- Authors Note: A massive thank you to everyone, who follows this story! I'm sorry I know I haven't updated in forever, unfortunately I've just been so very busy with university and everything else that has been going on for the last couple of weeks. -
Chapter 2: An unpleasant encounter
-In the cafeteria-
Lovina and Katherine were having lunch together as Felicia and Alice join them before heading to their next class. The two girls had gotten themselves some pasta for lunch.
"This pasta always manages to depress me, ve" sighed Felicia and looked upset at the overcooked plate of pasta in front of her. "It's not that bad once you get used to it, Felicia" said Alice and started eating her serving of pasta. "I really doubt I'll ever get used to that" answered Felicia and started eating her pasta as well. As the girls were eating their lunch, Katherine couldn't help but burst out the news. "Lovi's totally into the new barista at Leaves and Beans!" "What?! No, I'm not!" answered Lovina, blushing furiously. Katherine gave her a smug look. "Yes, you totally are. I saw the way you were checking him out yesterday! Plus, you admitted that he's totally hot!" "No, I didn't, and I never 'admitted' anything!" replied Lovina, her blush intensifying. "Oh yeah? And why are blushing then?" asked Katherine, the smug look still very much on her face. Lovina didn't know how to respond to that, so she stayed quiet. That had gotten Felicia and Alice interested. "So, who's the new barista?" Felicia asked, now very curious who had managed to make her sister blush that much. "Well his name is Antonio and he's new around here. He's tall, tanned, has slightly curly hair, very pretty green eyes and a smile that can make any single woman with eyes in her head swoon" described Katherine Antonio. "That certainly sounds very promising. Especially since he has such an effect on you Lovi" said Felicia, an idea forming in her head. "I think we really should have a look at him. What do you think, Alice? This afternoon? Beans and Leaves?" "I'd love to, but I unfortunately can't today. How about tomorrow? I'd be free any time after 3" Alice replied. "Sounds great! Meet me there at 3:30!" answered Felicia excited.
-Later that day-
'Shit' Alice thought as she was going through her sportswear. 'Where are my shoes? I'm sure I put them with my other stuff in this drawer!' 'Ah! There they are! Ok, let's see… I've got my shirt, already wearing my bouldering trousers, only thing missing now is my water bottle. Just going to fill that up an then I'm good to go' Alice thought as she was packing her bag. Once she had everything together and her water bottle filled up, she grabbed her keys and left for the rock-climbing centre. As she sat down in the tube, she fished her earbuds out of her bag and put on the playlist she created to get into the right mood. The ride on the train was going to take 20 minutes, so she had enough time to sit back and relax before she had to get off the train and change onto the next one that would take her to the rock-climbing centre.
'Merde!' Francis thought as he looked at his watch. He was running late. Again. He had already been in trouble for running late this week. He quickly grabbed his things and ran to the train that would take him to work. Once he was on the train, he looked at his watched and got even more stressed out than he already was. The train had been slightly delayed, which under different circumstances would not have been a problem, but since he was already late, he would not be able to make up for the time he had lost. When the train finally arrived at his stop, he practically ran out of the doors, not paying much attention to the other passengers, which earned him a couple of very dirty looks. Just as he exit came into sight, something almost knocked him over. At second glance, that something was a someone. A girl, approximately in her early 20s with wheat blonde hair and green eyes had run into him.
Alice had not payed too much attention to where she was going. Which in retrospective had not been very helpful when she ran into Francis. "Hey! Watch where you're going! Don't you have eyes in your skull?!" Francis asked, furiously glaring down at Alice, who was almost a head shorter than him, now running even later than he already was. "What?! You were basically running into me! You should really be watching where you're going! Running into people like that, bloody idiot!" Alice yelled after Francis, who had left her lying on the ground. Throwing one last very angry look towards the direction in which Francis had left, Alice brushed her hair out of her face, got up and went to the exit to catch the bus that would take her to the rock-climbing centre. Once she arrived, she changed into her sportswear, put on her shoes and went to warm herself up. After warming up, she went straight to the first wall and started climbing. After a while, her playlist got a little boring and managed to distract her more than it was helping her to focus, so she went back to her locker and locked her phone and headphones in. When she got back, she noticed someone very familiar standing near the wall she had decided to climb next. 'What's that bloody idiot doing here?!' she thought and tried very hard to get back into focus. Not very successfully.
"That's one nice piece of ass that girl's got there." Francis turned around and faced Antoine, his slightly annoying co-worker. "Don't you think?" Antoine asked, a smug grin on his face. "I guess" Francis replied. "A little too wallflower-like for my taste." "What? Dude, she's like super-hot and that ass though..." Antoine answered, not taking his eyes off of Alice. "Nah, she looks pretty boring to me. A little uptight if you ask me." Francis replied, starting to get bored with the conversation.
"What? Dude, she's like super-hot and that ass though…" Alice overheard one of the guys who also seemed to be working there saying. 'Ugh', she thought. 'That comment is just unbelievable. To be reducing me to my butt like I'm some sort of sexy doll only around for guys to look at while I'm working out. So gross.'
'What did that bloody idiot just say I was? A wallflower? Uptight? Boring? Jackass!' she thought and got even angrier at the guys. As she got angrier, she lost her focus even more, which ultimately caused her to miss a grip and almost fall off the wall. With sweaty hands, she steadied herself and made sure she was standing secure, when she heard a snicker. She turned her head and saw Francis having a really hard time holding back a laughter. This was it for her. She had reached the end of her rope. No use trying to get back into focus today. Thanks to that bloody idiot and his moronic co-worker. She got off the wall, went to the changing rooms, got changed and went straight back home. After this day, she surely was in need of a good old strong cup of her favourite black tea.