Chapter 41: Chapter 41

“Here’s your Macchiato, hope you enjoy it.” That was her tenth order she had given out on her first day. It was almost noon, which meant it was almost her break time. She enjoyed every bit of her work, except the part where she has to stand for hours, taking orders and making it. She loves the light pink colour shirt uniform with the grew P-cap that matched her hair. It was barely visible to people—it meant no one would nag her about her hair except she takes her hat off.

Alice heaved a sigh, leaning her waist on the counter as she scanned around the room. It was Monday, the busiest day of the café and it meant people were piled up, placing orders and having their breakfast before work.

Brooke leaned beside her. “How are you holding up?” She asked and nudged Alice’s shoulder. Alice looked at her and chuckled softly. “Better than I expected.”

Ryan walked out of his office, answering a call. He looks at her and nodded, smiling before looking away and heading out of the café. That made her stomach to flutter and her knees wobble. She inhales deeply and let it out, making Brooke to laugh.

“You really do like him, don’t you?” She raised a brow at Alice.

Brooke had this energy and positive ambiance toward everyone around her. She doesn’t seem to care about anyone’s opinion about her or anything. She’s kind and always smiled even now that they were having a hectic morning. It was Alice’s first day but it feels like they’ve known each other for years.

“He’s okay,” she said, folding her arms over her chest as she watched him walk down the street through the glass wall. She knows that she was clearly lying, it was evident on her face that she finds Ryan attractive. But she doesn’t feel him all the way in her heart. Maybe it’s just a mare crush.

“I thought he was your relative at first,” Brooke said.

Alice shoots her a quizzical look. “How so?”

Brooke shoulder shrugs and grabbed and disposable cup to make herself a quick coffee. “You guys have the same colour of eyes. Your eyes are beautiful by the way.”

Alice could feel the smile wanting to spread on her face—she didn’t stop it. complements like this makes her feel more confident about herself.

“You also have the same cherry plump lips and dainty nose,” Brooke spoke excitedly as she hands a cup to Alice. She peeked into the cup. It wasn’t latte. She doesn’t know which type of coffee it was because she hasn’t completely gotten used to their appearance and names.

She took risk and sipped it—her eyes gleamed as her lips quivered up. She took another careful sip.

“It’s affogato,” Brooke says and took the first sip of her coffee.

Alice smiled with a nod of approval—maybe she would be a coffee person after all. “I like it.”

It was five minutes to their break when a customer walked in. “I’ll handle it,” Brooke said and walked over to the counter.

Alice watched as she handled it professionally. She writes down his order before walking back to where Alice was standing, beside the coffee machines.

“Ryan is single now though—his cranky ass girlfriend dumped almost a month ago,” Brooke spoke, as she drizzled caramel at the edges of the cup. She was making a latte special. Alice hasn’t tried that yet, just regular latte was okay for her.

“What makes you think I want Ryan?” She questioned. She had just finished taking her coffee and her arms were folded over her chest again. Brooke gave her a crooked look and shook her head. She bents down and grabbed the to-go paper bag before packaging the coffee.

“I love this pretend game of yours, it’s really cute. But it doesn’t fit you,” she said, walking back to the front counter. The customer paid for their coffee before leaving and they were finally on break.

Brooke sighed, taking off the gloves from her hand. She guides Alice to the back room, where they rest before their next shift. “I am not pretending because I have a boyfriend.” She doesn’t know why she just said that. It sounded way better when she thought of it—when she thought of Dominic or was it Aaron she thought of? It feels like both.

She grunts, massaging her temple—it irritating how she can’t get either of her problems out of her head.

“Really?” Brooke opened the door and they entered. The room was empty because the other employees were now on duty. They settled down on the couch. “What’s his name? Why didn’t you mention him earlier?”

Alice shoots brow up with a perplexed look on her face. “First of all, we are just getting to know each other and second of all…” She halts and sighed. Maybe she shouldn’t have said that.

Brooke raised a brow, waiting for her to finish her sentence. Alice furrowed her brows because now she has to speak up. “He’s back home,” she said. She doesn’t even know who exactly she was talking about. She doesn’t even know where she stands with either of them—whether they still liked her they’ve moved on. For Aaron, he kind of still stays in touch with her… almost every day. Dominic…he hasn’t call or texted after he had texted her the night she arrived in New York. It irritates her that he didn’t even bother to double text because what if she didn’t get the first one?

“It’s just complicated.”

“Try me.” Brooke was exactly like Miley—she loves to urge people into doing what they don’t have the mind to.

“We ended things… I ended things,” Alice said and exhaled gently. She certainly knows that she’s talking about Dominic and she just sighed because she kind of missed him. “I’m from Halibut Cove Alaska,” Alice said, obviously trying to change to topic.

Brooke smiled and waved off the matter. “San Diego. I moved here two years ago with my family to be closer to my father’s business. He owns Instill, Inc company,” Brooke said, fetching out her phone from her pocket.

