Invitation
For nearly 8 hours, Lucia cleaned the second floor room that was more worthy of being called a warehouse. Because it is too dirty, it takes a long time to clean it.
Even though, Mrs Joana helped her, due to her age, she could only help as much as she could. Being born and growing up as a very strong girl, for Lucia, cleaning a place like this was not a big problem for her.
"Wow... it's clean, you're great!" Mrs Joana said, carrying a tray filled with a glass of fresh orange juice.
"Hahahaha... quite draining, but after cleaning it turns out this room is very spacious, right?"
"You can use the entire room on the second floor if you want!"
"Really? Don't you want to rent it out to other people too?"
"To whom? You know this city is not too crowded, it's been seven years no one has wanted to rent. Besides, because I was old enough, I don't want to rent a room to just anyone,"
"Oh, I see?"
"Because on the second floor there are two bedrooms, so you can use both!"
"Is that so? What if your family come to stay over?"
"Hahaha... it happens very rarely, on the first floor there are already four rooms and two of them are empty. If a relative comes they can sleep in that room, but things like that are very rare. It's late afternoon, I wants to cook dinner, you better take a shower and after that we have dinner together."
"Okay!" After Mrs Joana came down to the first floor, Lucia took a deep breath as she stared at the quite spacious room with two bedrooms and one bathroom.
Lucia stepped towards the balcony and slid the slightly jammed glass door. The spring wind blew with a scent of plum and pine blossoms that made her feel like she was back in time.
From this place, she could see Milliam Blue Lake and her old house which looked a little changed. At the end of the street, there was also the largest and most striking house, the house belonging to the arrogant and annoying young master Bryan.
"Do they still live here?" She thought. The longing she had been keeping for a long time has now come to the surface.
The most enjoyable part of her childhood were her four best friends. They meet every day, they are friends to play at home as well as friends to play with at school.
It had been a long time since they last met, Lucia who had left without saying goodbye might have been forgotten.
Seeing the sun that was starting to set, Lucia entered and closed the glass door. She took her jacket and wallet before going down to the first floor.
"Are you leaving?" Asked Mrs Joana who was chopping potatoes and carrots in the kitchen.
"Yes, I'm going to the convenience store to buy toiletries. Do you want to buy something?"
"What? Uhm...maybe salt. So, please buy salt, okay?"
"Okay, anything else?"
"No, nothing! It's getting dark outside!"
"I'll go for a while!"
"Yes, be careful. Do you still remember the place?"
"Yes, I know!"
Lucia walked while glancing at the scenery around her that had not changed much, even though 12 years had passed.
At the crossroads, she only needs to cross near a red light pole and she will immediately arrive at the shopping center, including the famous mini market which is quite complete.
"Welcome!" Said a woman clerk standing behind the counter.
Lucia glanced at the female employee, her face felt familiar. Her hair is blonde with a freckled face and a rather plump body.
"I seem to know her!" Lucia thought. The woman smiled kindly at her as an unconscious Lucia continued to glance at her.
After taking the shopping basket, Lucia immediately walked to the toiletry section shelf and took the items she needed such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, then she walked to the kitchen spice shelf to find salt.
"All the toiletries, the salt Mrs Joana ordered, snacks and cold drinks too. Yes, I think that's all!" She muttered as she walked towards the cashier which looked deserted without queues.
Lucia handed a basket containing quite a lot of her purchases to the cashier. Lucia immediately read the ID that was wrapped around this woman's neck.
"Olivia Atkinson?"
"Y-yes, can I help you?" Asked that woman.
"Excuse me, may I ask you something?"
"Yes, what is up?"
"Are you Olivia Atkinson who went to St. Louis High School?"
"Ah... that's right, what's wrong?"
"Oh really? You're Olivia? You don't remember me?" Lucia said with a broad smile, hoping this woman would still remember her.
Olivia stared at Lucia closely, trying to recall the figure of the beautiful woman who was standing in front of her at this time.
