

I looked in all the cabinets we had. We were out.

"Violet we're out of coffee grounds!"

She walked out of the room in her Hello Kitty pajamas and her hair all messy.

"Dammit. I coulda swore we bought some 2 weeks ago when we went to the store."

"We did. But we went through a lot of it last Friday when we had that Harry Potter marathon."

"Oh yeahhhh."

"Well we don't have work for another 2 hours so I say we hit the cafe on 5th and then come back here to get ready."

"Sure. But should we really go dressed like this?"

"I'm just gonna throw on my long black winter coat and brush my hair. I mean who's gonna see us? Everyone likes to go to the Starbucks on 25th anyway."

"Fair point. Grab your keys and let's go."

We walked downstairs and drove off to the cafe on 5th. When we walked in I grabbed a bag of coffee grounds from the basket in the front and Violet and I got in line.

"Hi, can I get two large black coffees with some sugar?" She asked.

I put the bag of grounds on the counter. "Oh, and this too?"

"Of course. Will that be all ladies?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay that will be $6 ma'am." She handed him the cash and he brought out a marker and two empty cups. "Can I get a name for the order?"

"Violet."

"Okay. You can wait over there while we make your order."

Cory's POV:

"Topanga, we just don't understand why you had to wake us up so early to go sight seeing." I whined.

"Because, if we go in the afternoon all the good spots will be filled with tourists. Plus, if all of us live here now, then I think we should have all day to look around and see what's close by."

Shawn groaned. "If we are gonna be out all day, can we at least get some coffee first?"

"Fine. Oh look, there's a cute little cafe across the street."

"Great!" Shawn said. "Let's go there."

We walked across the street and went inside the cafe. Topanga, Shawn, and I waited in line for about 2 minutes before someone took our order.

After Topanga and I finished ordering, it was Shawn's turn. As he was ordering I saw two girls standing in the corner of the room waiting for their coffees. One of them I didn't recognize. But the other looked kinda familiar. She turned her face more to the right and I finally realized who she was.

Crap.

I roughly tapped Shawn on arm until he turned around looking annoyed.

"What Cory? I'm trying to order my coffee."

"I just think this place is kind of a dump. Maybe we should go somewhere else."

"We are already here and i'm in desperate need of caffeine."

"Cory whats going on?" Topanga asked me.

I nervously pointed in the direction where she was and Topanga's eyes went wide. They grabbed their coffees and started heading in our direction. We began to panic.

"Yeah Shawn maybe we should go somewhere else."

"What's up with you guys today? We'll get going once I get my coffee."

Cristina's POV:

"Coffees for Violet." The worker said as he placed to large cups down on the table.

Violet and I grabbed the cups. "Oh shoot. They don't have lids." She said.

"I see a station with lids over there." As we were on our way to the other side of the room where the lids were I heard a familiar voice.

"We'll get going once I get my coffee."

I shake off the feeling and look back to see if Violet is behind me. Two seconds after I look back, I crash into someone and spill my coffee on them.

"Hey watch it!" He said.

Oh shit it can't be.

I looked up and low and behold....there stood Shawn Hunter.

Violet came from behind me and without hesitation, came to my defense. "Watch yourself jerk off. It was an accident."

I was speechless. And I think he was too.

"Sh-Shawn?" Was all I could manage to say.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Violet's eyes widen. "Shawn? As in..." She didn't have to continue her sentence. She knew by the looks on our faces that it was him.

After he got over the initial shock of seeing me, his eyes grew dark and his jaw clenched. He looked pissed.

"I've got to go." He said flatly. He turned around abruptly and sped off out the door.

My heart broke into a million pieces and I swear I was about to cry.

Just then I saw a curly headed brown haired kid run after him.

Cory?

Violet turns back to me and notices I haven't moved an inch since I last spoke.

"Cristina, are you okay?"

I stayed still, but I didn't want to worry her too much, so I spoke again. "Yeah." I lied. "Can you just get me some napkins?"

"Sure. I'll be right back."

As I stopped looking at the door and turned my head to face forward again, I saw her. Another one of the faces I could never forget.

"Cristina?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. It's me." I held back my tears and took a deep breath.

"Hi Topanga."