Chapter One: The Daydreamer

A disarray of thoughts dispersed around Clara's head like a train falling off its tracks. Thoughts about hopes and aspirations, airplanes and flight times, love and forgetfulness struck against each other like soldiers at war. She tried to think straight and focus on her work, but her mind just simply refused to do so.

The customer behind the counter glared at Clara impatiently as she quickly poured the boiling coffee into a cup, trying not to hiss at the fact that it was too hot. Usually she would be focused on her job as a barista, but today she didn't expect anyone to offer her tips. She gave the searing foam cup to the already agitated business woman, who scowled at her as she strut out of the café, leaving an intimidated Clara to ponder at her horrid morning. "Have a nice day?" she whispered weakly.

Clara sighed in exasperation, for she was already weary from all the packing, and there was still so much more that needed to be done. Don't worry Clara, she attempted to encourage herself. Tomorrow you'll be on a plane heading out of here. She shut her eyes tightly, trying not to think negatively, but it was almost impossible. …if I even get there at the right time. She groaned in frustration.

It's not as though she didn't like her job at Sparrow's, it was the tiniest most lovable café she'd ever stepped foot in. Clara had always been a positive being, but after her mother had passed, it's as if though a void of depression had swallowed her whole. Everything changed, well, everything except her facial expression. A hollow, unnatural smile was somehow paralyzed on her face, hiding the fact that she felt completely alone. That's why nobody asked, because nobody knew.

Clara needed an escape. She had thought about traveling the world as though it was her own backyard, but never imagined it becoming a reality. After all the incidents in her life, she finally found a reason to do so. Clara was leaving the next morning on her tour around the world, and nobody could stop her from doing so. Mainly because she'd been planning the trip for nearly six years; pleading for approval from her father, continuously drawing notes on her world map, and most importantly, saving up. It was hard, of course, but after counting every penny (From her barista paycheck to whatever was found on the sidewalk), she managed to cover the expense of a few trips, hotels and everything.

The twenty-four year old stared off into space, daydreaming of her prime plans for the next day. She was so enthusiastic about it all; she would finally get to see the genuine aspects of the photographs in her geography textbook, for seeing the real thing was so much better than staring at a textbook. Ah, how she would wake up in a sunny Paris hotel room, bike the paths of Amsterdam…

"Um, excuse me?" an irritating voice came from behind the coffee shop counter. Clara snapped out of her daydream and willingly wanted to glower at the teenage girl standing in front of her. She almost did, but tried to control herself, smiling sweetly. "Yes, can I help you?" Clara asked.

"I told you my order already, can't you hear?" she retorted, an annoyed frown on her face. Clara sighed, for it seemed as though everybody was cranky today. She reluctantly grabbed her order pad and a rubbish pencil, desperately wanting to leave all of the obnoxious customers behind. With a roll of her eyes and an uninterested tone in her voice, she asked,

"No, so can you please repeat that for me?"

By the end of her shift, Clara didn't even feel like driving home, for she was sure that she wouldn't make it without dozing off. It wasn't the best day for her, she was pretty sure she had gotten more than half of the orders wrong, not like it really mattered. Caffeine was caffeine, and coffee was coffee. It has two purposes (According to Clara): to taste good, and to make sure you didn't fall asleep during working periods. It wasn't that complicated.

Clara wiped the marble counter clean from the sugar and spills; for she was also quite clumsy. It was the one thing she just couldn't improve about herself; she couldn't take a day without falling in public, or spilling coffee on a customer's khaki pants (She still couldn't get over that.). Clumsiness was just something she couldn't hide.

"Rough day?" Sally asked as she turned off the lights in the back room. Clara nodded vigorously, for she was far past exhausted. "At least it's your last day," she smiled sadly, for she was going to miss Clara dearly. "Going to see the world tomorrow, how exciting is that?" she sighed. "Don't forget to phone me, or write at least."

Clara turned to stare at her. Sally Sparrow, the owner of the place, and Clara's best friend since they were teenagers. "At least you won't be alone, you've got that Lawrence Nightingale of yours." She eyed Sally's ring, for she wasn't happy about missing her own best friend's wedding. Clara hugged her tightly, for it was hard to leave someone who's been with her for so many years. "Thank you." She whispered in her ear, for she was the one who had encouraged her through, well, almost everything in life.

As the two pulled away from each other, they smiled at one another, just as Sally snapped her fingers, as though remembering something. "Oh yeah." she said quietly, pulling out a slim white envelope out of her back pocket. She gave it to Clara as she eyed it suspiciously.

"What's this?" she asked, staring at it.

"Oh, it's just something for all your worries, or troubles." Sally nodded in assurance.

As Clara opened the envelope carefully, she spotted a few pictures of her and her best friend together, smiling and laughing. "Aw, thank you." Clara didn't want to cry, but her eyes watered with the need to.

"Oh, there's more." Sally said again, for she knew Clara was going to enjoy it.

As Clara peered down into the envelope again as she saw the cheque for who knows how much money. She gasped just at the sight of it. "…I can't take this."

"Don't worry!" Sally reassured. "It's a gift."

Clara hugged her one more time, thanking her repeatedly, for she was so grateful.

"You're the best, you know that right?"