If Someday Never Comes

Chapter 2

Sydney's POV 

It's nearly 10 p.m. by the time I drag myself through the door after my shift. Suffering through work all day with a hangover was only made worse when I had to stay after closing at 6 p.m. to work on the schedule for next month, organize the inventory order for next week, and email it all to Sara to review. I locked the doors and started my walk back to the apartment. Another perk of my job is that I'm only about 3 blocks away from home. 

Quinn was gone and she had left a note on the fridge that she was going out with some friends from work. She was a journalist for a local newspaper and an exceptional writer. After switching her major to journalism in her second year I watched something come alive inside of her as she immersed herself more and more in the work. She became so passionate about the projects she worked on, especially when she found local causes to research and promote. A lot of her articles revolved around community involvement, charity work, and small businesses, her goal was to promote the underdogs instead of big chain corporations. She believed that the more good news she could promote the more of a positive influence she could create in a world of news and media that had become obsessed with trauma. It was inspiring and I loved it when she would come home and tell me about whatever it was that she had discovered in some lost corner of town or about the fundraiser a little girl was doing for the local shelter.

 Last summer she helped revive a community garden outside of an assisted living facility. She talked with the workers of the home and those who had started the garden but became burnt out by the lack of involvement, convinced them to join forces, and started having volunteer days with the members of the home who could still get around well. Eventually, their families would help with planting and pruning when they would visit and a huge difference was noticed in the health and wellness of the elderly that made their way out to the garden. Even if it wasn't to work but to watch and visit with others. It gave them a purpose, got them out in the sun and their hands in the dirt. She even facilitated a study on how it decreased the percentages of anxiety and depression in the facility for those living and working there. Her article went viral online and a local news station picked it up and made the front page of the Raleigh Republican. 

I could only hope to find something I'm as passionate about someday and as much as I love working at the Coffee Bean, I'm still working for someone else. It allows me to make ends meet but I don't feel that fire in the pit of my stomach or light up the way Quinn does when I talk about work. A lot about my life is lacking in the passionate department and being a coffee shop manager is definitely not fulfilling my purpose. Luckily for me, all I've got is time and I trust that when I find what I'm meant to it's gonna light me up on the inside like a damn Christmas tree. 

I decided since Quinn was out and I was beat from last night's escapades I would eat cereal for dinner, pour a glass of red wine, because why not, and watch one of the movies on my Netflix list that I've neglected. The minute I slid into the comfy cushions of our couch and clicked on the TV my phone began buzzing on the coffee table. I picked it up praying to God it wasn't Tanner, Taylor? Whatever his name was when a familiar face lit up my screen. 

I answered the Facetime call as I shoved a spoonful of cereal into my mouth. "Yo." 

"I'M ENGAGED!" squealed through the speakers as I saw a sparkly diamond shine on the screen. My hand stopped mid-scoop of my dinner. "Get the fuck out." Probably not the best response to one of your best friends' exciting news but seriously? We were only 24. 

"Seriously Sydney." Layla's face was glaring at me and I could see Kelsey in the background holding back her laughter. 

"What! I'm sorry you surprised me!" I chuckled taking a sip of my wine. "Congrats you guys! Now stop moving so I can get a better look at that diamond!"