Chapter Text
“For the love of god Dee, please close the blinds!” Uzi whined, pulling her blanket over her head.
“No.” Doll denied sternly, pulling them open even more. She went over and flicked on the room light. “I checked your calendar. You have a job in an hour and a half and you can’t afford another slip up. How would that look on your FindHelp profile feedback?”
“Ughhhhh.” Uzi groaned, grabbing her pillow and holding it over her head. “What time is it?”
“8.”
Uzi sighed, pulling herself out from the covers. “Okay. I’m up, I’m up.” She droned, getting out of bed and heading to her closet to rifle through her clothes. She pulled out gray jeans and her black and purple striped sweater, aware of how cold out it was. She yanked her beanie on so as to not have to thoroughly brush her wavy and easily knotted hair, and to cover the undyed roots.
“You look exhausted.” Khan pointed out as Uzi stepped into the kitchen. He handed her a breakfast sandwich.
“Good morning to you too.” She responded, rolling her eyes. She took a bite of the breakfast sandwich, thankful that at least her dad could cook well to make up for his lack of social knowledge and etiquette.
“Well, I've got to get going now girls.” Khan breathed, pulling his shoulder bag over his head and grabbing his briefcase. “I’ll try to be home by dinner. You can order out or make something if you don’t want to wait for me to get home.”
“Okay dad. Will do.” Doll responded, moving over to the sink to wash her dish.
“Oh and Uzi?”
“Yea?”
“When you see the Summerstiltons today, let them know I’ll be stopping by later than our scheduled time, ok?”
“Ok.”
“Wonderful.” He grabbed his mug and headed for the door. “Love ya girls!”
“Love ya too dad.” They echoed in unison.
Uzi shivered against the cold breeze and grabbed onto her beanie as she stepped outside her door. Her jacket and sweater weren’t enough, and sometimes she wished she could move to a warmer town. Feeling around in her backpack for her wallet, she decided to stop by Rise and Shine Cafe. They made the best espressos, and if she was lucky, she could get some whipped cream on the top.
Dingaling! Went the bell to the cafe as Uzi opened the door. THUD! Went the door a moment later as the wind shut the door, pulling it from Uzi’s grasp. She grabbed the handle, yanking and yanking, but the wind was too strong and the door too heavy. The wind even almost took her beanie with it again.
“Damnit.” She grunted, giving up. She looked up to see one of the baristas standing on the other side of the door, ready to open it. She stepped aside, letting him open the door, then quickly entering before it would slam again. She entered a little too quickly however, tripping over her own feet and falling to the floor.
“Sorry about that…” The barista nervously chuckled, offering his hand to Uzi. She paused for a moment, staring at it like some foreign object. She eventually took it, staring at the barista, studying him.
“Uh, yea, thanks…” She moved to the bar, taking a seat. “Are you new? I’ve never seen you before.”
“Yes I am!” He tapped his tag. “I’m Neo, but you can call me N if you’d like. What can I get for you?” He asked, clicking his pen and pulling out a notebook from his chest pocket on his apron.
“Just an espresso, and can I get that with whipped cream?”
“We don’t usually have that as an option but sure! Why not?” He turned his head back towards the kitchen. “ONE ESPRESSO WITH WHIPPED CREAM!” He shouted.
“WE DON’T USUALLY HAVE WHIPPED CREAM!” Someone in the kitchen shouted back, a woman, Uzi assumed.
“THERE’S NO HARM IN ADDING IT!” He reassured the worker, turning back to Uzi and smiling. “So, what brings you to our shop this early? We haven’t had many customers this early.”
“I’d say.” Uzi agreed, looking around at the vacant shop. “ What’s that about? Usually you have a lot more than this at this hour.”
“Do we? That’s interesting. I don’t know why… Unless, it’s the new shop that opened up, bragging about longer hours and a larger menu with food from all around the world.” Neo reasoned.
“Oh that one?” Uzi cringed. “What’s the name of it again?”
“Rivers Cafe.”
“Oh… ew. I don’t like that name.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say-”
“N!” Shouted the woman again. “The cup’s ready!”
“Oh! Sorry V… hold on!” He responded nervously, rushing back to the server counter. Upon a closer look, Uzi could catch a glimpse of the cook. A short-haired woman, her hair shining platinum blonde, not white like N’s hair. It was still similar to his hair but a lot more curlier.
The woman looked from N to Uzi and scoffed, before standing up and heading back into the kitchen.
“What’s her issue?” Uzi asked, taking her espresso from N.
“She doesn’t like people much, so she was placed in the kitchen.”
“Understandable, most people suck anyways.” She nodded, taking a sip of her drink and getting a bit of whipped cream on her nose.
N offered her a napkin and she took it, whipping her nose off. “Aw come on, most people are nice if you give them a chance!”
“Really? I didn’t even know them and yet they took her from me, hurt me.”
“Who’s ‘they’?” N asked, genuine curiosity morphing his expression.
“The people or person who- Wait… how long have you lived in this town for?”
“A few months.”
“Ok... that explains it.” She paused. “So… you didn’t hear about the murder that happened here a few years ago?”
“Murder? Is that the “thing” that everyone at the JCJenson offices was talking about when we moved here?”
“Must be.” She continued, choosing to ignore what he would be doing at the JCJenson offices. “My mother… She was murdered here a few years ago, and the authorities never figured out who did it. We don’t even know what killed her, she was just found dead by my father…” Her voice cracked and she cleared it, swallowing back tears. “She was just lying on the ground of a secluded area of the park when he went searching for her, after she didn’t come home.” Uzi looked down at her hands resting on the counter, digging her nails into her palms to focus her pain somewhere else. Her next words were bitter. “I was only 19.”
“Oh… I am so sorry…” Neo whispered, resting a hand on hers momentarily.
She looked up at him, shaking her head. “It’s fine.” She sighed, drinking more of her espresso. She handed him seven dollars and left without another word, wondering why in the world she allowed herself to be so emotional around a complete stranger.