"Uhm... do we know each other?"
"I am Lucia, Lucia Peterson who lives in front of Milliam Blue Lake. We once got lost while camping!"
"Lucia? You are Lucia?"
"Ahahaha... yes, that's right!"
"Lucia? You are Lucia Peterson?" Her facial expression turned hysterical after remembering the 'trouble maker' Lucia Peterson.
"Do you remember now? How are you Olive? Long time no see?"
"I'm fine, but didn't you move to America in high school?"
"Yes, I came back to Lancaster yesterday. You work here?"
"Yes! Have you met Bryan and their friends?"
"No, do they still live in Nothingville?"
"Neither of the four of them is still living in this town. I heard Bryan is a CEO of his father's yacht company,"
"R-really? But, if he doesn't seem surprising anymore, he's always been very rich,"
"Yeah, right! If Chris, this afternoon I met him!"
"Chris? Is he in town? Is he at his parents' house? I want to meet him!"
"I think he's still here, this afternoon he walked into the mini market with his daughter to buy ice cream,"
"Chris is married?"
"You don't know? You never hear that news?"
"Uhh... no!" Lucia replied doubtfully.
"Weren't you guys very close?"
"Yes, but I left without saying goodbye to them. So, we never contacted each other again!"
"Too bad, isn't it? Chris looks so handsome, I mistook it, I remember Chris was the most shy and awkward,"
"Hahahaha... you right! What is he like now? Surely, his height has not increased?"
"No, he's actually tall. Maybe about 185 cm more, his body is also athletic, just very handsome." Talking about a handsome man made Olivia get excited about this conversation. Moreover, the condition of the mini market is quiet, so they can chat longer.
"Did Chris bring his wife too? I wonder what his wife is like,"
"Chris's wife is die!"
"What? Died?"
"Yes, I heard that his wife died while looking after his daughter. I came to his wedding, his wife is very beautiful. I heard that Chris' wife is the daughter of a well-known hospital owner and Chris happens to work as a doctor in that hospital."
"Is that so? I really don't know-" Lucia's face turned sad, the fact that she had missed a lot of things made her very sorry.
"Just try to come to his parents' house, who knows Chris is still there!"
"Where does he live now?"
"Chris lives in London with his daughter and wife's parents,"
"Is that so? Alright, later I'll try to stop by his house. Hopefully he still remembers me, hahaha..."
"You're so beautiful Lucia, I really couldn't believe it!"
"Really? Hahaha... thank you. Okay, I'll go home?"
"Oh, Lucia wait!"
"Yes, what is up?"
"Aren't you going to the high school reunion?"
"Reunion?"
"Yes, yesterday I got the invitation. The reunion will be held in Bryan's hotel on Saturday at six in the afternoon. You better come too!"
"But, I won't be invited. It doesn't feel good if I-"
"Don't talk like that, you're not invited because no one has your phone number. Besides, Jonathan who is the committee of the event, said to extend invitations to other friends who didn't get invitations in person."
"Okay, I'll think about it later-"
"No! You just have to come. We can go together, where do you live?"
"I live at Mrs Joana's house!"
"Mrs Joana, a former employee of the burger restaurant?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, so can I ask for your phone number? I'll call you later!" Lucia who was confused by this sudden invitation, could only nod in agreement just like someone who was being hypnotized.
After exchanging phone numbers, Lucia said goodbye and the new information that filled her head at this time. Actually, she also wanted to ask about Pierre and Leo too. What's more, Pierre is arguably her first friend because their house is next to each other and Leo is Lucia's soul mate for doing silly and crazy things.
Lucia lifted her head, looked at the sky that was getting dark. Above the sky, millions of stars look very beautiful. Lucia was stunned, this was the night view that she had longed for. Memories of when Lucia and Nothingville Troop sat on the hill of Rosemary at night just to enjoy the beautiful star-filled sky.