Chapter 7: The Girl at the Supermarket

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

David blinked twice, trying to convince himself he wasn't imagining things.

Amanda broke the silence first.

"You're... the customer who always buys coffee after work."

David let out a surprised laugh.

"And you're the cashier at Crown Supermarket."

They stared at each other before bursting into laughter.

"I can't believe this," Amanda said, shaking her head.

"Neither can I," David replied.

"So we've been seeing each other all this time?"

David nodded.

"Almost every evening."

Amanda covered her face with both hands.

"And we never even noticed."

"I guess we were too busy saying 'thank you' and 'have a nice day.'"

She laughed.

"I never imagined the quiet customer who always bought coffee would be you."

"And I never imagined the cheerful cashier was the Amanda who kept making me smile every night."

They sat down, still laughing over the coincidence.

The nervousness they had both felt disappeared almost instantly.

Instead, it felt as though they were simply continuing a conversation that had started weeks ago.

"So," Amanda asked, "why do you always buy the same coffee?"

David shrugged.

"It's become a habit."

"And the bread?"

"I actually like bread."

Amanda laughed.

"I thought maybe you didn't know how to cook."

David looked away dramatically.

"I feel attacked."

She burst into laughter again.

"So it's true?"

"I can cook."

Amanda raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Noodles."

She laughed so hard that people at the next table turned to look.

Hours passed without either of them noticing.

They talked about family.

School.

Work.

Dreams.

For the first time, they could match the voices they loved with the faces before them.

As they prepared to leave, Amanda smiled.

"I'm really glad I texted the wrong number."

David smiled back.

"So am I."

Just as they stepped outside the café, a voice called from behind them.

"Amanda!"

The smile on her face disappeared.

David noticed the sudden change.

A tall young man walked toward them, his expression serious.

He stopped in front of Amanda.

"So... this is why you've been avoiding me?"

Amanda took a slow breath.

"Kelvin..."

David looked from Amanda to the stranger.

He didn't know who Kelvin was.

But judging by Amanda's face...

He knew this meeting had just taken an unexpected turn.