"Excuse me, do you have any phone here or something?" I yelled right after I could enter again the cafe.

The cashier's face was still hidden in the newspaper he was reading, just like he was when I paid earlier.

"Sorry, out of service" he replied without bothering to look at me.

I furrowed my brows and walk right in front of the counter where he is sitting

"Oh, what about the nearest auto shop in here? do you mind -uhh" I tried to assert to seek for any hope that we can still get back to town on time, yet I stopped when he lowered the newspaper slightly and looked at me underneath his steel-rimmed glasses.

I tilted my head and smiled at him slightly. Did I just bother him from his concentration in the newspaper?

"A few kilometers away, lady. You'll be there before it gets dark if you started walking now" he said before he returned his eyes to the newspaper.

I gasped in disappointment

A big smile flashed in me when the door right beside the counter opened and from it was a familiar woman.

"Heeey!" I tried to catch her attention from the flowers she was busily fixing on a vase that she was holding

"Oh hey!" she smiled back at me and put down the vase right in front of the counter

"How are you darling, it's good to see you again" she gladly approached at me

its the woman that I bought flowers from yesterday outside this cafe,

"Uhm, actually we just stopped by for some foods, but-" I paused when the door furiously opened.

It was Gray with his furrowed brows again

"Oh, that must be your boyfriend who's bad at waiting, " the woman says as we watch him approached on us

"Any good thing happened?" he asked as he stands firmly in front of us

"Uh, by the way, this is Gray, Gray this is-uh" I remembered we still do not know each other's name

"I'm Mrs. Burkley, its nice to meet both of you" she was about to handshake with Gray but he just put his hands on his hips as he nodded like a badass, as he always been

"I'm Lauren by the way" I smiled at Mrs. Burkley and handshake with her who doesn't seem to mind Gray's rudeness

"Oh Lauren it is, so it seems that you wanted to say something a while ago, what is it again?" she tried to convince me to continue what I was talking lately

"Uh, yeah... it was--"

"The car was badly broken down, we need to get a mechanic or something as soon as possible so...you! Let's go" he firmly look at me before he turns his back

"Yeah you should start walking now" the cashier that was watching us the whole time laugh

"Hey Rick, it wasn't funny" Mrs. Burkley shut him

"Uhm, we should go Mrs. Burkley " I said when I saw Gray already heading outside. Maybe he's serious to walk for a kilometer just to see a mechanic who can fix his car

"Wait, honey, actually my son was a mechanic who owns the shop my husband here was talking about. He'll be here soon, you should just wait for him here"

I stopped walking for what she said, same as Gray who was about to open the cafe's door

"Oh really, well great! thank you Mrs. Burkley" I said in delight

"It's nothing dear, sorry for my husband, he was just a little bit lousy sometimes" she laughed as she was talking about the man who was at the counter, which happened to be her husband, I laughed for what she said

This couple seems to be sweet with each other in a different way.

Our attention was caught by the door forcefully closed by Gray,

"Oh, that guy asked the same as what you asked earlier and I also told him the same as what I told you," the cashier said while laughing

"Oh gosh, ill get back later. Thank you again, Mrs. Burkley" I hurriedly followed Gray outside

Maybe that's why he seemed to be more irritated earlier, he doesn't like being talked sarcastically or joking around when he's in a serious circumstance

"Hey, we should just wait for the mechanic here, " I told him as soon as I get outside the cafe

"Yeah right, as if we have a choice, " he told as he closed the car's hood furiously that make me flinch a little

"Can't you act nicely sometimes?" I asked him out of the blue

He looks at me firmly as picked up his tools from the ground,

When he returned it at the back of the car, he again forcefully dropped the power tools on purpose while still firmly looking at me, for the second time, I flinched again.

Now he's acting childish.

"Hey what's gotten into you, Gray!"

He just smirked and head inside the car.

