1000 Memories

Chapter Two

‘Ring, ring, and ring’ I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing so loudly on my side table. It is my best friend Maggie calling. Her family used to live here in Delaware but they moved to L.A a few years back and now she lives in a downtown apartment after moving out from her parents’ house. We literally grew up together and had still managed to keep in touch despites being miles away from each other. Maggie is always asking me to come and live with her while I pursue my career as an actress.

“Hi Maggie, “I say into the phone excited to hear her voice. We stay on the phone for a while talking about life in L.A, I tell her how it is back home and these are just moments that I live for. Maggie makes me laugh my heart out.

“Cindy I really think you should make up your mind about coming to L.A. It’s about time and you are really missing out on a lot.’ Once again she tries to convince me and I just feel bad but she’s right. How much longer am I going to put off my dreams for the sake of my parents’ dreams? I really need to make up my mind because nobody will do that for me. I know I’ve been waiting for a sign before I make a decision on that but at this point maybe all I have to do is just pack my bags get a ticket and go.

“Yeah, you’re right Cindy. My parents will say no but I think it is time for me to just make the decision on my own.”

“It’s for your own good you know. They won’t be happy about it until the day you become successful but you do know that you actually have to start somewhere in order to get to the point of success. “She continues.

“Okay, fine Cindy, I’ll do it. I am sold. “I say sarcastically seeing as how this time she is determined to make me say yes.

We continue speaking for a while before hanging up and I start preparing for work. All through I am thinking about how my parents will not like this and at this point it is very easy to chicken out but I am really hoping for my mother’s support in this. She will not like this but I hope she gets where am coming from.

I quickly grab my bag and immediately head to work without even eating my breakfast. My nerves just cannot allow me to be around my mom and dad this morning so I just leave instead before mom starts to complain.

The coffee shop is unusually very busy today unlike other days. Even Amy the other coffee barista who works weekend shifts has come in to work today. “It is going to be a very busy day” I think to myself already getting mentally exhausted but on the bright side I am going to be distracted from the elephant in the room.

I take my black apron from the back room and put it on then go over to help Amy with the customers. Our boss has still not come in to work yet but we can manage doing everything on our own. Time passes by really quickly with all work and before we know it, it’s already lunch time.

By this time we have only a few customers in the shop and so we take a lunch break. “I’ll be back in 30 minutes” Amy hurriedly says as she leaves so I have to stay here. I grab a croissant from the display and pour myself a cup of tea .I had not eaten anything since last night and it was nice to finally sit down in the corner booth and slowly sip away at my tea. I wasn’t really much of a coffee fan which is very ironical seeing as I work in a coffee shop. I look at my watch and I still have about 15 minutes left to my break and so I take my phone and watch some videos on YouTube in order to avoid thinking about how am going to Los Angeles .Where do I even start?

“I have to tell my parents tonight, I can’t put this off.” I say out loud thinking of a way to do it without breaking their hearts.

Well thank God for Maggie because I won’t have to worry about looking for an apartment to live in when I get to L.A because she has already been begging me to go and stay with her. She doesn’t have many friends in the city and is basically lonely most of the time so it’s a win-win situation for everyone. She won’t be alone anymore and I will save a lot of money by cutting down living costs. I had been saving many every month since I started working at the coffee shop two and a half years ago and all that money should be able to cover all the expenses when I relocate including travel and touring the city. I plan on really exploring everything because L.A has so much to see and do and I want to do it all. I know might sound a little crazy but I continuously convince myself, “This is what I want and I will do it”. I still have to look for a job when I get to the city to cater for my daily needs since I won’t have my parents feeding me anymore.

Amy walks back in to the shop and this is my cue to get back to work. The rest of the day goes by pretty fast and evening sets in. Amy already went home and I was the only one left at the shop so I close up and head home.

I get home at around 7:00 o’clock and I find my mom is already setting the table for dinner. We sit down and serve and I gather up courage for what is coming next.

“Mom, dad, Phil, I need to tell you all something. “I shakily say as they all turn their heads towards me.