"However this isn't where the magic happens! It's the place where people come to fill their bellies and leave satisfied. The grand reveal…Drum roll please!"
"The Ralestone Cafe!"
It was fancy to say the least. The outside consisted of glass panes that allowed you to see into the place filled with the smiles of its customers. It felt akin to watching fish in a fish tank. You head inside and it feels out of an old western movie. The floor was made of a rugged type of wood, giving it an older feel but it was of great quality and clearly brand new. It was pretty spacious and offered a lot of tables for new and returning customers alike. It had window seats that allowed you to admire the new renovations of the mall and the people that were passing by.
Upon sitting down at the allotted table after ordering, Amelia pointed out how comfortable the chairs were and how great the view was from their seats. Looking again you can clearly see the marvelous job put into this area of the Centre. It was grand, commodious and had a variety of stores for all ages. From toy stores to even offering branded clothing, a variety of fresh new stores trying to make a name for themselves settled well into the expanded area, with the Ralestone Cafe being one of them.
The waiter that came to their table said the food was going to take 14 minutes to prepare in total. During that time, the girls chat leisurely by taking in their surroundings and catching up with each other's summer holiday stories.
"So Grace, what did you do over the summer?" Amelia asks first, genuinely curious as to what Grace does in her free time.
"Oh well ya know…I lazed around at home with my fan on whilst watching my favourite shows like The Moon inside a hazely place and Snowfield. My mother got onna me for bein lazy but how can I not be lazy in that sweltering heat! At least it's cooler now! That's not all I did however. I went on holiday to Venice for a week as well as to Korea for four days! It was so beautiful over there that coming back felt like when Icarus plummeted after flying too close to the sun. I can show you guys pictures if you want? Later of course. What about you Freya, what did you get up to?" Grace looks forward to hearing her answer, staring intensely with her hazel eyes.
"Wow that's quite the bit you got up to in the summer unlike me, who didn't get up to nothing much really. I studied and studied, that's just the life of a top student." The girl gave an unsatisfactory answer that didn't quench Grace's thirst for an interesting story.
"Surely there's more to it than just that? No boy stories or anything? like Freya i don't know how often you get told this, but you are emanatingly beautiful. If nobody tries to hit on you, I dunno how any of us gotta chance." Grace prescribed Freya with a curse.
"Fine, I do have one story. I went to Whaleton Waterpark with my lil sis and mother and there I got hit on a bunch and was saved by Ben. you know the short, mischievous one sort of class clown type of guy? Yeah, he happened to be there with his little siblings and stepped in to stop them all from harassing me. He was a pretty nice guy and his little sister and brother were adorable. They were about the same age as my sister, so they ended up playing together. It was pretty fun to speak to someone new for once. He even gave me his number asking if their siblings could play again in the future and I said sure. That was probably the most eventful thing that happened during the summer."
"Freya…" The girls all said in unison.
"He was totally crushing on you." Grace has an evil grin on her face as though she concocted a plan already.
"Yeah Amelia and Ben too? He's pretty cute but he doesn't strike me as the guy you would wanna date. However, if he is genuinely that kind then…it's worth a shot?" Holly clearly in deep thought shares her piece on the situation.
"You still got his number? Let's call him. It'll be funny to see his reaction." Grace grabs Freya's phone off the desk and unlocks it in quick succession before Freya could even react.
"Wait—" The girl reaches out her hand before reclaiming her phone, but Grace has already dialled the number. Amelia is giggling away watching the scene unfold whilst Holly gets up to look over Grace's shoulder, intrigued as to whether he will pick up.
[Ring! Ring! Ring!]
"Hello? Freya, is that you?"
"Heyy Ben, It's Holly and you're on speaker, it's not exactly who you wanted to hear from but we just wanted to let you know that Freya is here with us, do you wanna see?" Holly playfully responds to Ben with mischief in her voice.
"Uh what?"
[Camera turned on]
"Look, it's Freya!" Grace flips the phone towards Freya sitting across the table from her, causing Freya to look away sheepishly embarrassed about being seen by a boy.
"Cmon Freya, no need to be shy! Say hi!" Grace encourages Freya to talk to Ben.
