You Belong With Me

firming that she had maybe five minutes to get out the door if she wanted any hope of making it on time. Grabbing her worn-out shoes, she slipped her feet into them and dashed out of her tin

phanage's rule that she had to leave when she became an adult. With just a few dollars to her name, she'd barely managed to rent a small apartment and buy enough food to get by. It had taken over a week of desperate searchi

racle, something to make life just a bit easier. But those were just fleeting though

ll of coffee and freshly baked pastries filled her senses. Her best friend, Emily, was working the counter and immediately greete

red," Emily said, her to

smile. "I just didn't ge

her attempt to brush it off. "It's

e showed up again last night. I spotted him just as he was leaving a box of cupcakes o

houghtfully. "How are y

d caught of him before he vanished. "I saw he was wearin

"Maybe he's just a well-wi

yone else who would do something like that." Amy's voice softened,

d from the back, arms crossed and a stern look on his face. "I don't pay you two to g

okester, attempted to mimic Mr. Patterson's walk, exaggerating the sway of her slim waist in an effort to match his. It was a

e catches us again," Emily said with

fled conversations, and the sound of the espresso machine. Amy rushed from table to table, her feet aching as she balanced t

orker Matt organizing some supplies. "Hey, Matt," she

tt replied, sm

w minutes? I just need a little bre

g her a reassuring nod. Amy sighed in r

asn't the first time he'd left her something on her doorstep-there had been cookies, a warm scarf during a particularly cold night, even a note once that simply said, "Hang i

ung open and Emily popped her head in. "Hey, your

e the crowd had thinned slightly. She spent the rest of the shift in a steady rhythm, worki

tention. "Excuse me, miss?" She looked up to see an older

d, eyeing the

r. It has your name on it," the

from. After the woman left, she unwrapped it carefully, revealing a small, intricate

houlder, her eyes widen

ever this man was, he had an uncanny ability to know just when she need

e's like your guardian angel. Maybe he's some w

t smile a little. "Or maybe he's just trying to

the hard work and the long hours, there were still moments that made everything worth it. And whoeve

already darkening as evening approached. They talked about their plans for the weeken

ecting to catch a glimpse of the man in the shadows. But there was no one there. She shoo

me, with a little help from her friends-and perhaps, from a gu