Started with Goodbye

Chapter 2

Hera's Point of View

I hurriedly went home on mine and Aiden's apartment. The moment I opened the door, Aiden is already in front of it. Obviously waiting for me.

"What are you? A dog? Patiently waiting for me to go home?" I told her, sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes on me before she grab one of the grocery bags I'm holding.

"I miss you too girl," she just said. 

I can't help but to shake my head because of her answer. She walked directly on the apartment's kitchen so I followed her to bring down and arrange the groceries I bought.

I absentmindedly sat on the kitchen stool while heaving a heavy sigh. I couldn't help but to think on what happened earlier. I sighed again. Why does that man acted so weird? Why does he look on verge of crying when he saw me? Why does it feel like I know him deep inside? I kept on thinking about that man until my head hurts but I still couldn't arrive on one concrete answer. I scratched my head irritated because of that.

"Hey!" I got shock big time when Aiden suddenly appeared in front of me. I put my hand on my chest because I felt that I'm so close on having a heart attack because of what she did.

"What?" I asked her. At a time like this for sure I would be playing around with her but I'm not in the mood to exchange shouts and entertain her craziness.

"I’ve been talking here nonstop for far too long, I never knew that I'm only talking to dust particles and only air listened to me. What are you thinking, really? You look like you're torn between heaven and earth."

I'm thinking if I should tell her what is in my mind or not because I know, and I'm sure this girl will over react again.

I decided to just changed our topic so that she would not ask any further questions, but knowing her, she would ask that question nonstop later.

"Oh, just nothing." I pointed, using my lips, the groceries that I bought. "Just take a look on what I bought, and check if everything that you want me to buy is in there, I might forgot something," I told her.

She put her hands on her side while glaring at me. "That's the problem, you forgot something. Where is my chips that I told you to buy?" she asked me.

I creased my forehead because of what she said. There. Because of that freaking chips that looks like will be the reason I won't be able to have a good night sleep. I suddenly scratched my head because of that thought.

"Oh don't tell me you fought someone just because of the chips that I told you to buy?" She suddenly blurted out.

I looked at her weirdly. "You are thinking too much Aiden, I will not fight someone just because of your freaking chips okay? So stop your ridiculous thinking," I said to her still feeling irritated, not because of Aiden but because of my stupid self.

I suddenly remembered that shameful thing that happened at the grocery store a while ago. I couldn't help but to cover my face with my hands so that my embarrassment would fade away a little.

I looked at Aiden when she walked away in front of me to get a chocolate bar on my groceries.

"That's mine," I said while following her through my eyes, waiting on what she will do next. I looked at her weirdly when she sat down on the floor. She even tap the space beside her, inviting me to sit on the floor.

"Sit here, my dear best friend," she said.

"I don't want to, the floor is so cold you know."

She rolled her eyes because of my answer. "Okay, your choice. I will eat all of these chocolates." 

She's on act of opening the plastic of chocolate bar she's holding when I suddenly went near her and snatched the chocolate before I sat on the space beside her.

"Oh, so now, what is the story behind or rather the reason behind why you did not buy my precious chips?" I let out a exasperated sigh because I know she will not stop on asking me questions until I tell to her the story behind that freaking chips.

I told her what happened inside the grocery store, from beginning until the end. Unbelievably, Aiden is seriously listening to what I'm saying, attentively even. "I don't even know why he looks so familiar even though it is my first time seeing him." I finished my so called story telling.

I saw Aiden nodding her head beside me. She looked at me before saying, "First of all, you looked so stupid on the part wherein you ask that guy some random questions."

I looked at her badly, "I'm on state of panic okay?" I told her.

She didn't give a d*mn about what I'm saying and continued on blabbering her opinions. "Second, don't you think you already saw or talk to him somewhere else that's why his face looks so familiar? Like you just can't remember."