"Hi Ben. How have you been?" the girl waves at the camera even though she can't see him.
"I have been good. Is this supposed to be like a joke call or…cause I'm taking care of my siblings at the moment so I'm a little busy. Hey! You two stop fighting! Sorry they are having a little scuffle."
"Uh yeah Grace and Holly called you…I did want to talk to you eventually though I was just a little nervous to do it myself."
"Really? The most beautiful girl in School wants a chat with me? That's great haha! Well we can talk anytime. You guys out right now? I hope you have fun. I gotta go now bye!"
[BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.]
"Came like a whirlwind, left like a storm, eh?" Grace commented with a satisfied look on her face. She was hoping to get a little more out of Ben but she got the reaction out of the girl that she wanted.
Ben was the guy that Freya had liked back in High school. Their relationship never developed all that well because Freya was too afraid to call or message him. "It's unbeffiting of a Queen to pursue her King" or so her mother always said. Maybe it's because Amelia is in Freya's body, but she felt extremely flustered talking to him. Or maybe it was just Amelia's lack of experience with talking to men that was causing her to panic. She can't really distinguish between the two.
"Dont tease me like that Grace…"
"Why? You look adorable right now!"
"You should've seen the look on your face Freya! Sorry, it's just so funny I can't help myself." Amelia bursts out laughing after holding it in for so long.
"See, even Amelia finds it funny!" Holly adds more fuel to the fire. Freya rolls her eyes sarcastically but lets out a little chuckle in return. The weight of her head lays firmly in the palm of her hand as she snatches her phone back from Grace.
"Hello ladies, Here is your food and drinks." The waiter lays down the plates one by one after we assign who ordered what.
The girl got an Iced cappuccino with cream, with a rather large slice of pizza containing various kinds of meats alongside a croissant drizzled in chocolate sauce. Very fancy stuff.
Amelia got a potato egg salad, with a chicken breast on the side as well as a tall order of apple juice. Freya underestimated this world's Amelia's love for eggs; clearly she vigorously enjoys them. She doesn't understand why, as she never had a liking for them.
Holly got orange juice alongside a Burger meal that contained chips as well as a salted caramel brownie which she was interested in trying. It was pretty standard for her as she was looking forward to it only for the burger.
Grace paired herself with a spicy, creamy Fettuccine with sausage and mushrooms and for desert, a slice of chocolate cake and cream. It looked the best out of everything the girls ordered, making it very clear that she was a regular here.
The girls all eat, enjoying a leisurely chat whilst the sun slowly begins to set beneath the skylines. The girls pay for their meals and make their leave from the cafe
"Woah Grace, that place is actually really good!"
"I know right? I have been going there a once a week. It's quite expensive, but the food and quality of service is very worthwhile."
"Amelia what did you think?" Grace looks towards her only to be met with her intensely staring down at her phone.
"Amelia?"
"Oh, sorry. It's just my dad. He asked when I was coming home and if he could drop us all off at our homes."
"A free ride? Sure, I'll take it!" Holly instantly jumps at the opportunity.
" Hmm i wanted to stay out a bit longer but honestly if everyone is getting a bit tired then we can head back." Grace remarked.
"I don't mind a ride back at all." She says knowing this may be one of the few opportunities she gets to be with her father whilst as Freya. She could barely hide her emotions.
"I will tell him 30 minute then. Let's have some fun!" Amelia smiles brightly, being reinvigorated by the thought of leaving.
The group of girls weave through the large crowd at the shopping centre entering store after store as though a new adventure awaited with each turn. It was carefree, fun and overly sweet.
The girl had never understood friendship. However, it was the feeling of liberty that came with not caring about the consequences of finding fun performing meaningless, normally mundane, activities with others that made her realise what made such a bond so important to an individual.
Companionship is important whether it be friend, family or lover. She realised that she never hated Grace, Holly or Freya. She just never got to know them well enough to like them. Even if it is all fake, the girl gained some much needed closure for her past self; coming to find out that even the people who you couldn't understand, could become so important to you one day. She took each passing moment, expression and conversation to heart. Holding it close and dear as though it was what she had been searching for her whole life.