Chapter Eight

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       When Esmerelda arrived at her tia's house with the waking light barely above the horizon, she finally let the exhaustion seep into her skin and collapsed on her bed, burying her face against her pillow.

She mulled over all the events of the night, still unnerved by the feeling of being watched that persisted her entire walk home. She hadn't felt her six sense go off, but it still left her shaky.

And what exactly was she going to do about her powers now? She guessed she could live with them as long as she kept it under control, but she had much bigger problems ahead of her.

The results for the audition wouldn't arrive for another week, and she still had to pay off her tuition fees and the rent, not to mention the medical bills for her abuela- how was she going to get all that money?

Between the cafe and working at Spectre as a research technician, it wasn't going to be enough.

Esme groaned into her pillow. She really needed to sleep. She had a shift at the cafe today, practice at her ballet program, intense exercise at the gym, work at the lab, was there even time to eat between?

Esme's thoughts drifted off, muddled by her fatigue and her eyes blinking closed. She checked her watch through her hooded gaze, seeing the time was almost six. She had about an hour to sleep before she had to leave. That was enough.

    Esmerelda sighed as she rested her head against the cool counter top, music playing overhead from the speakers

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    Esmerelda sighed as she rested her head against the cool counter top, music playing overhead from the speakers. The cafe was empty, only a few people coming in for their morning to go cups. The first hour was over, just three more to go.

The all too familiar, and all too annoying jangle filled her ear and she looked up to see the door open. A pair of twinkling eyes met hers, a warm smile forming dimples that couldn't help but reach her own lips.

"Miss twenty five." Gavin greeted, smirking as he walked over to her.

"Mister snickerdoodle." She remarked back, straightening up and leaning more properly against the counter. "What can I do for you this morning?"

"The same order, since you seem to remember it."

Esme snorted, realizing she set herself up for that one. She typed into her reader and held it up for him to scan.

"Thanks." He softly murmured, and she couldn't help but notice the way his lips so softly rasped it.

She tore her eyes away, turning to work the machine. "No problem."

She snuck glances at him as he moved to sit by the window, the same spot from last time. She had known he was attractive the last time she had seen him, but today something was just, different.

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