Chapter 1 - Were I started

Chapter 1  

    I stare at the camera screen, flipping between shots, trying to find the best one. I stay home as much as possible because I don’t really like people. Then again, why should I? It's not like they really care enough to like me back anyway. 

But sometimes, I just need to get outside and escape my tiny apartment. The park this weekend had been full of plenty of people to photograph, but none of the images turned out right. 

I nearly toss the expensive yet old camera onto the threadbare couch, but instead I set it on the coffee table and stand. Stretching my back, I walk to the bathroom to get ready for work. 

I stare at myself. Long ashy colored hair, plain green eyes. Scruffy because I hate shaving. I, Yomi Akisato, am a 20 year old bum. A failed photographer barely scraping by at my job at the cafe. I mean, being a barista isn’t rocket science. 

It's not a hard job, running the cash register, and the pay is good enough to cover the bills. I tend to get dirty looks over my bum appearance, but I don’t mind it and neither does my boss, Aoi.  Coworkers are a pain, but no one in the world actually likes their coworkers.

It’s close to the apartment so I can walk. I slip on my shoes to do just that and lock the door behind me. When the sunshine hits my face, I stop and take a deep breath. It’s slightly chilly today but the sun is out. 

It reminds me of the day my parents abandoned me on that hiking trip when I was thirteen. To this day, I’m not sure why they did it. Maybe I was just too much of a cranky teenager during the pandemic when we were cooped up in the house. I didn’t listen or do what they wanted and started failing classes. I didn’t think I gave them attitude, but maybe I did. 

I’ll never know, I guess. I haven’t seen them since. When I finally got off the mountain and hitched a ride back to town, the house had been packed up and was empty. 

I calmly open the door and walk into the cafe, letting go of the past and all those feelings of abandonment. It's not a very big cafe, with cream colored walls, a dark brown wooden floor, and a clear glass counter on the right. There are a few lighter colored tables on the left. It gives you a kind of cozy feeling. 

I barely got 6 feet in the store before I clench my jaw in frustration. 

“YOMIIiiiiii!”  My annoying coworker Haru screams as she jumps onto my back. This happens everyday when I walk in to get started for work. She's about 5’1 in height. Her short wavy brown hair has a few streaks of red blended in, making her blue eyes stand out. 

“Get off,” I growl. 

Haru quickly jumps down. I swear I'm like a tree to her. I am about 6’1 after all. But why does she do this every day? I’m so lost in thought, until she turns to me and sticks her tongue out. 

I tilt my head and frown, and she rolls her eyes. “Were you even listening? I said you're no fun.” 

I'm so over this. It’s like everyday is starting to merge together. Nothing ever changes. 

I snap out of my thoughts as Haru smiles and says, “What? Can I not try to cheer up my grumpy coworker?” 

I look at her for a moment thinking about how I should answer when I hear Aoi yell from another room. “Get back to work you two.” 

Haru as her normal chipper self raises one of her hands to her forehead to solute and yells back, “Yes, boss man, sir.” 

I roll my eyes and stutter back, “Yes sir.” Then I continue to walk over to my spot behind the register. 

I wonder how the boss knew we weren't actually working. But he's probably so used to her messing with me everyday when I walk in that he just assumed it's part of the morning routine.

You probably understand by now that my life is not exactly a paradise. I have to deal with annoying coworkers everyday and go home to nobody.

I jump a little as Haru comes up to me and hollers my name really loud, making my ears ring. I look down at her, leaning away and frowning.

She just smiles and says, “Time to focus.” 

I sigh and turn away.“I can already tell that it’s going to be a long day.” 

A few hours later, I’m so bored that I’m about to fall asleep. Not many customers have come in this time of day. But then the bell above the door chimes as someone walks in. 

A tall middle aged man with blonde hair walks in, holding the hand of a ginger haired little girl. The man’s white t-shirt is pristine but the little girl’s yellow dress has dirt stains on the knee.  

She grins as she runs up to the counter to look at the donuts in a spinning case. She points and jumps up and down. 

“I want that one, Daddy.”

Her dad just smiled a tired smile and nodded. “Ok, honey. Hello, sir. Can we get the chocolate donut, please?” 

I nod and open the case. “Yeah, sure.” 

I reach in with the tongs but spy the little girl through the glass. With her arms crossed and pouting bottom lip, I pause, waiting for her to say what was clearly on her mind. 

“No, not that one. This one.” 

The dad squeezed her hand and said, “Ok, the glazed one then.” 

But the little girl jerks her hand out and stomps her foot, tears pooling in the corner of her eye. Then she starts shouting. 

“No, no, no, no.” 

I stand back up, tongs in one hand and the other pressing on my temple. This kid is giving me a headache. The quickest way to end this is to help the dad out. 

I drop my hand back to my side, then lean over the glass to give an exaggerated whisper to get her attention. 

“Psst. Can you be a little more specific? Which one do you want exactly?” 

She freezes, slamming her hands on her hips and glaring at me. Coldly she says, “No, I can’t read.” 

I tilt my head, confused as I straighten up and say in my normal voice. “What does that have to do with donuts? Just point to the one you want. The color or tell me the  filling.” 

She just sticks her tongue out at me and turns her face up and away. Her father kneels down and says firmly, “Now, Zuri, you apologize to the nice cashier.” 

Zuri quickly balls her hands into fists, swings them to her side and stomps her feet hard on the floor. 

“No,” she screamed louder than ever before. 

“Zuri,” her dad groans between his teeth. She grabs his hand and pulls hard, trying to lead him out of the cafe. 

The dad sighs and rakes his other hand down his face. “We’ll just take 2 cream filled donuts to go please.”

Awkwardly, I nod and open the case again to grab the donuts. “Ok, your total will be 6.99.” 

I put the donuts in a bag and place it on the counter at the same time the man sets his money down. 

“Will that be all, sir?” 

“Yes. Thank you.” 

“Thank you, and come again.” 

The father takes the bag and leaves, little Zuri still pouting and glaring at me by the door. The second they are out the door, I let out a sigh of relief. That was frustrating. Why do people have to cause so much trouble? 

Haru comes  up behind me and yells, “Sneak attack!” Then she jumps on my back again laughing. 

“Oh my God, get off. Why do you always do this?” 

Then the boss walks out of a room in the back and says, “How many times do I have to tell you two get back to work?” Then he walks back in the direction he’d come from. 

Haru slides down my back and I step away with a relieved sigh. Haru sticks her tongue out and crosses her arms, reminding me of the little girl who just left. 

“Fine, you win this time, Yomi.” 

I groan, grinding my teeth. What did I win? If only the prize was a better life than this one. 

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***