Chapter 89
Coffee Shop
It’s still raining at this moment. Pershey was at the coffee shop and spent time there while it was still raining. That was the coffee shop she often went to especially when it was raining. She likes that place because for her, she has peace of mind in that place.
She looked outside, into the rainy cloud and shady. The cloud is turning gray due to the strength of the rain at the moment. She hasn't been home since she and Caleb met at the Sweet Cupcakes Store. After talking to Caleb, they both left and she went to the Coffee Shop.
Just quiet around. No audible noise from the rush of water from outside and even the pouring rain could not be heard inside the Coffee Shop. That’s probably why she prefers to go to that place whenever it rains.
It's also not too cold inside unlike other shops where the cold is almost chilling. It's not too cold and the temperature inside the shop isn't too hot. Suppose in other words, the temperature inside is only moderate, so it feels better to stop inside that Coffee Shop.
She sipped her cappuccino coffee steadily as she looked outside. She seemed to be amused every time she watched how the rain dripped on the ground.
Her emotions seemed to go hand in hand with the pouring rain.
Moments later, as she peered out of the Coffee Shop, she caught sight of a man rushing into the rain and running on foot. He put both hands on his head and ran inside the Coffee Shop.
Things entered her mind the moment she saw the man rush in the middle of the heavy downpour.
At that moment, she asked herself, "Why is it raining?"
She did not notice that the man who entered was on the edge of her table. He was carrying two coffee caramels. That was Pershey's frequent drink but she had already run out of coffee caramel, so she chose only cappuccino. They probably already had stocks of caramel.
She doesn’t notice the man because her attention is focused on the outside and her mind is blown away by the wind.
"Why is it raining?" the man asked. When she heard the man's voice, she slowly turned to see who he was. Her reaction did not show shock when she saw the man in front of her. The man was already seated and he placed the two coffee caramels on the table.
Pershey's face was still clear. No mixed of shock could be seen on her face. She looked directly into the man's eyes.
She wanted to speak but she couldn't seem to.
"Neil," she called.
Neil sipped his coffee before peeking out of the Coffee Shop because it was made of glass.
He put down the coffee, said, "I also wonder why it has to rain."
Pershey just stared at him while he was looking outside. She seemed to be examining him.
"Others said ..." she said softly and stopped to look outside as well. When she looked outside, Neil turned his eyes to her. "... it seems like the rain is just like human feelings," she continued while still looking outside. Neil was still looking at her and she knew it. "... when it's too heavy, you have to lose weight," she added, which is a bit figurative and meaningful.
He did not say a word because many things were going through his mind.
In his mind, he was asking. In his mind, he was telling a truth that he could not say in person.
"... others even said ..." She looked at him and there was a trace of the joy she felt. "... there's a kettle in the sky," she laughed and so did Neil. "... when the kettle is full, it's supposed to go down, so it's raining," she continued, still laughing a little at what she was saying.
Neil smiles a lot at what she says but that is not really because of what Pershey is telling but because of how he feels while he's in front of her and Pershey is smiling. Maybe, if Pershey could only hear Neil’s heartbeat, she would know what Neil’s sweet smile indicated in those moments.
"You mean, there's a kettle in the sky?" he asked and laughed slightly afterwards.
Pershey suppressed a laugh but she still laughed before answering, saying, "I don't know."
They both laughed until silence gradually enveloped the surroundings.
"Coffee caramel," he offered and lightly stirred the cup he was offering her.
Since the cappuccino coffee she had been drinking had run out, she did not refuse Neil's offer. She sipped a little and savored the taste of the coffee.
"You're the one I saw rushing in the rain," she said.
"That's me."
“Why did you run in the rain?”
“I forgot my umbrella. I lost my mind while I was driving. ”
She just nodded in response and silence enveloped the area again. They were just two people inside except. Costumers are rare today and maybe because of the heavy downpour, so people rarely go out and go to the Coffee Shop.
They were running out of coffee, but the rain was getting heavier. Neil still can't go home because he doesn't have an umbrella with him. He was sure to get wet in the rain when he came out of the shop.
The silence disappeared when two costumers arrived. They wore thick jackets as if, on observation, they were in South Korea or in countries where it was raining snow.
Pershey looked at the newly arrived costumers. A woman and a man, and she thinks they are both familiar to her. When the woman turned around, she saw the woman's face, and she immediately waved to notice them.
She's waving, she called to the woman, "Leighden!"
They immediately heard Pershey's call, so they both turned to where Pershey and Neil were. They immediately approached and they sat down next to them.
Leighden looked straight at the two of them as if she had something to say.
"Are you guys dating each other?" Leighden asked. Pershey immediately laughed in shock at Leighden's question to them.
She defended, “No ah! It's just a coincidence that we both came here. ”
"Why are you together?" Draek asked.
Neil replied, "Because we're talking."
“What about the two of you? Why the two of you are there? Or is there still no label? ”
They both laughed.
"I'm just dating her," Draek replied, he looked at Neil, said, "You're dating her?"
Neil immediately tapped him on the arm for what he said. He just laughed and so did they.
They were silent when the waitress arrived carrying their orders of two café mocha.
"I'll just go to the comfort room," she said and then stood up. Leighden also stood up. Pershey looked at her and frowned.
"I'm also going there," she told her. Pershey walked first and she followed.
Pershey first stopped to ask a staff she had met.
"Where's the comfort room?"
She pointed the way, saying, "Just go straight and then turn left."
"Okay, thank you."
They went to the comfort room. While they were in the comfort room, what Neil had said when they were both in the library came to Pershey's mind.
Because they were in front of the mirror, Leighden noticed her sweet smile as she bent down.
She put on lipstick then said, "Smiling for no reason, checked."
She was shocked by Leighden's sudden words and instead of losing the smile on her lips, that smile widened even more, almost making her laugh.
"What are you talking about?" she asked still somewhat laughing.
She first combed her hair and then replied, “Why are you smiling all of a sudden? Are you in love? ”
“Is it bad to smile? Not because I'm smiling, I'm in love right away? ”
She laughed at what Pershey said. Pershey laughed a little too.
"Did you know..."
“I know which one? What is that?"
"Do you remember the potion, Pershey?"
"What's in the potion?"
"What if ... the love potion you used on Neil is still working?"
The potion came back to her mind, so she frowned.
“The love potion is not real. It didn't work,” she insisted.
"But ... do you remember what Capety said about the potion?"
"Which one?"
“She said, the potion will work on the person who don't really like you, but it won't work if the man likes you. Do you understand?"
She just laughed and just combed her hair.
“What if he didn't drink the juice? What if the juice stagnated and he didn’t drink it? What if he forgot to drink? And what if CaPety is fake? ”
"But, what if Neil really wanted you back then?"
She shook her head and almost laughed at what she was saying.
“Don’t you notice? Don't you notice that Neil seems to be looking at you? ”
"No, I don't notice."
“Are you numb? It's obvious from Neil's actions that he likes you. ”
“I don't want to hope anymore. I've learned, Leighden. Love comes at the right time and I don't want to chase a man anymore. Enough of the bait I felt before. I have learned a lot. ”
"Yes, you've learned that but you're getting numb."
"Let's just go."
They just left and came back. They catch Neil and Draek talking.
The rain was light so they could go home.
"I have to go, my Mommy is waiting for me," said Pershey and was about to leave when Leighden held her arm.
“Let's hang out first. No class today, so let's enjoy first. ”
"We're going to watch a movie in the cinema,"
"I want horror," she said.