Fearless?

Fearless? - Chapter Seven

‘No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear,’ 

C.S.Lewis 

Chapter Seven 

Azelie’s day had been completely and utterly boring. She had done nothing but serve coffee and hand out various plates of food all day, but then at twenty past five, he walked in, laughing and joking with his friends as her world stopped. 

“Azelie!” a loud voice yelled, echoing around the gallery, customers turning around with angry expression on their face to see who had broken the quiet hush of the café, only for a look of terror to form on their faces as they all suddenly began to down their coffees in order for them get away as quickly as possible. Kelly practically skipped over to the counter that Azelie was leaning against, her pink hair up in a bun and her blue eyes shining brightly, wearing a simple oversized grey hoodie and a pair of black skinny jeans, paired with a pair of high-top converses. “I didn’t know you worked here!”A smile lit up Azelie’s features as she looked back at Kelly. 

“My uncle owns the gallery, I just work every so often,” she replied looking at Kelly who was leaning forward on the opposite side counter to where Azelie now stood. Her gaze was suddenly torn away from Kelly as she realised who she was here with, Cole and Alex standing directly behind her - looking almost as cute as the first day she had seen them. 

The gaze of her golden brown eyes landed on Cole, his green eyes staring directly back at her. Her heart began to pound slightly in her chest as the adrenaline from her jump began to resurface, questions beginning to pour round her head. Was he going to bring it up in front of them? She knew for a fact that despite only knowing Azelie for little less than a week, Kelly would probably personally see to it that she never crossed another bridge again if she knew what had happened. Suddenly, Cole’s gaze looked away from her, scanning across the room, landing anywhere but on Azelie, not knowing how to act around her after the events of yesterday morning, his mind going into overdrive over the various possibilities. Azelie smiled. He couldn’t even look at her for too long; the events of yesterday were safe. 

“Aw, that’s ace! We just came in for coffee; do you want to join us?” Kelly replied, “Or have you got work to do?”  

“Em let me just clean up a little and I can come over! We are closing soon anyway,” she smiled, replying quickly, “Just three coffees?”  

“Yeah, we will just go find a table,” Kelly smiled, the guys already searching for a table. Azelie quickly started the machine up to make the three coffees while loading up the dishwasher with the dirty plates. It was almost half an hour until the café shut and so it was very unlikely that she would get new customers in. Azelie quickly poured the hot liquid into the coffee mugs before making her way over to the table. It was only now that she noticed that most of the people in the café had left in the last two minute or so, due to Kelly’s presence. Azelie shrugged it off as she walked over to the table they had chosen, pulling out a seat next to Kelly.  

“I’m guessing they all avoid you?” Azelie questioned with a smirk, her gaze turning to her colourful friend. 

“Who?” she questioned, her blue eyes turning to Azelie as Alex let out a laugh, catching on to what Azelie was saying. 

“Everyone in this town! Everyone who was here has left since you’ve arrived!” Azelie said, glancing around to the now empty café, the last few people who were running out of the door.