“Your father owns a company? Why are you working then if your father owns a company? Isn’t he like… rich?” Alice wasn’t sure what company that is because she was still working on knowing the city but it definitely sounds like Brooke’s father is rich.

“He is,” she said, typing away from her phone. “I’m working for fun.”

Alice shrugs it off because she’s somewhat doing the same thing. She had never worked in her life before. Her parents always provided for her. She only does things she’s pleased with or she feels like doing. So, she won’t blame Brooke for working for fun even though it was absurd.

Hours passed by in a blur and Alice had just finished her first shift of her first day as a barista. She took off her apron and it felt as though it went away with the weight and stress she felt.

Brooke had just left and she was left alone, packing her stuff to leave. She went into the closet and changed before stepping out.

Her heart jump, almost running out of it’s place when she saw him standing by the door. “Oh God,” she mumbled, holding her chest as she tried to steady her heart beating fast.

“Oh… sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, taking few steps towards her. “It’s closing time already and I was wondering if you’d like me to walk you home since we kind of… live together?” It came out more like a question not the fact that they live in the same flat.

She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. “Sure, let me just get my stuff,” she said and he left her to it.

Her phone vibrated and she fetched it out immediately. She sighed when Max’s name popped up on her screen. She had a little glimpse of hope it was going to be Dominic. It maddens her that it wasn’t him and it irritates her more that she wished it was him.

She answers the phone and placed it between her eyes and shoulder. “Hey,” she said, grabbing her jacket together with her purse.

“Are you home yet?” He asked her. She could clearly hear the panic in his voice. She halts what she was doing, as if it was interrupting her from hearing what he has to say. “No, but I’m on my way. What’s wrong?”

He breathes out gently—she couldn’t tell if it was a frustration sigh or relieve sigh. It sounded like both—like he’s relieved that she wasn’t home yet but worried that she was still outside.

“I’ll be home in an hour. I’ll bring back takeaway, okay?”

“Yeah… sure.” They ended the call and she stepped out, wondering what type of a weird phone call was that.

Ryan was standing by the door and he noticed the disturbing look on her face as she approached him. “You okay?” He asked, observing her face closely.

“Hmm? Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.” She waves off his question and pull the door open before he could do so. She stepped out and the breeze instantly hits her body. She hugged herself and shivered.

She looked up to the sky despite how strong the wind was forcing her eyes to shut close. Clouds formed and the stars were scattered among the sky. It was suffocating and overwhelming to watch the dark cloud envelop all around.

Ryan guides her down the street quickly as it began to drizzle. It didn’t take much time the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour.

They were soaking wet by the time they reached the lobby. Ben stood up from his usual chair and approached them. “Looks like it’s going to be a long, rainy night,” he said offering to take their soaking wet jackets.  They handed it to him with a thank you.

Five minutes later, the elevator dings open on the fifth floor and they stepped out. “You were amazing today,” Ryan said to her. But her eyes didn’t bother to look at him. Her ears weren’t paying attention to what he said. Her mind and her heart were obviously not with him. He noticed. “Alice.”

She didn’t respond—she had a mixed look on her face. She looked shocked and terrified at the same time. Her eyes was darted forward so, he traced it.

He spotted a six feet guy with a wavy, sable black hair, standing by her apartment door. His eyes were fixed on Alice until Ryan placed a hand on her back—his eyes darted there. Alice could see the fury washing over his face but he restrained it.

“Do you know this guy?” Ryan asked her, sending a distrustful glare his way. She gulped hard, thinking of whether to deny the fact that she knew him and he was her mate or act like she had never seen him before.

Ryan felt revolted by him when Alice nodded. “Are you going to be fine?” He whispered close to her ear. It made Dominic to grunt slightly and take his eyes off them. Maybe he shouldn’t have come here. Maybe he should’ve let her go and move on the same way she’s doing so. This was all a bad idea.

“It’s okay,” she mouthed, massaging his arm gently. “I’ll be fine.” She gave him and assuring smile and he nodded. “I’m just a few feet away if you need me”

He brushed passed Dominic and head towards his apartment. He looked back and Dominic had turned his head to look at him. His eyes were on Dominic also as he unlocked his apartment and walked in.

Dominic sighed and turned his head to Alice that had walked few steps forward. She had her arms over her chest and she clearly didn’t look happy to see him. Her hair was wet, making it look darker than its real colour.

“You should change before you catch a cold,” he told her, as thought they were cool and him showing up here was totally normal.

“Does Max know you’re here?” She asked him. It was a question whether to take him in or they talk somewhere else. She knew Ryan must be standing by his door, waiting for her call and she knew Dominic showing up meant he wants to talk and it’s obviously not going to be just a normal conversation.

Dominic eyes fall as he nodded. She placed her hands on her waist and scoffed, as she walked back and forth. It explains why Max called her all of a sudden and sounded weird.

