Past Echoes

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The walk across campus and into town was a long one, but it was filled with laughter and conversation. When there was a pause, it wasn't awkward. But there was barely any pauses. 

It was nice. 

Of course, when they got to the cafe things got a little weary. 

It was like the whole shop stopped at the entrance of the two princess. Although, Sage knew what it really was. 

You don't see the daughters of two opposite sides just hang out.

Sage walked towards the counter with her usual smile, Evie trailing behind her slowly but surely. "Hello, Archie!"

   "H-Hey, Sage," Archie stammered out, staring at Evie with wide eyes. "Same as usual?"

   "Yup! And whatever Evie here wants," Sage turned towards the said girl. "Order anything off the menu!"

   "O-Okay," Evie read over the menu before admitting, "I don't know what have of these things are."

   "Oh yeah. . .Okay! Well, we'll just have two hot chocolates, one lemon cake and one apple pie!" Sage turned back to Archie. 

   "Will that be all?" When Sage hummed her approval he rang it all up. "That's going to be six dollars and forty cents."

Sage easily dug the amount out, giving Archie a little tip before guiding Evie over to a table near the window. Evie glanced around the cafe, seeing people staring still, and ducked her head. "I don't think I'm wanted here. . ."

   "Well, I want you here," Sage stated, lifting her chin up and staring some customers down. "That's all that matters, right?"

   "I-I guess. . ." 

Sensing the uncertain tone in her voice, Sage turned her gentle gaze back to Evie and took a hold of her hand. "Hey, it's fine. People are going to have to get use to this, Ben is really looking forwards to see if we can make this the normal thing."

   "Invite more kids from the Isle here?" Evie chuckled and shook her head. "Seems like a dream."

   "Only because your friends and you are the first VK's here." Sage comforted. "Besides, everyone here knows me. They should trust my judgment is fair."

   "Because you're the fairest of them all?"

   "No," Sage shook her head with a smile. "Because my judgement on people is never wrong."

Archie walked over, placed there order on the table between and walked back to his register without a word. Clearly, still weary. Sage didn't blame him, but it slightly ticked her off how narrow minded people were. 

   "So, this is the lemon cake," Sage pushed the plate with a yellow batter and vanilla frosting towards Evie and gestured to the other one. "And this one is the apple pie."

   "They look so good. . ." Evie trailed off, glancing at each of them before taking a bite out of the lemon cake. Her eyes went wide. "Oh my! This is sooo good!" 

   "Lemon cakes are my favorite, especially from this place," Sage grinned, watching as Evie start to devour the cake. Sage laughed, taking the apple pie for herself. "Slow down! You don't want to choke!"

   "Sorry, it's just-"

   "Never had lemon cake on the Isle?"

   ". . .Yeah." Evie shook her head slightly, looking up at the amused Sage. "You seem to know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you."

   "I wouldn't say I know things about you, I just make good guesses." Sage sipped her hot chocolate. "But, if you wanna learn more, we can always play a game!"