I just sighed because of what she said. "He is not the type of person that can be forgotten easily. I mean, I'm still thinking about him now that's why it is really impossible to forget someone like him easily."

I'm about to continue explaining my side when Aiden raised her hand in front of me, saying that I should stop. "Stop right there girl. I still have another one, my third point." 

I just waved my hand and let her continue on her nonsense talk.

"The third point is... Congrats." Then she smiled sweetly at me, her smile is so sweet to the point that I can feel shivers on my spine, in short, creepy.

I looked at her like she lose her head. "Congrats to what?" I asked, clearly confused.

She hastily patted my shoulders, "Congratulations! Because you already have a love life."

I stared at her blankly. I should have known.

I just shake my head while rolling my eyes on her. "It really has no sense talking to you. I should have known from the start," I said while getting up from where I sat. I went directly on my groceries and fix it on it's proper container.

"What? Most, if not all, of the love stories in movies started in scenarios like that," she said while walking towards me. She also helped me in fixing the groceries.

"It's just in the movies and fairytale, girl. It's nearly impossible for that to happen in real life, we really need to face reality when it comes to our love life you know," I told her.

"What? I can't believe you're a writer. Imagine you are an author but your mindset is like that? No sweetness and all, that's why you don't have love life."

I laughed at her, a fake laugh. "As if you have a love life, we are the same girl," I said.

"Who knows, I may have a boyfriend, you just don’t know." I looked at her and stick my tongue out at her.

"As if. In your face." Then we laughed together. We are really best friends.

Another day, another mindlessly looking at the people who are passing by in front me. I just finished making a new chapter for my story when I suddenly lost interest that's why I just gazed on nowhere, looking like a lost puppy. I just watched the people walking on the sidewalk, going somewhere I didn't know.

I am currently at the cafe near our apartment. Because it is weekend, there was a lot more people than usual outside. Some are with their families, some are with their friends, some are with their lovers, and some are alone, just like me.

I just kept on looking at the passersby when someone blocked my view. I looked up to see who is the b*stard that blocked my view. 

Imagine my shock when I found out who is it. It is the guy from the grocery store yesterday!

I awkwardly waved my hand him and smiled. "Hi," I said.

He has this strange look at his face. As if he is sad about something.

"Hi," he said. He smiled at me while showing the food tray he's holding. "Can I share a table with you? The cafe is already jam packed with people and there is no vacant seats available, there is still a space on your table, perhaps I can share the table with you? If it's okay," he stated.

I looked at the cafe, and on my shock, there is really no vacant seats. You looked so out of thought a while ago that you couldn't seem to realize that the cafe is full of people. Great, just great Hera. I thought to myself.

How many hours I'm here on the first place? I didn’t even realize that time passes so fast because I am so focused on writing and day dreaming.

"Uh, Miss?" I snap out of my thought when the grocery store guy called me.

I nodded and smiled at him. "Sure you can take the vacant seat," I told him. He nodded at me before he started to eat his order

"Thank you," he said as he sat down in the chair in front of me.

I returned on writing ideas for my new story. Minutes passed that we are focused on what we are doing, not minding each other when I found out that I'm running out of my coffee drink. I was about to go to the cashier to order a new one when the grocery store guy stopped me.

"Are you going to buy a coffee?" he asked. I just nodded and look at my coffee cup again.

"Yeah, I run out of coffee so..." I got up from my sit when he handed me a paper cup with lid.

"Here, you can take mine. There is long line on the counter. It will be a hassle to you. It seems like you are in the middle of writing, so it is better if you are not interrupted right?"

Your presence and that coffee alone already interrupted me. I thought to myself.

I just smiled at him before accepting the coffee he offered. I removed the lid while simply smelling it, confirming that it is really coffee. I am just protecting myself by confirming if it is real. You know, people nowadays are scary. To make sure that it is really coffee, I tasted it. I stilled for a few seconds because it is my favorite type of coffee, Caramel Latte. I smiled to myself, a contented smile.