She walked past him and unlocked the door. He followed her behind when he sensed that she left the door open for him. She walked towards the corridor and opened a door, leaving him standing by the doorway.

He sighed and walked further in, closing the door behind him. He won’t blame her for however she decides to act. It’s his fault for taking a six-hour flight to come see her because he believes in second chances.

He looked around the apartment—it was small. Really small but he liked it. he had never lived in a small place before but this meant you’d get to spend more them with your loved ones.

Was that what she does with Max? Spend time with Max often? Or they a thing? Or is that brunette haired tall guy her thing? The thought of Alice being with someone stabbed him in the center of his chest and he hates that he just thought of that. Imagine if his assumptions were true. He’d die perhaps.

She walked out of her room, wearing grey sweatpants with white shirt. Her hair was still wet but she doesn’t seem to care. She had her arms over her chest again—she does that a lot whenever they were fighting or having an argument. He finds it attractive when she does it and it made everything hard to focus.

He cleared his throat and stiffened his back. “So…” he pointed at the door and she knew what he meant.

“Ryan is my boss,” she said, rolling her eyes. So, his name’s Ryan—what a heedless name, he mused to himself. It was a nice name, he knew. He just wanted to demean him and say bad things about him.

“You work now?” He asked stunned but enthralled. He always knew she was strong and confident enough to be amongst the outcasts, but working for them—he never expected to hear that from her.

“What exactly are you doing here, Dominic?”

He looks at her, his eyes searching hers. They held nothing but anger and disappointment. It’s obvious that she hasn’t forgiven him for his silly, stupid mistakes while trying to protect her.

“I hate myself for fucking things up with you,” he told her. His voice tingled in her body but she ignored the feeling and stood to her guard. “I’m a big mess, and that’s the last thing you need right now… but this mess loves you endlessly.” He was now taking careful steps towards her.

Her arms fall to her side as her heart hammered against her chest when he approached her.

“Please don’t doubt my love for you, it’s the only thing I’m sure of.” His brown eyes were as serious as his tone. She could feel her heart catch in her throat when he grabbed her arms and pulled her towards him.

She started into his eyes for a moment—it felt so good at the wrong time. Her eyes lowered to his lips and all she could think of was the days he’d caught her off guard with his fierce yet sweet kisses. The feeling of his touch against her bare arms causes a hot ball of desire in her stomach to funnel down her legs and up her chest.

She shook her head as she wrenched free from Dominic’s embrace, unable to stand being this close to him. “I can’t deal with this right now. I don’t want to deal with this, Dominic. I need you out of here right now… you’re just making things difficult for me.”

“Are you back together with him? Or is it this guy?” He points at the door and it maddens her because she knew who he was refer to.

“What is wrong with you, Dominic? Why do you keep complicating everything for me? What the hell do you want?” She was trying so hard to keep her voice calm but it was hard to do that every time she looks at his eyes. They make her anxious and angry because she wants to stare at them forever and keep her eyes off at the same time.

“It is you. It is fucking you. I cannot describe it anymore, it is you. You are the only one that I will ever want. I belong with you. You are my home. I look at you, and somehow, I can see 50 years from now on the front porch of some old house in the middle of nowhere and we're together. I need you. You are the only thing that matters. You are my good.” He told her wretchedly, his voice breaking as he did and it was factually the first time she had ever heard his voice this broken before.

“What if I don’t want you anymore?”

He straightens up and stare at her, his mouth hanging open and his stomach twisted in a knot of anxiety.

“What if I don’t want to be with you anymore? What I left home because I don’t want to be anywhere near you? What if I’ve never loved you and everything I did was out of kindness? Would that make things clear? Would be enough to show you that I don’t want to be your mate anymore?”

His eyes dart down just as felt a stab in the core of his heart. He inhales a huge breath, slowly lifting his face to look at her. His eyes meet hers, and she begins to feel bad for saying what she said, but she pushed the feeling down and kept going. “I don’t see myself with you, Dominic. I don’t even fantasize about you. I don’t think I’ve ever even loved you. It’s like… I just enjoyed your company and attention rather than actually falling for you. I don’t think we’re meant to be because I don’t feel the same way you feel about me.”

Her words were shrill, spine-tingling like nails on a chalkboard. “You don’t want me.” He nods his head, as if trying to understand what she had just said and sticking it into his head.

She could feel the guilt surging into her body when she heard the pain in his voice. He makes eye contact with her, that pain voice was nothing compared to the turmoil in his expression.

He takes a deep breath to calm himself. He nods his head again, his eyes darting down. He began taking steps back before he slowly turned and walk toward the door. He turned the door knob but don’t pull it open for a moment. She couldn’t tell whether he was holding back the tears or he was in so much pain that he can’t even pour it out. But he’s Dominic and Dominic never cries.

He pulls the door open and looked up at her. The look on his face says it all—he’s sad, disappointed, broken.

Despite the burning feeling in his chest, he hopes with every bone in his body that it’s be him and Alice in the end.