"Shut up, Ashton. For the twentieth time - if a customer's being rude, just throw them out of the café," Tiffany snapped, her voice brittle with exasperation as she wiped away tears. She was tired - tired of watching her best friend get trampled on by entitled strangers, tired of Ashton's refusal to stand up for herself.
"You don't get to yell at me! I'm already crying!" Ashton shot back, her voice cracking. Her grip tightened on her phone as the café fell silent. Every head turned. Every eye watched her like she was a scene from a play. Face flushed, she turned on her heel and bolted for the back room.
Tiffany groaned, muttering an apology to the stunned crowd. "Sorry, everyone!"
Just as she reached the 'Staff Only' door, someone knocked.
A tall man stood waiting.
Tiffany opened the door - and nearly forgot how to breathe.
"Axel Hale?!" she gasped.
Ashton stepped beside her, brow raised, unimpressed. "Who's he?" she asked, under her breath.
The man's lips curled into a smooth smile. "Axel," he introduced, his tone light but confident. "And I already know your name. Ashton, right?"
Ashton blinked. "How do you know that?" she asked, her voice measured but curious.
"Oh, how could I not know the name of such a cute girl?" Tiffany let out an excited squeal (not to mention, it was so loud a glass could break), while Ashton turned as red as a tomato. "No, really, how do you know it. I am not even wearing my badge!" she asked, looking both flustered and suspicious.
Axel let out a short snort. "Your friend was kind enough to shout it loud enough for the entire cafe to hear. Honestly, I was a little scared for a second."
Ashton stood frozen as heat crept up her cheeks. "A ridiculously good-looking guy just called me cute… and he knows my name?" Her thoughts spiraled for a second too long before she cleared her throat.
"Well… thanks for checking on me, but I really need to get back to work," she said briskly, already turning away before he could respond.
Tiffany lingered behind, eyes shining, chatting animatedly with Axel for a moment before he took his leave.
The instant he was gone, she practically flew toward Ashton, nearly colliding with a waitress balancing two steaming cups of coffee.
"Ashton Claire! How do you not know who he is?!" Tiffany cried, grabbing her by the shoulders as if physically shaking recognition into her.
"Would you please tell me who he is?" Ashton asked flatly, arms crossed. "You looked like you'd just seen a mythical creature."
Tiffany gasped, scandalized. "He is Axel Hale! One of the biggest actors in Hollywood! Oh. My. God. That jawline. That messy dark hair. That deep, sinful voice. He's literal perfection walking on Earth! How do you not recognize him?"
She paused dramatically, then added with a shake of her head, "Even that pathetic disguise of his wasn't good enough to hide that face."
Ashton raised an eyebrow. Five minutes of stunned silence passed between them. Tiffany vibrated with excitement. Ashton didn't even blink.
She didn't have time for this. Axel Hale-whoever he was-would probably forget about her by sunrise. Tiffany, however, was already planning her wedding speech.
Ashton's phone buzzed.
She ignored it.
On the bus ride home, curiosity finally won. She opened the message.
"Guess who I am?" the text read. The number was unknown.
"No idea. Perhaps some annoying stranger," Ash replied. "Or is it R- no no no" she thought, hands sweaty, tone fierce.
"Ouch. Cold."
"Unless you need something, please stop texting me."
"Whoa. Fierce. Didn't expect that from someone with such a cute face. But I like it."
"You're seconds away from getting blocked."
"Alright, alright, Shark Girl. I'll back off… for now. But try to guess who I am. I promise it'll be worth it."
Ashton stared at the screen, heart ticking a little faster than before.
Cute.
Wait. That was exactly what Axel Hale had called her earlier that day.
Could it really be him?
She shook the thought away. No. That would be absurd. Why would a celebrity text someone like her?
The screen dimmed. She shoved the phone into her coat pocket as the bus rumbled down the road.
There were dishes to scrub, bills to pay, and laundry to fold. Her mother had died when she was just five. Her father had drowned himself in liquor soon after. Life didn't leave her room for fairy tales and celebrity fantasies weren't part of her world......