I woke with a start, my body frozen in it’s curled position as my senses tried to figure out what had awoken me. I heard the low hum of electricity powering the small fan that attempted to keep my apartment cooled. The faint light from the morning sun tried to break through the black curtains as my soft cotton sheets were tightly wrapped around me to keep me warm. I smelled the overpowering scent of tobacco and heavy cleaners from the apartment next door. I sighed and got up from the warm sheets. There was no use to try to go back to sleep as my alarm clock showed that it was five minutes til that shrill alarm I kept would wake me. Glancing at my closet of exploding clothes, I rolled my eyes and shuffled to the bathroom. A quick shower and an attempt at putting a thin layer of makeup on; I went back to my closet and kicked at the pile of clean clothes. I grabbed a blue shirt and black fitted jeans to dress in and as I stumbled into the kitchen while slipping on my socks; I boiled some water in a kettle and made a cup of instant coffee. Grabbing my keys, wallet and taking a sip of my coffee with a grimace; I stormed out of the apartment.

Briskly, I walked to my morning job in a old rundown cafe just four blocks from my place. Despite the dirty cracked bricks and the faded white trim around the windows, the cafe was usually very busy. Inside, the cafe was bright and airy; the owner cleverly using light colors and not so cleverly placing frills and sparkles around every possible surface. The owner had no dress code for the staff other than no dark tops and though I found it odd, the pay was decent and hours were flexible. Walking through the door, a small bell jingled above my head to announce my entrance.

"Morning, Aerin. Early as usual; aren't you? Karen is already in the back getting ready and the Boss hasn't arrived yet." A cheerful redhead named Annie at the counter greeted me, her smile bringing out her cute dimples. I waved at her in reply and set out for the storage room to help Karen. A shriek from the back startled me but a string of curses that followed after drew a chuckle as I pushed past the cloth that served as a door.

"Karen! What happened?" I asked with a sigh. The tiny slip of a woman always somehow managed to dropped something in the morning so the Boss very rarely gave her the morning shifts. When it happened the Boss always tried to pair her with me to offset her clumsiness; though Karen didn't seem to do it on purpose.

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A clatter of pots and the shuffle of feet was all I got before Karen appeared before me; covered in flour and what seemed to be icing dripping off her nose. She sniffled before attempting to brush off the flour. "I only wanted to help. I didn't expect to have to lug the flour across the floor or to have the bag rip open without my noticing! I slipped and I tried to grab the counter only to grab the pot handle and well..." She trailed off as she glanced at the mess she created. I merely shrugged, got a bucket and carefully treaded the kitchen to the sink. Luckily, she didn't turn on the ovens just yet or else there would have been a bigger problem than either her or the kitchen nicely covered in flour. 'Oh Karen. You're a darling girl but you have no awareness. Though her waitressing skills far surpass my own because customers keep coming back just to see her. She always manages to keep them smiling.'

It took me less time than I thought to straighten up the kitchen and still manage to have fresh bread baking as well as creating some small treats for the customers. I had sent Karen to go clean up before the first string of customers started arriving at precisely eight when we finally opened for business. It was the usual crowd as I began to recognize some of the faces when I was forced out of the kitchen by our regular cook who was never early but always arrived when things got busy around nine. I tried to keep up a smile as I served but by noon I was exhausted from standing so much. I was relieved when I was at last freed from the cafe. Quickly I put away my apron and grabbed my things from the lockers in the kitchen, leaving the cafe through the front door while customers called out their goodbyes and good wishes.

"Aerin, wait up! We can walk to the bus together!"

I half stopped, as I looked behind me but kept walking as I saw Karen sprinting towards me. Her short light brown hair bounced around her shoulders as she ran, while she held her skirts in one hand and a bag that sung wildly on her shoulder. I frowned slightly. 'Had she always taken the bus? Have I never noticed it?' A twinge of unease rippled through me as I politely slowed my pace for the woman. She smiled brightly at me when she reached my side but neither of us said anything and kept walking. It felt odd having Karen next to me; my body wanted to shy away from her and my mind refused to believe that she was really there. 'What is wrong with me?'