I suddenly stopped what I'm doing and looked at the grocery store guy. He is looking intently at me, like I am a weird woman because of what I'm doing. I awkwardly shifted to my seat and I fake a cough. I look at him again.

"Sorry. It became my habit to smell and taste test the food someone gave to me. Especially if that person is someone that I don't know personally."

He just smiled at me. "It's fine. After all we need to be careful. Especially at a time like this," he said.

I quickly shifted our conversation with something else before our conversation became deep.

"By the way, thank you for the coffee. This is my absolute favorite among all the flavors." His smile widen because of what I just said.

"Really? I'm glad you like it, perhaps you also want this one?" He showed me the cake he's eating. "I ordered two slices, I thought one slice is not enough for me that's why I ordered two but I'm already full. Do you want this cake? It's such a waste if I threw this away." I looked at the cake he is offering.

Strawberry shortcake. My favorite. I gulped, obviously wanting to eat the cake because ever since I entered this cafe I had nothing but coffee, but I will look so shameless when I take the cake. I mean I already have his coffee, I had no heart to take the cake. I am not that shameless you know.

I shake my head before I looked at him. "No. It's okay, I'm already full, but thank you for the offer," I said

But the heaven is not on my side when my stomach started to grumble after I finished what I said. We both stop because of that. I can feel my face burning because of embarrassment.

What an embarrassment. Great, Hera, you just dig your own grave. If only the earth could swallow me because of my embarrassment, it will surely did.

He laughed a little before he lightly pushed the cake saucer he's offering towards me.

"But it seems like your stomach is telling otherwise. Eat up. Feel free it’s okay," he said.

To lessen my embarrassment I just accepted the cake. I said thank you before I smell and taste it again, just like I did with the coffee, before I ate it fully, for safety purposes.

"It looks like that strawberry shortcake is also your favorite." I looked at him because of he said.

I smiled while nodding. "Yeah, it is. Ever since I was a child mom always brought this for me whenever she's going out for groceries." My smile immediately fade away when I suddenly remembered my mother. Mr. Grocery guy sense that I'm lonely that's why he immediately changed the topic.

"Actually I heard that this cafe is known for their unique cake flavors and I want to try one to check if it is true. That's why I am here today."

My face lit up because of what he said. This cafe is well known ever since the beginning, but for the locals only and based on the appearance of the grocery store guy, I'm sure he's not from here.

"Really? Where did you learn about this cafe? Did you know that only a few people know about that? Many locals who grew up here became a fan of this cafe because of their unique cake flavors," I said.

I'm excited because finally I found someone that I can talk to with this kind of topic. I can't talk to Aiden about these topics because she's more interested in taking pictures of nature and anything connected to environment. And base on the looks of Mr. Grocery guy, he looked very much interested on this topic.

"I heard from someone I knew who live here, and it looks like the rumor is true. I mean just by looking at you, you seem to enjoy the cake here," he explained to me. I smiled because of what he said.

"I've been hanging around on this cafe for such a long time now, and yes I enjoyed staying and watching people here."

We kept on talking for hours about random things until we both realized that it's already dawn. He was fun to be with. No matter how random the things we are talking about, I enjoy every minutes of it. I'm also glad that I could see him smile, he does not carry that sad smile anymore.

He looked at his watch and started fixing his things, readying himself to go out. I also fixed my things so I could go home now.

"I really enjoyed talking to you," I said while smiling.

"I did enjoyed it too," he answered with a smile

"I am Hera by the way, Hera Adlair," I said while extending my hand at him for a handshake

He smiled again and reached out for my hand. I don't know but he suddenly looked so sad. And the truth is, even though he is smiling while we were talking a while ago, the sadness in his eyes is clearly evident, but I choose to ignore it.

"Asher, Asher Coldwell," he said and we shake our hands.

"It's really nice meeting you, Hera."

"You too, Asher."