I watch him from outside as I stand outside the passenger seat resting my arms on its window

"What?" He irritatedly glared back at me when he noticed me looking straightly to him

"Why are you so mad?" I asked him frankly

"I'm not mad" he replied straightly

"Then why are you acting like that?" I talked back

"I wasn't mad okay, I just need to hurry back to town as soon as I can, but I guess I failed" he sighed as he told those last words.

I saw him cleaning his dirty hands that he gets from trying to fix his car earlier. I get it now, that is why he didn't accept Mrs. Burkley's hand earlier.

"Uh well, I think Mrs. Burkley's son was on his way" I sighed back to him and reached my chips on the dashboard

He seemed to be eager to get back to town sooner as possible but all we can do is to wait here for the meantime.

After half an hour, a car approached the cafe, we're both hoping it was Mrs. Burkley's son.

But disappointment flashes in our faces when it was just an old couple.

We both sighed as we watched them headed inside the cafe. Maybe just another customer of the day.

Gray closed his eyes, maybe he just decided to sleep for a minute, I was still munching my chips beside him when another car truck approached again in front of the car where we standby.

A guy came out from it, not just a guy, a hot guy

And when I say a hot guy, he was so handsome with his muscle tees as I watch him unloading some boxes from his car

"Oh, look at those muscles" I mumbled as I continually eat some chips watching him.

After a few seconds, Mrs. Burkley came out of the cafe and talked to the guy

"Hey Gray, I think their son is here" I gladly said and turned to him but I didn't know he was already leaned forward the whole time and that makes our face closed to each other when I turned back.

"Yeah I guess" he had those cold gazes while also looking at the guy the whole time. He gets outside and I followed him then Mrs. Burkley approached

"My son is already here, he's the mechanic I'm talking to you," Mrs. Burkley told with the guy at her back

"Hey, I'm Henry. A pleasure to meet you" he offered his hands and I didn't hesitate to reach it

"Hi, I'm Lauren and this is Gray..."

"Not her boyfriend " I heard Mrs. Burkley whispered to him that makes him chuckle

Whoah, look at those dimples!

"Uh, Can you please check his car?" I straightly asked pretending not to hear anything

"Sure, for a beautiful girl like you," he said and smiled at me

Oh I'm gonna melt with those smile

I heard Gray scorned from my back so I raised my left brows as I turn back to him.

"So what happened here, bro?" Henry talked to Gray who was just crossed arms watching us

How I wish Gray could try to talk nicely to Henry

"Let's get inside honey, let the boys do their job" Mrs. Burkley held my waist and led the way.

I felt convinced when I saw Gray replied to Henry without being his usual rudeness

My attention was caught by the old couple sitting on the other table beside the window. They seemed to be in love with each other over the years.

Mrs. Burkley handed me a tea and sat in front of me as she looks at the direction I'm looking at

"Precious isn't it?" she meaningfully told

"They always come here every weekend and just be with each other's side as they watch the sunset from that window"

Mrs. Burkley told as she sips her tea

"Do you know them?"

"They're Henry's neighbor and our weekly costumer" she gladly said

I smiled as I still watch them laughing with each other

"I wish my son would have that kind of feeling too," she told out of nowhere that makes me look at Mrs. Burkley

"Surely he will, " I said

"Well, he's too focused on his shop and to his son. How could he find a girl" she sighed

"Wait, Henry has a son? " I surprisedly asked

"Yeah, and here he is" a big smile flashed on her face when a boy around six years old, came out from the back door where I also first saw her earlier

"Hey, little one. What's up?" Mrs. Burkley greeted him

The boy was scratching his eyes and stand beside his Grandma with his messy curled brown hair

"Oh, you're so cute. What's your name ?" I asked him as he is still scratching his teary eyes and leaned close to his Grandma

"Oh, he's a bit shy sometimes" Mrs. Burkley chuckled and hugged her grandson while trying not to swallow his messy hair that was almost covering Mrs. Burkley's mouth

