Colliding Point

Allie felt miserable for Klarisse, who had done everything to avoid her fate, but it kept chasing her, forcing her to choose between her family and herself. 

“Allie, if I go through with this marriage, what about my business? I don’t want you to get tired managing it,” Klarisse stated. Allie chuckled. 

"Klarisse, you don’t have to worry about me. Besides, you are paying me," she replied with a laugh. Klarisse playfully slapped her arm.

"Yeah, but you’re still my best friend. I don’t want to see you all haggardly; it’s not good for your beauty. I hate seeing you tired. You’re losing glamor points." she teased. 

Allie rolled her eyes and shot her a mock death glare, but Klarisse hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek.

"Eww, gross!" Allie exclaimed.

"Duh, I’m just so sweet," Klarisse retorted. 

Their banter was interrupted when a new customer entered the café. Both of their eyes turned to the glass door, now held open by a man dressed in all black. 

"Wow, he’s cool," Allie commented. Klarisse thought the same but kept it to herself. The man, dashingly handsome, caught everyone's attention, especially the ladies.

"Wow, who’s he?"

"He’s so handsome."

"I know, right? I want him."

These were the murmurs from the women in the café. The man seemed to be searching for someone, prompting Klarisse to approach him.

"Good day! Is there something I could help you with?" she asked, noting how he caught her attention too. The man’s intense gaze met hers.

"Yeah, I’m looking for someone, a simple and pretty woman," he stated. Klarisse’s eyes widened as she scanned the café.

"I’m sorry, but I don’t know who you’re talking about. Why not just look for her elsewhere?" she suggested. The man was visibly annoyed.

"Are you the owner here?" he asked. Klarisse nodded proudly, but the man smirked, eyeing her from head to toe, irritating her.

"You have no qualities of an owner. Maybe you’re just a waitress here," he scoffed. Klarisse’s eyes widened.

"Excuse me?" she retorted.

"You’re not excused," he replied, rolling his eyes. He continued to search the café.

"Excuse me, you’re catching everyone’s attention," Klarisse said.

"I don’t care. I’m here to see my girlfriend," he said.

"Why don’t you call her instead of making a scene?" she asked. The man stopped and faced her with irritation.

"Will you just shut your mouth? I need to find my girlfriend or else," he said.

"Or else what?" she challenged. The man felt manipulated.

"Never mind, I’ll call her outside, miss waitress," he said, and hurriedly left, before she could react. 

"What happened?" Allie asked.

"Ugh, that man!" Klarisse fumed.

"What do you mean?" Allie inquired.

"He said I’m just a waitress here after I told him I’m the owner. And why is he looking for his girlfriend here?" she vented. Allie chuckled.

"Oh, come on. Maybe he just had a quarrel with his girlfriend. Don’t take it personally." Allie said.

"I don’t care! I hate his guts. He’s handsome but has a terrible attitude," Klarisse said, still irritated. Allie shrugged and attended to other customers. 

A moment later, a nervous-looking woman entered the café. Klarisse approached her.

"Good morning, may I help you?" Klarisse asked.

The woman looked around anxiously.

"Is something wrong?" Klarisse asked again. 

The woman collected herself. “I’m sorry. Yes, I’d like an American latte, please.”

Klarisse noticed the woman’s nervousness but didn’t press further. "Miss, you can wait at a table, and I’ll bring your order," Klarisse said. 

The woman nodded and found a seat, continuing to glance around nervously.

Klarisse was still intrigued by the woman and so she hurriedly got her order prepared.

“Here’s your order,” Klarisse said, handing her the latte.

“Thank you. How much is it?” the woman asked, fumbling for money, and was relieved to find money in her purse. 

After paying, the woman sighed in relief. Klarisse was relieved too, thinking she wouldn’t have to offer charity. Klarisse was glad the transaction was smooth.

After that, things went business as usual in her cafe. Klarisse was glad for the peace she felt everytime she's here in her own business. She was very in control here, very independent from her family, her concerns. Her own business, her own life, but somehow, she could not run away from her family and her responsibilities now that her twin sister was gone.

Klarisse recalled Klara's last words to her on her deathbed, that Klara loved her so much. Klarisse loved her twin sister as well, Klara, her twin who kept her connected to her family. But now... she was not too sure anymore.

"Oh, Klara, what should I do?" Klarisse asked to herself, sighing deeply. Then, Klarisse nodded to herself. She needed to get some air. 

"Allie, I’m going out to get some stuff," Klarisse said. giving the anxious woman in the corner part of the cafe a final glnce. She was really puzzled by the woman's anxiousness, which contrasted with the handsome arrogant man's behavior earlier. Klarisse sighed to herself and a little irritated with herself for recalling the rude man in black earlier. She gave her cafe a last stare and was convinced that everything was good and in the skilled hands of her friend Allie.

"Okay, call me later," Allie replied, giving her manager friend a gentle nod and inspiring smile. She knew that Klarisse was still thinking about the arranged marriage thing. That's a heavy burden to take. But she was confident that her friend would make the right decision, whatever it needed to be.

Klarisse grabbed her purse and phone, got into her car, and drove off. Klarisse left the café, ignoring a message from her mother, Kareen.

Shortly after she left, her mother, Kareen, arrived.

"I’m sorry, Aunty, but she just left. You didn’t bump into her?" Allie said.

"Is that so?" Kareen sighed. “I’ll come back later. Tell her I stopped by. Thank you.” 

Allie nodded and sent Klarisse a message, but Klarisse, wanting to avoid any interruptions, read it and then put her phone on silent mode.