Chapter 3

Halle took a step back and sat on her haunches so that she didn't fall. She didn't expect him to come here of all places. Didn't he leave 5 years ago? Why would he come back? Maybe a trip? Why here of all places? Does he know? How could he? She made sure to never let anyone know or tell.

"Hey you called?"

Halle scuttled to the other end of the room so that he won't notice her with the door open.

"What happened?" Pace asked stunned.

"Did he . . . does he know?" she asked.

"What? Who are you talking about?" Pace sat down next to her, holding her arm. She was trembling. "What happened, Halle?"

"There . . . there's a new customer now right?"

"Yeah, he said he was new here and wanted to try our cupcakes. He bought a lot too. Good sales."

Halle hugged her knees barely containing her fear. "He's doing it on purpose." She whispered. "He knows."

"Knows? Knows what? I can't hear you."

Halle got up and took her phone, went to the gallery, scrolled through and showed it to Pace.

Pace gasped. "Different haircut. A bit taller, more charming. But definitely him." She looked at Halle. "But who is that?"

"I don't know." She whispered. "I don't know."

Pace hadn't seen Halle like this before. It was too confusing. "Don't come out. Wait until I come back again. No wonder he asked about the other people who 'work' here."

"He did?"

"Now that I think about it, it looks like he specifically asked for you."

Halle's eyes widened.

Pace scratched her head. She was scaring Halle when she's already terrified. She should be comforting her. "Look Halle, nothing will happen. Alright? He'll go out thinking he was mistaken and that will be that."

"You don't understand." Halle said her voice quivering. "He wouldn't be here if he didn't know I was here."

Pace scrutinized her words. "I feel like you're giving him too much credit."

"You don't know him."

"Yeah, I don't. But I know when I smell trouble." Pace got up. "And for a fact, I don't want to know him."

"Go back to the café. We might lose customers."

"Yeah, yeah. And don't break anything."

Halle looked up to see a childish smirk on Pace's face. Halle smiled a little.

They both giggled and Pace left.

Pace was looking at him, he was chatting with the customers there. She was waiting for him to leave. But he had no intention of doing so. Maybe Halle was right, maybe he was a jerk. But he didn't look like that. But the terrified look in her face. What could have happened? Was he capable of causing such harm? Looking at him casually having a conversation with the other customers, he didn't seem like much of a threat. But she didn't know Halle until this café happened and she would never know why she was terrified.

"When is the owner of the shop coming by?"

Pace looked startled at the suddenness. She was clearing the table and didn't expect him to spring up on her so fast.

"What do you mean?"

A thin smile crossed his face. "Sorry, I should introduce myself." He thrust out his hand. "I'm Kairo, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." She shook his hand briefly. "Was the espresso good? Isn't that what you ordered?"

"Yeah." His smile was charming. "It was great. I'll be coming by often just for that during my stay here."

"Are you new to this place?"

He giggled. "I belong to this place. Due to my work, I don't come by here often."

Pace stared at him. Why did he giggle like that? As if he heard a joke.

"You really don't know me?"

Pace looked up at the ceiling, pretending to be deep in thought. "Did we go to the same school?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. What is your name again?"

"Pace."

"Ah, I'm afraid not."

"You seem smart enough to remember everyone with just their names."

His smile thinned. "I came here to say hi to the owner of the café. I heard she'd be here."

"She's not here today."

He narrowed his eyes. "When will she be back?"

"I don't think she'll be back today." She stroked her chin. "Or for another week . . ."

"What do you mean?"

"She's gone on a trip with her boyfriend, you see." Pace replied. "She said she was very much looking forward to that trip, so I don't think she'll be back earlier than that."

The smile left his face and what she saw was terrifying; too much hatred inside this man. She turned away from him and continued with her work.

"Good to know." He wore his cap. "I'll be back after a week then."

"Sure." She said as she watched him leave.

She cleaned up the other tables as two more customers came in. She took out her notepad, "Can I take your order, please?"