Arcane

Chapter 1

Isn't it weird how life can change in every possible way when you expect it the least? You could get the job you had been studying your whole life for, you could get kicked out of your parents' house, a loved one passing away or you get to meet the love of your life. You never know what life has in store for you. My life had been nothing but average for as long as I could think and I was quite pleased with it. I had a job that paid enough to cover my spendings, great friends I shared everything with and a big brother who enjoyed getting on my nerves. But I still loved him. Life was perfect you could say. But it was not. Since my parents left my brother and I five years ago, everything had changed for us. I felt so empty without my mum and dad, I wouldn't leave the house for weeks, continuously crying my eyes out because I just couldn't understand why people you loved and loved you back so much would leave without any notice.

You get use to the pain, though. You learn to live and cope with it and that's what makes you stronger.

-

"Thank you, have a nice day." I said to the last customer before closing the cash till and handing the little black bag over to her. Today was a stressful day filled with annoying customers asking you every possible question and hilarious breaks with my colleagues. I walked around the counter and over to the room with a stickman on the heavy grey door in the back to get my stuff. I grabbed my backpack out of my locker, pulling the black blouse quickly over my head so I couldwear a casual T-shirt. Untying the scrunchy on my head, I let my wavy hair fall over my shoulders freely. My free hand slowly brushing over the strands as I looked at myself in the mirror. The dark circles under my eyes exposing how I tired I really was and my concealer not really doing its job. Great. I felt physically exhausted, just wanting to leave the store and fall into bed.

"Hey Sophie, Richard and I are going out for drinks. Do you wanna join us?" Evelyn, one of my close colleagues, asked with a grin on her face, her head next to the door while her body was hidden behind it. I laughed, her head looking like it's floating around. Evelyn was a few years older than me but that didn't bother us at all, her being more like a big sister to me than a colleague. When I first started working here, she was the first one to approach me and made me feel very welcome. The way she treated me and introduced me to the other two colleagues warmed my heart immediately. Though, Evelyn was the nicest person I know, she can be quite feisty sometimes - especially when there were customers treating her and others wrongly. You really didn't wanna get into a fight with her. Richard, on the other hand, was the sassiest person I knew. He was our store manager, literally the funniest - and if he wanted - nicest guy I knew. A night out with him and you had cramps from laughing the entire time. No man could walk by without getting a glimpse from Richard. The little store he owned named "Richard's fashion" (I know, how original right?) was the first one to accept my application after I got fired from a little cafe on the other side of the city. Wasn't my fault though. The customer treated me like I wasn't even a person, nose up in the air as if she was the queen herself. And I wasn't having that! Of course the manager blamed me for not treating the customer properly and told me it would be damaging for him and the cafe if I worked for him any longer. Now that I thought about it I was glad about being fired because I found some wonderful people filling my daily work with happiness.

I stared at Evelyn a bit longer, appreciating her offer but I had to decline, "I'm already going out with some friends but thank you for the offer. You guys have fun!" I said to her, turning around and walking towards the exit with her after closing the changing room door behind me. "Oh, what a bummer. Well, you have fun, too." she answered back, both of us waiting for Richard to come out of his office. The black door in the far back opened and he walked out, approaching us in his black trousers and colourful shirt. "Is your little tooshie gonna join us for a fun night?" Richard's voice buzzed with excitement, pushing his glasses down the bridge of his nose. He looked me up and down with a funny look after I shook my head no while Evelyn answered for me. As much as I loved to hang out with both of them, I had already promised Emily and Will, my two best friends, I would be meeting them after work. I'd known them for so long I couldn't even imagine a life without them anymore. We were inseparable no matter what life threw at us, we always found a way to overcome the storm.
We walked out of the store while Richard locked the door behind us, checking twice if he shut it properly before turning to us with a smug smile and we parted our ways with hugs and kisses.

„Get laid tonight!" he yelled after me just when we split our ways, my mouth falling open and my cheeks turning red after I noticed the people around us staring at me weirdly, some even laughing. I shook my head in disbelieve as I turned around again, admiring the beautiful evening. The sun was shining, slowly setting as the warm fresh breeze hit my face lightly. Birds chirping and flying over the city as they watched us from above. I loved strolling around the city, people running around or sitting down to relax. Some being out with their family, having picknicks at the park or getting some ice cream for their kids. A smile appeared on my face as I walked past the kid with his ice cream in his hand, happiness all over his face.

The phone in my pocket vibrated to signal me I got a message.

Hurry up, Will and I are waiting at the café. Xo

It was a message from Emily, making me smile at the thought of them and how we met each other for the first time. We were put to sit next to each other in first grade and were inseperable since and I couldn't be more grateful to have them both in my life. People who were always there for you, who would put you first and would do anything for you and vice versa. And I really appreciated that. I picked up my pace and turned around the corner, walking across the street to enter the little café we always went to. Pushing the door open and walking inside, I tried to spot them in the crowded place. People loved this place, delicious desserts and not so overpriced drinks that tasted like heaven in your mouth. I didn't know when we started to go to this place but it kind of happened one day and it had been our favourite place since then. My eyes moved from left to right until I spotted them at the window seats with their drinks already on the table. After waiting in line and getting myself a drink, too, I turned around to step aside and walk over to our table. Though, that was easier said than done. Just when I was about to reach the table some guy bumped right into my from the side, half of my coffee spilling on the floor and on his dark shirt. Lips parted in shock and I looked up to him to apologise for ruining his shirt, feeling the embarrassment creeping through my body and the blood rushing to my cheeks. But he stopped me before I could say anything.

"Watch where you're going." he said bitterly, wiping his left hand over his shirt while looking me up and down. What the hell?

„Excuse me? You are the one bumping into me! You should be the one watching your steps." I answered annoyed, rolling my eyes at him. Who the did he think he was? Not waiting for him to reply, I moved forward as if nothing happened and sat down at the table, my friends eyeing me curiously.

„What was that?" Will asked while looking between me and the boy behind me. As much as I wanted to follow his gaze back to the boy and eye him up and down like he did with me, I couldn't move body. I was too annoyed and tired to get into a conflict with him, no energy left to argue about a cup of coffee.

"He bumped into me and told me to watch my steps before I could even apologise to him." I took a sip of my now half empty drink and rolled my eyes, avoiding any further questions about him.

"You know, he was still staring you up and down after you left. And damn was he good looking." Emily whispered the last part with a wink at the end. I was about to roll my eyes again for the 10th time today but stopped myself. That was typically Emily. Always getting distracted as soon as a guy caught her eyes, not realising that my freaking coffee got spilled all over the place. I haven't even noticed him at all, too furious to take a glance at what he looked like.

And the evening went on and on, even if it had started not as expected, drinks and funny stories filled the night, the boy long forgotten and pushed to out of my mind as we enjoyed each others company until it was time to go home.

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Hello, lovely readers!

Thank you if you made it to the bottom of the story!

I just wanted to let you know that this is my first story and I have a few things planned with it, not sure if I'm gonna go the direction I want to go lmao.

And another thing, English isn't my mother language so please, if there any mistakes or anything don't be too harsh on me lol.