Chapter 1:AMELIA'S RESIGNATION

"Here's your order, ma'am. Cappuccino with extra milk," Amelia Roberts said to a middle-aged woman standing in line ahead of her.

"Thank you for your patience. Here's your change," she added.

"Thank you so much, dear," the woman replied. "You can keep the change as a tip for a job well done."

"Thank you so much, ma'am. Please come back again," Amelia said to the woman, flashing her a beautiful smile before she walked out the door onto the street.

Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm went off, indicating that it was time for Amelia to end her shift and go home.

"Hey, Amie," Dianna said as she walked towards Amelia, carrying her small backpack. Dianna and Amelia were best friends who met at the coffee shop three years ago. They worked side by side every day, and because of this, they grew closer to each other. They would always walk home together every evening.

Just like every other evening, this one was no exception. Dianna came to look for Amelia so they could walk home together. "Amie," as she always called her, was a name coined from Amelia because Dianna felt that calling her by her full name would be too stressful.

"Come on, are you ready? I need to get home early so I can prepare for my date," Dianna said in excitement.

"A date?" Amie asked in surprise.

"Yes, Amie, a date. I now have a potential suitor, and I think I like him, so I agreed to go on a date with him this evening," Dianna replied, beaming from ear to ear. Dianna had always been more of an extrovert, but her relationship life was nothing to write home about. She was always getting dumped by her dates, and some even ghosted her after having sex with her. This time around, when she went to a birthday party for one of her friends, she met Kelvin, who fell in love with her at first sight. They hit it off and started going out together. It had been a month and a half, and she was beginning to develop feelings for Kelvin, which is why she decided to go out on a proper date with him tonight.

"Alright, alright, let's go before you chop my head off with your smile," Amie replied as she grabbed her cross bag and signed out of the coffee shop, walking hand in hand with Dianna.

Dashing out of the coffee shop, Amelia took a deep breath, as was her usual practice after work, savoring the freshness of the air and releasing the tension built up from taking orders all day long. Dianna had always wondered why Amie would always do this, but tonight she didn't stop to wonder; she did the same thing instead, and she finally understood why Amie did it every day.

"Wow, I feel so relaxed after doing that," Dianna said to Amie.

"Do you now see why I always do that once I get outside?" Amelia asked Dianna.

"Well, yes, now I know how relaxing it feels. I think I'll start doing this every day, just like you usually do. It's just so sad that you've resigned, and you're not coming back here," Dianna said in a very sad tone.

Earlier that day, Amelia had come to work with her resignation letter, stating that she had gotten a new job and she would like to resign from the coffee shop. This made her boss, Mrs. Hannah, very sad, as Amelia was one of the most decent and diligent workers she had ever had, and she would definitely miss her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mrs. Hannah asked Amelia.

"Yes, ma'am. I really have to do this for my family. I need a higher-paying job because my younger sister has just graduated from Ursula Franklin Academy, and she's aspiring to study Medicine at the University of Toronto. Paying her bills and also supporting the family requires me to look for a better job, which is why I have to resign," Amelia answered.

"But I'll come in once in a while to check up on you and catch up if that's fine by you, ma'am," Amelia quickly added.

"Well, of course, it's fine by me. Take care of yourself and keep being the good girl you've always been. I'm sure your new boss will like you," Mrs. Hannah replied, hugging Amelia before flashing her a sad but happy smile.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. I really appreciate everything you've done for me and my family," Amelia said, bowing before taking her leave.

"You're welcome, dear," Mrs. Hannah replied, waving goodbye to Amelia, who was going to do her last shift before eventually leaving the coffee shop.

"Come on, don't think about it that way, Dianna. We both know it's for the best, and besides, it's not like I'd forget you or this would stop our friendship. I'll still be coming to your house to steal some milk and watch my favorite TV show," said Amie, trying to console her best friend.

"Alright, alright, I hear you, but you better not forget me," Dianna replied, giving Amie a weak smile.

"We're finally here, so go on and get dressed for your date," Amie said to Dianna.

"Hold it right there, miss," Amie said almost immediately, stopping Dianna, who was already walking towards her front door.

"Remember to wear the dress I picked out for you a few months back, in case you ever had a date you'd want to go to, and yeah, please take pictures and be yourself. Remember, if he genuinely loves you, he'll stay," Amelia said to her best friend before giving her a tight hug and walking down the alley towards her home.