I suddenly wish Grandma was still here just by watching at these two

"Hi I'm Shaun" he giggled and ran back to the cashier where his grandpa is

"He's a bit shy at first. He just came from the neighborhood" Mrs. Burkley said as he watches back her grandson

"You have neighbors here?" I curiously asked

I thought this was a lone cafe standing beside a creek

"A few, there are some below this cafe"

"Your cafe was very cozy, Mrs. Burkley, but it's sad that a few customers only come to this place," I asked

"Oh it's not that bad, this was actually for night travelers from the road, and for some people who tries to get away from the city" she explained

"This was a good idea" I complimented

"It was my husband's family business. This was started by his grandfather way back before the world wars" she proudly said

"Well, then this cafe was old yet still so classic? I wonder how it survived that year-long" I amazedly said

She smiled at me

"This had passed the two world wars to be exact, you know... nothing lasts forever, but anything will stand strong if a genuine love binds it"

I was amazed for what she said as I sip my tea

It was afternoon when they already finished fixing the car. We were all inside the cafe when Mrs. Burkley's family offered for a snack.

"Oh I would love to, but I think-" I looked at Gray

I hesitated to accept the Burkley's invitation for I know he is in a hurry to get back to town

"Sure, that's a great idea" Gray answered and glance at me

"Oh that's good, just have a sit here and I'll prepare " Mrs. Burkley automatically leads us to the table where her son and grandson started watching soccer

"...Who wants cake?" Mrs. Burkley happily announced that makes Shaun raised his hands

"Me!" yelled Shaun that was sitting right beside his father

He's so cute and I can't help but to adore and stare at him the whole time.

I taught they're all watching the TV when I notice Gray's eyes were on me the whole time

"Are you sure you're not in a hurry to get back to town?" I asked to knock him up

He immediately cleared his throat

"Yeah, there's no use of heading back anyway" he answered and directed his eyes on the TV

It was still bright outside when we're done eating and talking. I even found out that Henry always drops his son at the cafe with his parents before getting to his shop.

This cafe had some costumers getting in already as time passes.

"We should go now Mrs. Burkley, thank you so much!" I said as she sends us outside the cafe

"Oh sure, I hope you could visit again " she gladly asked.

Gray was just silently following behind us

As soon as Mrs. Burkley heads back inside, I talked to Gray.

He's been silent the whole time

"Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing, why'd you asked?" he sounded with his usual cold voice and get inside the car

"Why do you change your mind?" I asked him again when I get inside

"I told you there's no use of getting back, and I feel bad to reject them since they help me fix the car. This might be broken down totally if their son didn't check it" he explained and start driving

"I'm surprised that you sometimes feel bad for acting rude" I uttered and smiled at him, he just gives me a glare in return

We're in the middle of the road when I noticed the sun was about to say goodbye soon. The view from the window was mesmerizing, the surrounding was turning to pale pink

"Hey, stop here a bit, " I asked him when we were passing down a road that still had a creek beside.

The sea can be seen up here and I feel we're just close by the town already

"What now?" He continually drives

"Just stop" I was still excitedly looking at the sun

He finally stopped at the highways turning point. A beautiful spot for sightseeing the whole town while watching the sunset

Gray was still inside busy unto something on his phone while I sat in front of the car watching the beauty around with the cold breeze.

I closed my eyes trying to feel the chilly wind.

When I opened my eyes, I flinched when I saw Gray already beside me leaning back his hands on the car's hood

"you scared me!" I flinched a bit

"What were you thinking?" He just furrowed his brows looking straight to me. I can't help but play staring game with him since I don't know what I should say

"Oh look!" I immediately turned my face forward and pointed the sun that was starting to set

"Beautiful isn't it?" I smiled watching it trying to get rid of the awkwardness

"Yeah, it is" he mumbled but in the corner of my eyes, I can feel him still gazing at me

I don't wanna think of anything so I just focused on the view, up from here.

I hope I can freeze times like this, serenity at it's best.