Breaking Barriers

Chapter Two

Trying to be subtle, I shifted my gaze towards Alessio, but as luck would have it, Abigail caught me.

"Stop shamelessly staring at him," she chastised me comically, her humor clearly visible on her face.

"What do you mean?" I asked feigning innocence.

"You know what I mean. You're drooling, sis. Wipe your chin before the saliva makes a permanent mark on it," Abigail quipped, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"I was just..." I began, struggling to think of a way to talk myself out of this one.

"You were just lost in his eyes," Abigail declared gleefully. "You're crushin' hard, huh?"

I cringed, realizing that she had caught me in the act. It was a good thing that our psychology teacher entered the classroom just then, sparing me any further embarrassment.

"To be continued," Abigail said, her eyes shining with excitement, as she claimed her seat.

The hours flew by as I tried to focus on the professor's lecture, but my mind kept wandering. I couldn't help but notice a guy sitting to my left. Though I couldn't see his face clearly, I felt his gaze on me every now and then, making me feel uneasy.

I tried my best to ignore him, but it was messing with my concentration. It didn't help that Abigail, my constant source of entertainment and annoyance, kept poking fun at me throughout class. She had noticed my unease and teased me relentlessly, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and making obscene gestures.

By the time the class was over, I was relieved to leave the room and escape the guy's gaze. As I walked out, I scanned the hallway for Abigail, spotting her leaning against a wall with one foot propped up.

"Destiny, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing my troubled expression.

"I think someone was staring at me during class," I replied, feeling nervous and paranoid.

"Ooh, a mysterious admirer. Do you know who it was?" Abigail asked, nudging me playfully.

"I have no idea," I replied honestly, feeling frustrated.

The rest of the day was uneventful, and I couldn't help but wonder who had been staring at me during class. I hoped it wasn't someone I knew, but I couldn't shake off the fact that it was this Alessio.

I was leaving campus when I heard a familiar voice in the distance. Turning around, I spotted Abigail surrounded by a group of people, her contagious laughter echoing through the air. As I continued walking, lost in thought, I suddenly bumped into someone and fell to the ground.

"Ow!" I exclaimed in pain, reaching out for a helping hand. In an instant, I was back on my feet, my chest pressed against a rock-solid body.

"I'm sorry," a deep voice said. Looking up, I was surprised to see Alessio, the guy who had caught me gawking at him this morning. He introduced himself politely, releasing his grip on my waist.

"Destiny, right?" he asked, a glint of recognition in his eyes.

"Uh, yes. How'd you know who I am?" I asked, feeling self-conscious.

"You're crazy Abby's friend, aren't you?" he said with a knowing smile.

"My friend isn't crazy," I smiled back, feeling relieved that Abigail's popularity had some advantages.

"Then tell me, why have you been avoiding her all day?"

I gasped in surprise, "How did you know? Were you following me?"

Ignoring my question, he pressed on, "You still haven't answered my question."

Thinking quickly, I conjured up a lie, "Oh, it's just a silly game we girls play. We make a bet to see who can spot the other person first on campus. It's our way of staying connected."

He raised an eyebrow skeptically and chuckled, "Is that so? I've never heard of it before."

"Well, you're not a girl so..."

I was keen to leave the conversation, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Wait a second," he whispered into my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. "I know I'm not the only one who's been peeking around today."

My heart beat faster as he pinned me against him, his close proximity making me dizzy with desire. I feigned casualness and replied with a smirk, "I have no idea what you're talking about. You must be imagining things."

Despite my words, I knew I wasn't fooling him. He thought I was attracted to him, and I refused to let him have the satisfaction of thinking I was succumbing to his charms.

I scoffed, "You think you're so important don't you?"

He leaned in close, his words sending a bolt of electricity through me. "As a matter of fact... yes, I do," he said confidently. I felt a rush of unexpected emotion, and for a moment, I wished he wouldn't stop.

But then I hastily replied with a weak lie, "As if. I'd rather date Donald Trump than be with a guy like you."

To my relief, he backed away, but his laughter cut through the air and left me feeling foolish. "So you've already thought about dating me? I'm flattered," he said, still chuckling.

I didn't say anything else and tried to make a quick escape, feeling embarrassed.

"Hey, where are you going? We were having so much fun," he called out after me.

Ignoring him, I continued on my way, but he shouted in my direction.

"Sorry I bumped into you earlier! I didn't see you there... you were so... tiny, I guess?!" he yelled in his distinct British accent, drawing attention to us both.

Rolling my eyes, I just stormed off. Guess he's not so admirable after all. Just a prick.

•••

Upon entering the cafe, Bridget greeted me with a less-than-welcoming tone, "You're late!" and shoved an apron into my arms before returning to her work at the far end of the counter. Ignoring her rudeness, I quickly put on my apron and joined her.

As the day passed by, many familiar faces came and went from the cozy yet quaint cafe, with a majority of them being college students due to Oliver's Cafe's close proximity to campus. With only eight staff members, each of us had our specific roles and duties. Bridget and I were at the counter, while Bethany and Ken were responsible for serving customers and the incredibly talented chefs, Gary and Gilmore, worked their magic in the kitchen.

Bridget was known for her rude ways, despite her striking beauty. Her red curtain of hair fell across her face, framing her smooth, flawless skin. Her favorite pastime was partying and clubbing, as you might have guessed.

I never managed to get on her good side, as she treated me meanly all the time. But I had grown accustomed to her behavior by now.

splash

A customer's latte had spilled all over Bridget's apron, and she cursed under her breath, paying no attention to the customer's order. Hurrying over, I took charge of the situation, allowing her to move aside as I attended to the young lady in her early twenties.

"Stupid lady. Where was she looking when I was handing her the latte, anyway?" Bridget grumbled as she tried to clean up the visible stain.

"Where were you looking?" I asked her pointedly, but she didn't respond.

To my surprise, Bridget's scowl transformed into a smile, and she fixed her gaze on something near the entrance. Following her line of sight, I couldn't help but feel conflicted about who had just arrived.