Never Ending Story

NEVER ENDING STORY

CHAPTER ONE

“WRITERS who make readers pay for the remaining chapters are the worst. This website is supposed to allow readers to read for free. But what’s up with these coins and locked chapters? I feel like I’ve wasted my time when I can’t even read it until the end.”

“You’re right. And they should not post their stories online when they can’t update regularly. Look at this one. It’s been months since the writer’s last update. I’m dying to know what’s next. How could she leave her readers hanging on the cliff? Gosh. She’s not even that popular.”

Tsa took a deep breath and rolled her eyeballs ceilingwards. She put her hands on the counter and turned her head to the table where two young ladies sat, with phones in their hands and half-empty milk teas in front of them. They looked like they were already in college or something like that.

She looked in front of her, pretending to watch Dustin finish the orders that she was about to pick up.

“Readers who took writers’ efforts and talents for granted deserved the worst place in hell,” she said, making her voice audible enough for the two ladies and other customers inside the coffee shop to hear.

Dustin turned his gaze on her, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Both the writers and the readers pay for an internet connection to post and read online. But what made these readers think that these writers are unfair to them? Like, they all have the right to complain as if they were being wronged? What’s wrong with earning from your passion? Should writers write for free their whole life so they could please these entitled readers? Should they starve to death then? What about the bills they have to pay? Will the readers pay for them?

“Dustin, if you have no contribution to the writer’s talent and you don’t feed her or her family, you should just shut up.” Tsa folded her arms across her chest. “What? You think a real writer will stop writing just because she ran out of readers? Why should she get scared of losing readers who do not care about her time and effort in the first place?”

Poor Dustin stared at her, dumbfounded.

“And choose what you read. You’re supposed to gain wisdom from reading, not lose it just because you want everything for free as if the world owes it to you. You were not given the privilege to read only to be ignorant and entitled. And why are you taking so long?” Tsa eyed Dustin impatiently.

“You’re obviously distracting me, Tsa,” Dustin snapped.

Tsa heaved a sigh. Seriously. What a nice way to start her day. She turned to the two ladies again and found them leaving their table already. She could not help a smirk.

At least, I did not have to throw them out, she thought to herself. Or else, she would get into trouble not only with those ignorant bitches but with Dustin as well. He was the manager and the owner of this coffee shop. She owed him her part-time job.

“Did you just raise your voice on me?” Dustin asked.

“Why would I do that to my boss? We aren’t friends right now. I’m your employee.” Tsa pressed her lips into a silly smile.

“Did you wake up from the wrong side of the bed?”

“I barely slept,” Tsa replied, yawning.

“You drove my customers away.”

“They don’t deserve to be your customers.”

“Seriously, Tsa.” Dustin sighed in surrender. “I’m not sure if you’re perfect for my business.”

“Come on.” Tsa put her arm on the counter and propped her chin on her hand. “You’ll never find someone like me.”

“That’s a relief.”

The smile disappeared from Tsa’s face as she backed away. She understood that they must maintain a professional relationship during working hours. But Tsa also hoped Dustine would be a little less strict on her because they’re childhood friends. Just a little.

Dustin finally placed all the orders inside an eco-bag and handed it to her.

“Go,” he said unenthusiastically.

“See you later!” Tsa grabbed the bag in her slim arms and headed for the door.

TSA hit the break as she finally reached her last delivery destination for that morning. She parked the scooter outside the bookshop.

“Good morning.” The wind chimes made a sweet, tinkling sound as she pushed the glass door open. “Delivery for Miss Av Carillo.” She went to the counter where a tall woman was standing. It should be her. There was no one else around. Tsa would frequent this bookshop, but she never had the chance to know the woman in the counter’s name.

The woman took her wallet quietly and pulled out a yellow bill.

“Can you please give me the exact amount? I don’t have a change with me,” Tsa said and smiled politely.

“Oh, of course. Sorry.” The woman named ‘Av’ opened the counter and changed her bill for smaller ones.

Tsa took out the iced coffee from the bag and placed it on the counter.

“Can I have your sign, please?” she said as she handed her the receipt. The woman nodded and signed it quietly. Tsa put the money on the pocket of her jeans as she waited.

“There you go. Thank you.”

Tsa threw the receipt inside the eco-bag.

“Thanks, Miss Carillo. Have a nice day.”

“Oh, hang on,” Av said, pulling a flyer under a blue logbook. “Our bookshop’s going to have a midnight sale tomorrow. We offer as much as fifty percent off for our second-hand books and ten percent off for new ones.” She smiled at Tsa.

Tsa took the flyer and read it with keen interest. It had been a long time since she purchased books. And she loved the sound of the words ‘sale’ and ‘discount.’ For her, it meant ‘happiness.’

“It’s for a limited time only,” Av added.

But Tsa remembered that she had bought books recently which remained unread in her bookshelf. She folded the flyer and put it in her back pocket.

“I don’t think I can afford to miss this,” she said, making a silly smile. “Enjoy your coffee. Have a nice day.”

“Thank you,” Av replied, smiling a little wider this time.

Tsa was smiling as she approached her scooter. Then she paused and caught her forehead as she realized something.

“Right. But do I have the money?”