04

I got reprimanded by my colleagues as well as the manager for leaving the coffee shop in a rush. They were quite worried for me, the moment I dashed out of the shop to follow the customer and give the purchased order to that person.

Some of them were even teasing that the reason why I acted in that way was that I fell in love at the first sight of him. Some ladies around my age were fantasizing about Sky since he indeed has great facial features.

His natural ash brown hair color, his golden-brown orbs adorning his eyes like some sort of mysterious jewels, his pointed nose which makes me feel small for some unknown reason, and the veins that popped out of his fair-toned arms.

My girl colleagues squealed by themselves as they described Sky's features which were only inside my head at the moment. I shuddered at the sudden thought, so I shake my head to get rid of those rude and perverted thoughts.

I could be considered as an adult but still, I am too young for thoughts like that. Aside from that fact, I have matters that are more pressing to tend to in this city than matters such as love life. I have to focus on saving up as much money as I can while I am staying and working in this city before I think about the issues of the heart.

After a few years, it wouldn't be too late for me to find someone I love and to spend the rest of my life together with. I can do that at a much later time compared to the urgency of the issues at my hand.

I can be selfless for a few years for my parents and family that I left back in F City and afterward, I can find the man I am willing to devote myself to. The thought of having a man of my dreams by my side in the near future excites me. This only strengthened my resolve to work earnestly and saved more money.

We then get back on the track and worked hard for the rest of the day. Despite getting reprimanded by the manager for acting carelessly; since I forgot to take off one of my uniforms which is the hat, I got myself in trouble since I was running around wearing that as if I am waving to others that I came from this coffee shop; I still got praised by the end of the day for staying positive and enthusiastic all throughout our shift.

By three in the afternoon, our shift has finally ended. We didn't encounter any problems so everything has been easy for all of us. The manager decided to close the shop earlier than the scheduled time.

For now, we are just cleaning up the coffee shop since we are done for the day. I volunteered on watering the plants that were displayed in front of the shop. There was a variety of plants ranging from flowers that are ornamental, to plants that have other purposes like mints. 

Since I lived my life surrounded by nature specifically plants, I have certain knowledge as to how to properly take care of different kinds of plants. Normally, plants do not live by getting drowned in water. However, some plants need lots of water to survive displayed in the shop.

There are a variety of different colored Irises in front o the shop that ranges from colors of blue, purple, white, and yellow. There is also a flower that is called Trumpet Creeper that was hanging near the walls of the coffee shop. This type of flower should be maintained properly on a fixed schedule since it is highly invasive if not controlled properly.

I also trimmed the bushes around the shop to make it look more elegant and pleasing to the eyes, especially for the customers. I do hope that by doing something like this, it will suit the customer's taste and aesthetics, and if possible, they will also promote our shop to the people they know through word of mouth.

After a job well done on the plants, the manager assigned me the task of tending to the mini garden and the plants that serve as decorations for the coffee shop. This task will be done by me alone and if ever I do need some help, I can ask the others around.

I will be managing everything that is related to this specific area since I do have the expertise for doing this task. I guess you can say that living in the boonies helped a lot in making this opportunity possible.

I asked the manager if I can possibly add a few more plants that will serve as some kind of hanging garden inside the coffee shop as one of the interior designs. She gave me a thumbs up and even gave me a budget so I can buy anything that I deemed suitable for our shop.

Although I was hesitant at first, I gave in after my colleagues encouraged me to take the black card from our manager. "I'll make sure to use it wisely," I assured the manager as I bowed politely.

She dismissed me after handing over the black card. I even asked her if she has anything for me to buy on my way but she told me that there's none. I bid my colleagues farewell and since Raya is the only person I know in this city, I asked her to guide me around and come with me.

Raya with her beaming smile agreed to the favor I asked of her. We left the coffee shop and immediately went to the bus stop. We waited for a bus to arrive and we then boarded the bus. Soon after, the bus departed.

This was the first time I was able to sightsee around S City. The last time I was in the middle of the road, I wasn't able to look around much and appreciate my surroundings because I was too preoccupied with having a place to stay and getting a job. I didn't even notice that I haven't eaten yet at that time because of the same reasons.

The road ahead of us was well maintained and is made out of stone. There are pretty street lights in every twist and turn of the road. The elegant-looking buildings look competitive against high-rise buildings that seem like they can reach the sky when you reach the top.

A wide variety of businesses and shops are also present along the way. Although they look so common, there is still this elegant aura around those shops that is only present because this city is the wealthiest.

I want to purchase a variety of bright colored tulips since it is for sure, will serve as a great eye-catcher to gather prospective customers' attention that is passing by the shop. I also want to buy some plants that will be suitable as a hanging garden.

We got off the bus when we arrived at the flower and plants shop that Raya knows about. She told me that there is a lot of choices to choose from in terms of ornamental plants in this shop. Aside from that, they also offer discounts for buying lots of products from them.

The bell chimed as soon as we entered, and we were entertained by one of the florists of the shop. He looks kind and cheery as he accommodates us and answered all of our inquiries. He really is a huge help for us.

After purchasing the ornamental plants, I saw a tiny succulent on the deepest corner of the shop. Despite looking unattended, it still lives beautifully until now. I usually compare myself to succulents since I do not really need a lot of attention and care, but still, I continue to live on.

Although I was eyeing the little succulent on a small pot, I do not have the money to purchase it. "Hey!" Raya called for my attention since she was already at the front door waiting for me. I looked back once again to the succulent as I smiled to myself.

We then boarded a taxi as we left the shop. I hope that little succulent will soon have its owner who will cherish it just the way she is. Despite the sharpness and its uniqueness, I sincerely hope there is someone in this city who will appreciate it as it is.