Chapter 10
Emily
I stayed up late last night waiting for a text that never came.
It’s not like I expected him to text me, I figured he’s just inflating his own ego to see if I’d actually agree, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t hope he would.
Hope was dangerous though, it left too much space to be disappointed.
I get dressed and drag myself into work.
Sadly, I can’t quit my job and become a full-time stalker.
It doesn’t pay the bills. I wish it did, but I’m not dumb enough to think I’d make a good private investigator, so a job as a barista will have to do.
I get to work just in time to open the door for customers.
I hope I don’t look as tired as I feel. The good thing about working here is, I can get a blueberry muffin and a coffee while I work.
It has its perks. I go through the routine of taking orders and making coffee.
It’s a pretty slow shift, so it’s just me right now, Brooke will get here around two o’clock.
I don’t mind working by myself. It keeps me moving, even on a slower shift.
The multitasking keeps my mind off the text I never got.
He still lingers in my mind, but it’s not as heavy when my mind and body stay busy.
I don’t think there’s anything that could make me not think about him completely.
The first few hours of my shift go by in a blur.
It’s already noon when I look at the time on my phone and see a text from an unknown number on my screen.
My palms get sweaty and I grip the phone a little tighter so I don’t drop it.
This has to be a text from Atlas, right?
It’d be too coincidental to be anyone else.
I click on the notification and open the text thread.
My heart pounds in my ears as I read the simple message on the screen.
Unknown
I believe you promised me a date.
What do I even say back to that? There’s no way he was being serious.
Before I have time to type back a reply, a throat clears in front of me.
The older man looks mad that I have all my attention on my phone.
Can’t say I blame him though. I was so focused on my mini panic, I didn’t even hear him come in.
Shit, right, I was currently at work and should probably do my job instead of trying to figure out how to respond to Atlas. I could text him back later.
“So sorry sir, what can I get for you today?”
“Just a black coffee and one of those apple turnovers.”
I put a to-go cup under the spout, flipping the tap so it’ll pour while I grab an apple turnover and bag it up.
I hand the man the bag and turn back around just in time to turn off the coffee tap to stop the coffee from overflowing.
I pop a lid on it and hand it over. “Here you go. That’ll be $4.
38 sir, and again so sorry for the wait.
” He hands me a five dollar bill and tells me to keep the change.
That’s so kind of him to leave me a sixty cent tip.
I force a fake smile to stop me from rolling my eyes at this man.
At least we don’t rely on tips here, and my hourly pay is decent.
My phone vibrates a few times in my pocket, but before I’m able to check it, a line starts forming in front of the register.
That’s just great. I still had two hours before Brooke arrived, and I was going to get slaughtered by an early rush.
I quickly pull my hair up into a messy bun and prepared myself for the clusterfuck that was about to happen.
I started taking three orders at a time.
I’d ask them what they wanted while preparing the previous order.
Luckily for me, most of the orders were for baked goods and that was a simple bag it and go.
I rang up the order as I handed it to them so they could pay as I grabbed what the next person asked for.
It may have looked like a chaotic mess, but to me, it was organized, and that’s all that mattered.
I didn’t stop moving. I thought I saw Atlas at one point, but I didn’t have the time to check.
The moment I stopped to take a break would be the moment I got behind.
Brooke came in just as the last few customers placed their orders.
She didn’t even have to ask how my shift went.
She can tell that it was super busy based on the empty display case and lack of cleaning the lobby.
I haven’t been able to leave from behind the counter to clean, so it currently looked like a tornado hit it.
She sprung into action immediately. She bussed the tables then started to bring out fresh desserts and pastries to restock up front.
Once the last customer leaves, she takes over completely and lets me go home.
That was the busiest shift I’ve worked in a long time.
I just want to go home. I want to put on some super comfortable clothes and eat brownies while I watch a movie I’ve seen a dozen times already.
I’m exhausted mentally and physically at this point.
