"I'm glad to hear that. Just let me know if you want to order something."
Alaric smiled faintly before going back to reading his book.
The woman nodded her head.
'He looks young, but he is already so accomplished. I wonder how old he is.' She thought to herself while taking another furtive glance at Alaric.
She then turned on her phone to check the time.
10:14 A.M.
She had a class at 10:45, but the school was still a bit far from here. She had also forgotten to bring an umbrella so she couldn't walk to school since it was still raining.
The thought of missing a class made her sigh despondently.
As a scholar student, missing one class would have a big impact on her academic record. The school might even drop her scholarship.
'What should I do?'
She was out of money so she couldn't afford to take the taxi. The bus stop was also quite a distance from here.
She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of the owner.
"Excuse me. Are you alright?" She heard a gentle voice from behind her. When she turned her head, she realized that the owner was already standing close to her. He was looking at her with concern.
"No, I'm not." She shook her head while biting her lips in a struggle to hold back her tears.
Her scholarship was very important to her. Without it, her family wouldn't be able to afford her tuition fees and she might have to transfer schools.
Alaric stared at her slightly damp clothes and said. "The rain must have caused you some trouble."
"I can lend you an umbrella."
"Let me get it for you."
Before the woman could even say anything, he had already turned around and left.
'He is so dependable…'
A moment later, Alaric came back with a blue umbrella in his hand.
"Here." He handed the umbrella to her.
She raised her head and asked. "What about you? You won't have anything to use for yourself."
Alaric smiled. "I'll be fine. I still have a few umbrellas with me."
Hearing this, she no longer hesitated. "Thank you so much…"
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Uhm…" She was embarrassed, but he was her last chance to get to school on time.
She gathered her courage and said. "Can you help me book a taxi to Vale University? I promise I'll pay you back tomorrow."
"Sure."
She didn't expect that he would agree without hesitation. "You believe me?"
"Why wouldn't I believe you?" Alaric chuckled. Lending her some money wasn't an issue. Who knows? She might even bring some friends the next time she visits the coffee shop.
"There's something in my eyes." She muttered in a quivering voice as she covered her face with her hands and wiped off her tears.
Seeing her like this, Alaric suddenly recalled a distant memory, something that he had forgotten for a long, long time.
"You can use this." He handed her a handkerchief.
"I'll go and book you a taxi first." He didn't know what she was going through so he decided to give her some space.
After he left, the woman stared at the handkerchief. It was neatly folded and she could smell the scent of his perfume on it.
Five minutes later, the taxi finally arrived outside the coffee shop.
"Miss, your taxi is here," Alaric told her as he pointed at the taxi waiting outside the shop.
Hearing this, the woman stood up and bowed to Alaric. "Thank you so much, Alaric. I will be back tomorrow."
"I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow." Alaric nodded with a smile.
Just before she left, she turned around and said. "By the way, my name is Angel. Don't forget it." She then stepped out of the coffee shop and entered the taxi.
***
As soon as she sat in the backseat, Angel brought the handkerchief she got from Alaric to her nose.
'I like his smell.'
When the taxi arrived at the school, it was already 10: 34.
'I still have time!' She rushed to the classroom as if her life depended on it.
It was still 10:42 when she entered the classroom.
'I made it on time!' She smiled joyfully.
"Look at this b*tch smiling by herself. Did she go crazy?" A mocking voice drifted into her ears.
"How dare she come to the class all wet and sweaty? Ew!"
"That's the problem with poor people. They are so unhygienic. Hahaha!"
Angel ignored them and pretended like she didn't hear anything.
She was a victim of bullying. She had long since noticed her classmates' jealousy towards her. And because of her humble background, they weren't afraid of targeting her. Even if the school found out about their behavior, they would be able to get away with it because of their family's power.
Vale University was a school for the rich and powerful. She only managed to enroll here because she topped the entrance exam and received a scholarship from the school.
In this school, she was the only one with no backing. Sometimes, it made her feel tired and lonely. The only reason why she endured all the stress and bullying was because of her parents. She didn't want to cause trouble for them.
Angel sat at the corner of the classroom and quietly waited for the teacher.
Her mind was full of thoughts about the mysterious coffee shop owner, Alaric.