Chapter One

Here's your change, sir", Selena smiled sweetly at the customer as she handed him his cup of coffee.

This was her second week of working at the café and she must say she was loving it. The work place was neat and conducive unlike her old job. Her colleagues were also very nice.

Sometimes it got tough when customers acted very rude but she didn't mind, after all, she wasn't expecting a bed of roses.

SELENA'S POV

I was about to head inside for my lunch break; a piece of momma's beautiful red velvet cake when this piece of eye candy walked over to the counter.

I think I just found another piece of cake.

Behave yourself, Selena.

I couldn't describe his beauty. Just saying he was good looking was an understatement.....but.... let's just leave it at that.

He stared at me expecting me to say something and I stared at him trying to remember what I'm supposed to say.

I know I'm supposed to say something, I say it every day; obviously. But.... damn is he fine.

Speak Selena!

   "Welcome to Nico's Cafe, what would you like to order?", I said cementing it with a sweet smile.

   "Americano", he said.

He takes Americano, sweet.

   "No milk", I heard him mutter.

No milk?

What kind of weirdo takes Americano with no milk.

It took a lot of effort to prevent myself from hissing, but I did give him one of those looks.

I quickly put the drink in a plastic cup and added two ice cubes.

I turned around to give him his coffee but he was indulged in a phone call and I noticed his eyes were turning dark.

I'm no doctor but I think that shouldn't take place in the human body.

But, he doesn't look human either.

Selena.

After his call, he put his phone in the pocket of his coat, dropped some dollar bills on the counter and stormed out of the café after muttering

   "Keep the change"

Well... that's not new.

I slowly packed up the dollar bills and put them in the cash register and headed inside for my lunch break.

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   "Mom, I'm home!", I yelled as I took off my shoes at the door of our little apartment and put my feet in a pair of comfy flip flops.

   "Welcome dear", she said smiling. I stared at her for a while and I couldn't help it but feel guilt and regret.

She was still very young yet she looked frail as she wrapped and shielded herself with her shawl.

I walked up to her, pushing a few stray strands of her blonde hair behind her ears.

   "You feeling better?", I placed my hand on her shoulder.

Mom, hasn't been feeling well lately, and taking care of her and buying medicine cost a lot of money so I've been working double time and taking on shift that I normally wouldn't do because I hate hardwork.

Yet, I'm weirdly a handworking person.

God, you could have made me any other way.

   "Yah...I made you dinner"

   "Mom, you shouldn't have", Walking past her, I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter and removed my coat.

   "You know you're not supposed to be stressing yourself"

A sigh of frustration escaped my lips. Does she always have to be so stubborn?

   "I'm not stressing myself if I know that you're eating healthy", she insisted.

   "You didn't have to make me dinner, I made dinner for you before leaving for my afternoon shift...... and plus I had a bagel before coming home"

My mother stared at me, not just a normal stare but instead one of those mom looks that could mean a lot of things in one look.

   "Okay.. two bagels then", I shifted my weight to one foot nervously and tried to avoid her keen gaze of a mother.

She strode towards me slowly, then made me to face her.

   "Selena...I know that you're trying your best and pushing yourself above your limits for my sake, I least I can do is to make sure you don't fall apart from pushing yourself too hard"

Urghh....why does she always have to play this card.

Always trying to guilt-trip me and making me to do her bidding...... even though I know it's good for me.

She smiled at me, knowing that her words has taken its toll on me.

Damn it!

Curse my code of transparency.

   "Make sure you eat, Selena", she patted my cheeks and walked past me.

   "I'm off to bed"

I sighed at her retreating figure and walked into our small kitchen. Opening the food warmer, I smiled at the aroma the embraced my face and circled around my nostrils.

Nothing better than momma's homemade Spaghetti Bolognese.

Ah! Momma never disappoints.