Dedicated to MysticFate

Emily Abbington felt a calmness wash over her as she took in the view from the window of the cafe. Her eyes saw a bright blue ocean in the distance as she stared out the window of the cafe and she viewed a white, sandy beach where a few people were enjoying themselves, reading a magazine or swimming in the water. For the first time in years, it seemed like the world was smiling at her. Time had changed and the past was behind her. These three days far away from home were hers and she didn't have to worry anymore. Here, no one knew who she was and it was liberating to not be aware of every step she took nor having to think about what consequences her actions would have. The last three years, that was all she had been doing.

She tried not to think too much about the past. The memory of what she'd been through frightened her just as much now as it had in the moment. She thought she'd be free when she finally came back home, but even then she hadn't been. She was being told what to do by her parents constantly while all she wanted was a break. There was just one thing she wished for after the shocking events that had piled up without giving her time to breathe, and that was being in the comfort of her own bed, safe.

She didn't want to do a press conference or give a public statement and talk about everything that happened, partly because she was tired and partly because she didn't have the answers herself. She couldn't just get over it and live the life her parents wanted her to have like Jason King could. He was the example of a perfect son, wanting to please his parents with everything he did. He'd offered to do the press conference she'd refused to do and he was also willing to take over the family company in the near future, unlike her.

She was nothing like him. He was everything her parents wished for and everything she could never be.

But now wasn't the time to think about that. She was free, finally. The moment she'd stepped off the plane and was welcomed by a cool Miami breeze, she felt free. Here in Miami, there were no parents, no paparazzi, no press conferences or statements she had to put out. This was where she could be her true self, even if it was just for one more day. This was the real Emily.

A waiter walked up to her table. "I'm sorry it took so long," he said, smiling apologetically. The nameplate on his uniform told her his name was River. "There were some complications." He put down her order on the wooden surface of the table. It was orange juice and came in a plastic cup. Emily chuckled when she envisioned the reaction of her parents if they would see her drinking out of a cup made of material so cheap.

"That's okay." She smiled softly. "I have time." She was willing to wait for hours. Every minute spent here, she wasn't in San Francisco. She wasn't exactly thrilled that she had to leave tomorrow morning already.

The waiter looked relieved upon hearing her answer. His dark brown eyes were glistening a little as his mouth curled up into a smile. "The key lime pie is coming right up," he said, "thank you for your patience." Then he left.

It was nice to be somewhere where everything wasn't perfect, Emily thought. Food didn't come to the table within five minutes. Mistakes were made, because that's how life simply is, but that wasn't what life in the home of her parents was like. Back home, dresses were without wrinkles, silver spoons were always shining and people were always smiling. But here, people weren't living a lie. They looked genuinely happy.

As she took a sip of her orange juice, which was better than all the fancy juices she'd ever tasted or the water she'd survived on the past three years, she got a paperback out of her bag and turned to the page where she'd left off.

Suddenly a thought came to mind. What if she lived here? She could move to Miami and she would never have to leave this place. She'd never see her parents again, unless she wanted to. She'd be free of the expectations that had weighed her down all her life and wouldn't have to fear to go through a traumatic event like the one she'd escaped from just four weeks ago. Instead, she could spend her days on the beach, by herself, and build a new life. Just the thought of what her future could look like made her heart swell up.

But her parents expected her to come home. Tomorrow morning, 10.21 a.m., she'd be on the plane back to California. Things would go back to normal. She'd never wear shorts like the ones she was wearing right now - pastel blue; she'd found them in a cute little store here in Miami and knowing that her parents would faint by seeing her wear them, she bought them immediately, exploiting her freedom while she still could - and she'd have to eat fancy food with French names again which were never as good as the fries she had yesterday.

It didn't take River the waiter long to return. She already saw him approaching her and his smile broadened as his eyes caught hers.

"Here's your-"

But he didn't get the chance to finish that sentence. Emily didn't see exactly what happened, but he tripped and fell to the floor with the plate slipping out of his hand. It flew and seemed to be frozen mid-air before it broke into a million pieces as it hit the ground and the thing that used to be pie was splattered all over the floor.