My couch was calling my name. I put my headphones on and pull my phone out to turn on some music for my walk home, and notice I now have five unread messages from an unknown number.
Crap, I was so busy I never texted Atlas back. I didn’t even remember he texted until now. He’s probably so mad right now. Trevor always got rude when I didn’t answer him right away. I start walking towards the house as I brace myself for the worst as I open the text thread.
Unknown
It’s Atlas by the way. I thought that was pretty clear
from my first text but maybe you agreed to go on a
date with more than one person.
Unknown
Damn. I get left on read then ignored by none other
than my stalker. That’s just rude.
Unknown
I’m serious about wanting that date though. What
about tonight? Are you free?
Unknown
I guess you really meant it when you said you might text back.
Unknown
I went by your job and saw that you were super busy.
I didn’t want to bother you so just text me back when
you’re off work. Yeah?
So that was him in the bakery. I ignore him for hours and he doesn’t get mad?
Not what I was expecting. What does he get out of this anyways?
I still can’t figure out why he’d want to go on a date with me to begin with.
I’m nothing special. Maybe he’ll just stand me up.
I’ve had it happen before. The cool guy asked me out on a date, I got all dressed up and he never showed.
When I asked him about it the next day, he laughed in my face.
Told me he was joking and I was stupid if I thought he would ever date someone like me.
No point in refusing this date when I doubt he’ll show up.
I add his number to my contacts and text him back.
Emily
So I’m busy at work and you go and decide to stalk me for once?
Atlas
That’s not really the point. So that date?
Emily
What about it?
Atlas
Are you available tonight for that date you promised me?
Emily
Depends.
Atlas
Depends on what?
Emily
What your plans for the date are.
Atlas
I was thinking we could go to dinner at around 6:30pm.
Emily
Sure.
Even though he most likely wouldn’t show, I still wanted to know what he’d say.
I put my phone back in my pocket and speed walk the rest of the way home.
I smelled like stale coffee and sweat. I could really use a shower.
Entering my apartment, I kick off my shoes, heading straight for the bathroom.
As I wait for the water to reach boiling level, I strip off my clothes. I can’t help but glance at myself in the mirror. I wouldn’t say I was ugly, just average looking. I was far from looking like a model.
My stomach was soft and I had stretch marks.
My walnut brown hair was long at the moment.
It sits at the middle of my back until the next time I feel manic and chop it short again.
I was usually fine with that. My thighs always jiggle a little when I walk.
I always try to be confident in my own body though.
No matter what anyone else thinks about the way I look, I know the right person will love my body, curves, and stretch marks included.
Sometimes the doubt just creeps in for a moment.
Something about Atlas is bringing up old fears.
Stepping into the shower, I let the heat of the water take over.
I feel my muscles relaxing one by one as the water slips down my back.
Something about the hot water is always so relaxing to me.
Closing my eyes, I put my head underneath the spray of water, letting everything sink in for a few moments.
No matter what happens with Atlas, I couldn’t let it get to me.
I refuse to let my obsession with that man be my downfall.
The water starts to run cold and I quickly wash my body before shutting the water off.
Wrapping a towel around myself and another in my hair, I walk into my room, putting on the first comfy thing I find.
I wasn’t about to get all glammed up for nothing.
By the time I get dressed and plop onto the couch it’s five o’clock.
I guess I was in the shower a little longer than I thought.
I order a pizza while I scroll through movies.
Ten minutes later, my pizza is ordered and a random movie is playing.
It doesn’t matter, I’m not really watching it.
Instead, I’m reading this new dark romance book I downloaded on my phone yesterday.
I end up getting lost in the book. It’s a reverse stalker, which is kind of funny given my actual life at the moment.
It’s the reason I downloaded it, if I’m being honest. The female main character in this book makes a way better stalker than me, but that’s not surprising.
I’m almost halfway through the book when my doorbell rings.
That must be my pizza. I slip on my slippers and rush to open the door.