"Alice, you're incredible." Sherry suddenly spoke as I scrubbed the shiny tabletop with little effort. I peeked up from my work and gave her a slight smile.
The tables were now rearranged in the exact pattern I had seen in my vision. Every chair was in its place, the booths perfectly arrayed. The windows that had been foggy and dirty were now squeaky clean, not a stain in sight. The floors were practically mirrors due to my meticulous mopping every morning and evening. Sherry and I even had new uniforms, pink aprons that I designed and a white hair bow to go with them. The rain poured on outside, but in here, it was the opposite of gloomy. A quick tempo of Jazz music was playing from the jukebox and everything was neat and well, pretty, just how I liked it.
"You've only been working here for a month, and there hasn't been a dust bunny in sight ever since." Sherry commented. "And you look as if you're enjoying your work…"
"I do enjoy my work, Sherry." I said.
"Well, I believe you. You're alway whistling or humming, with a smile on your face." She was smiling also at that point.
I laughed a bell sounding laugh and then continued on scrubbing the table. It was close to closing time now, and usually customers were rare at this time of the day. There, the table was glistening now. I rung out the wet rag and tossed it into the sink, where I would take care of it tomorrow.
"I guess I'll be heading out now." I desperately needed to hunt, my golden eyes were closer to black than I should let them get, and Sherry smelled quite appetizing.
"Wait, Alice, I have a question for you." She stopped me, and I nodded. "What brought this on? I mean, why did you suddenly have the urge to come work here in Philadelphia? I mean, you're all alone and so young, honey."
I had already seen this conversation in a vision from a couple nights ago, I knew my next line.
"You see, Sherry, I come from Mississippi, Biloxi to be exact. I was an only child, and my parents passed away when I was about 16. Yes, I missed them, but I didn't mine being independent and on my own. Eventually, I grew tired of the South, the heat, and I… Well, this place just kind of… called to me. I guess it's kind of complicated, but I knew that I was going to work here. And so, I came." Sherry processed that and nodded slowly, taking a sip of her steaming cup of coffee.
"I see… but why are you still here? Why do you like it so much?"
This was the tough part, the part where my vision had ended. I would have to think of this part on my own.
"There's… I'm…" I took an unnecessary breath. "I'm… actually waiting for someone, I guess. You know how I said that this place called to me? This is the place where... where he's coming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my work and company, but I'm waiting for him… He's going to show up someday, here, and we're going to leave, the two of us, together." I was replaying the vision in my head, the one where I first see Jasper enter this very café.
"Does this man know you are waiting for him?" Sherry asked, intrigued.
"No, he doesn't even know I exist… yet." I answered.
"Then how-?" I cut her off.
"There are some things that… that I know. And I trust these things that I know will happen, because I know they will come true. Some may say 'that's crazy', but I know he's coming… I know he is." It was difficult, explaining this to a human that really had no idea what I was talking about. But I couldn't just flat out tell her that I was a physic vampire. No, that wouldn't work. But letting her know as little information as possible would let her think of it what she wished.
"If you say so, Alice. If you really think this man is coming, then who knows…" She murmured, though I could sense the doubt and confusion in her tone. "So, what's his name?"
"Jasper Whitlock Hale, and eventually Cullen." I gushed with a huge grin at the sound of his name.
"What is this boy like, Alice?" Sherry seemed pleased that I was so enthusiastic about something.
"Well, he is beautiful, absolutely beautiful. And everything about him is just perfect… And he always knows what you're feeling like, emotional for sure…" More than she would ever know, I added silently. "And he was a major for the Confederate Army and-," This time Sherry cut me off.
"The Confederate Army? As in the Civil war? How old is this man?" Her eyebrows were almost touching her hairline.
"Oh, I'm sorry; I meant that his father was a major in the Confederate Army." I quickly covered up with a lie.
"I see." Sherry relaxed again, well, returned back to the puzzled expression instead of shocked. She stirred her coffee with her pinky and noticed my eyes lingering on the mug. I was actually trying to hide my repulsion at the disgusting smelling rubbish, but Sherry didn't realize that.
"Would you like some?" She offered.
"No, no thank you." I answered politely.
"Come on now, I haven't seen you eat or drink a thing since you've started working here. You must be starving." She said with disapproval.
"I'm not hungry, I promise." Thirsty, yes.
"Here, just have a sip or two." Sherry had already prepared a cup of coffee for me, and its revolting scent wavered through the air. I didn't want to be rude, so I sighed in defeat and picked up the beverage. I struggled to keep from gagging, and took a microscopic sip of coffee.
"How does it taste?" Sherry asked.
"Fine," I lied. Sherry wouldn't be able to notice the sourness in my voice, but I did. Digesting human food was even harder than ingesting it.
"See, I told you." She smiled and I set down the vile liquid. "Looks like the rain's letting up, I guess we should be going while the clear sky lasts." She eyed the window that was now only covered with sprinkles of water rather than heavy rain.
"I agree. I'll see you tomorrow Sherry." I rose from the bar stool and headed towards the door.
"Goodnight, Alice, Sweet dreams." She waved. I wish I could dream; nighttime let my thoughts wonder about Jasper too much, I didn't have work as a distraction. I loved Jasper, but waiting was hard, very hard.
I waved one last time, and waited for a couple seconds until Sherry left. She muttered something under her breath once she got to her car, something that she didn't think I would hear, but obviously, I did.
"If she really thinks some guy is going to come…"
I just sighed and shook my head. Once Sherry was a good mile away, I dashed into the forest, following the scent of a herd of deer.
The deer came into the clearing and I waited until they were a bit closer. I lunged, and sprung, taking down the largest buck. He had very rich, and thick blood, though it didn't taste very good. But I could feel my thirst lessening, and that was the purpose. After the buck was finished off, I took down the next largest one. By the time my thirst was vanished, half of the herd was gone. A small fawn was quivering with wide eyes, and then she shot off, speedy and graceful. The rest of the herd that was left followed immediately.
I started making my way east, towards my apartment, but a little bunny hopped into the clearing and I studied the cute mammal. The bunny cocked his head to the side, sniffed the air, and looked around. She seemed to be waiting for something, by the way she scoured the trees with her dark eyes. All of the sudden, another rabbit came into the scene, and glided over towards the other one. The two bunnies sniffed each other and then nuzzled each other, and then danced off together.
What a happy embrace, the two rabbits. If only my rabbit would come find me, we would leave together and find our home. But, unlike the bunny, I knew I had a lot of waiting to do... And I didn't know if I could get through it. This last month had been one of the hardest months of my existence, my impatience was getting the best of me. Sure, I still put on a happy mask, and hummed and whistled, and somewhat enjoyed my work and chats with Sherry. But, inside, my heart was incomplete. It was aching, longing for Jasper. I needed him, my other rabbit. I wanted him to come now. But my visions told me otherwise, that it was going to be a long, hard wait.
But, hey, once I got through with the wait, I knew my future would be looking bright.
Short one guys, it was just a little chapter to sneak in before Jasper comes into the story. Is anyone as excited as I am to see him soon? Jasper is the best, he's from Texas like me(:
Tell me what you thought of it! Next chapter will be up tomorrow or Sunday. JASPER!
I love everyone who reads this story!
~Madi