Her heartbeat quickened by the sudden movement. It had caught her off-guard. She felt the blood rushing through her veins in those quick moments that felt longer than just a few seconds. A piece of pie landed on her wrist, but in her imagination it became a hand, pulling her away. The memory took her by surprise and with her other hand, she grabbed her right wrist. She was getting ready to protect herself, but when she looked around, no one was paying attention to her.

Instead, all eyes were on River.

"I-" he stuttered. He was lying on the floor. There were pieces of pie on his shirt and his cheeks that were usually bronzed by the sun were blushing out of embarrassment. Other guests in the cafe turned around to look at the scenario and there were a few shocked faces when they saw what had happened.

Emily, whose heart was finally slowing down a bit when it realized there was no danger to be worried about, stood up from her seat and kneeled down. "Are you okay?" she asked, more concerned about him than the pie. She tried to ignore the others who were looking at them like she always did when she became the center of attention. Even after all these years, she still hadn't gotten used to it.

"I'm fine," he said. "Don't worry about me." He got up and brushed his hands against his shirt, getting rid of all the white and brown crumbs. Then he turned to her, his dark eyes meeting hers, holding his palms forward as he apologized, "I'm really sorry, miss, about this."

At that moment, someone came walking out of the kitchen with a quick and definite stride, causing all the eyes in the room to follow him. It was clear that he was the one in charge.

"River!" he raged. His face went red at the sight of his employee and the mess that he'd made, and she could tell by his hands curling up into a fist and his eyebrows standing close together that it wasn't from embarrassment, the emotion that caused River's cheeks to blush.

"I'm sorry," River apologized again. "I'll clean it up." He was talking at a low volume and suddenly appeared really small to Emily, despite being six feet tall. His smile was gone, his shoulders were hanging and he wasn't as confident as he'd been before.

The person who she assumed was River's boss raised an eyebrow, which apparently told River more than she could make from that small gesture.

"After getting the miss a new pie, of course," River quickly corrected himself.

"Get going," was all his boss said to that. Without having said more than three words in total, he left again.

"I'm really sorry," River said again to her. "I'll get you a new one right now."

"Really, it's-"

But he didn't give her the chance to finish that sentence because he'd already left. Emily noticed he wasn't walking towards the counter where the pies were displayed, but he went into the kitchen instead, the same place where his employer had disappeared into. A white door with a small glass window made it impossible for all the eyes in the cafe to follow him. However, the ears could hear the discussion that followed.

"How many times do I have to tell you?"

Emily could tell that voice was River's boss.

"I really am sorry." River.

"You're always sorry!"

"It doesn't mean that I'm not serious."

"I'm fed up with all your excuses."

A different waitress walked up to Emily, holding a plate with key lime pie. Her blonde hair was tied in a long ponytail and she smiled apologetically. "We're really sorry for all the trouble we've caused," she said.

She ignored the apology; she'd heard enough already. "Is he in trouble?" she asked instead. She didn't even need to tell the girl who she was talking about.

"I...," she began, not prepared for such a question. "I have no idea." She had the same look in her eyes as River had when he walked away into the kitchen that didn't promise anything good. Emily felt a feeling of guilt wash over her. It was partly her fault too.

"I promise it won't happen again," said River. He was still in the kitchen and it was hard to hear the words he said, but it was no problem at all to hear the boss speaking.

"You said the same thing last time."

"But-"

"No! This was the last time."

Everyone in the cafe held their breath at the same time, knowing what that meant.

"Please, I need-"

"You ruined this opportunity for yourself, River."

No one dared to speak when the boss let a silence fall, neither River or anyone else in the cafe.

"This was your last day," the boss then said in his sharp voice. "I'm asking you to leave now. Please hand your uniform in tomorrow."

"Mister-"

But the boss had already walked away.

* * *

First chapter! What are we thinking? :D