Chapter 20 — Water for Water Fountain City
Pick Your Product had done so well that the big boss was finally able to open a new store in Water Fountain City.
It was a big achievement for the company.
New staff members had the opportunity to seek employment, while some of the old staff members were given the opportunity to grow within the company and take on new positions.
Everyone was excited about the new store.
Well...
Almost everyone.
That morning, I noticed Lance standing inside the manager's office.
He was shaking hands with Mr. Adams.
I stopped in the aisle and stared at them.
"What's that all about?" I whispered to myself.
I couldn't help wondering what they were discussing.
Lance looked unusually happy.
I walked toward them, pretending as though I hadn't noticed the handshake.
The moment Lance saw me, he immediately made his way over.
He had the brightest smile on his face.
"Hey, Layla!"
I smiled.
"Hey, Lance Brown. You're in a good mood."
He laughed.
"Yeah."
Then his expression suddenly became more serious.
"Layla, can I speak to you about something?"
"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"
Lance looked at me for a moment.
His smile faded completely.
Then he took a breath.
"Layla..."
I waited.
"I applied at the new shop in Water Fountain City."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
"My application got accepted."
He smiled again.
"I got the new position as co-manager."
For a moment, I didn't say anything.
Lance continued.
"We're setting up our new store, Layla."
I just stood there in awe.
I didn't know whether I should be happy or upset.
Of course, I was happy for him.
He had worked hard.
He had spent years at Pick Your Product, dealing with difficult customers, annoying colleagues, endless complaints, and more problems than I could count.
Now he had been given an opportunity to grow.
But at the same time...
I couldn't ignore the feeling in my chest.
Lance had been blamed for being a psycho more times than I could remember.
He complained constantly.
He embarrassed himself regularly.
He somehow found trouble even when there wasn't any.
But despite all of that...
He was still my friend.
In fact...
He was probably my best friend.
Lance suddenly smiled.
"Layla, come with me."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"I spoke to Mr. Adams."
He pointed towards the manager's office.
"We can set up the new shop together."
My heart sank slightly.
"You mean..."
"You're a touring manager, right?"
He nodded excitedly.
"You can travel from one store to the other."
"We could work together."
"We could help build the new store."
He looked genuinely excited.
For the first time, I could see exactly how much this meant to him.
Lance wasn't just asking me to move stores.
He was asking me to continue our journey together.
I stared at him for a long time.
I didn't know what to say.
Finally, I shook my head.
"I can't, Lance."
His smile disappeared.
"I can't go with you."
He looked down.
"But why?"
I took a breath.
"I love this store."
I looked around the aisles.
The shelves.
The customers.
The staff.
Everything I'd grown accustomed to over the years.
"This place has been my home for so long."
I smiled sadly.
"I love my customers."
I looked back at Lance.
"This is where I want to retire."
He didn't say anything.
I stepped closer.
"I'm really happy for you, Lance."
"I mean that."
"You deserve this opportunity."
I congratulated him and gave him a small smile before walking away.
I didn't look back.
But as I walked down the aisle, I noticed Mr. Adams standing inside his office.
He had been watching us.
He had seen the disappointed look on Lance's face.
And he had seen the sadness on mine.
Neither of us needed to explain anything.
He already understood.
I kept walking.
Then I heard a voice behind me.
"Goodbye, Layla."
I stopped.
His voice was trembling.
I slowly turned around.
Lance stood several metres away.
His usual confidence was gone.
His smile was gone.
He looked hurt.
"I guess you love everyone except for me."
My heart sank.
"Lance..."
But before I could say anything else, he turned around.
He walked away.
I didn't follow him.
I wanted to.
But something stopped me.
Maybe it was better this way.
I knew I was going to miss my best friend.
But sometimes...
Everything happens for a reason.
That evening, just before the store closed, Mr. Adams made an announcement over the intercom.
"Attention, staff."
Everyone stopped what they were doing.
"I would like everyone to gather near the front of the store."
We slowly made our way over.
Lance stood beside Mr. Adams.
He looked different.
Not because he had changed.
But because we all knew he was leaving.
Mr. Adams cleared his throat.
"I have an announcement to make."
He looked toward Lance.
"Lance will be leaving Pick Your Product."
A few staff members gasped.
Others immediately began whispering.
Mr. Adams continued.
"He has been offered a better position at our new store in Water Fountain City."
Everyone turned towards Lance.
For once...
He wasn't complaining.
He wasn't making jokes.
He simply stood there with a small smile.
Jess stepped forward and hugged him.
Isha shook his hand.
Gammie gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
Even the people who had spent years complaining about him seemed genuinely sad to see him go.
Lance smiled at everyone.
He greeted each person.
Everyone...
Except me.
I stood quietly at the back.
Watching my best friend say goodbye.
Eventually, Lance finished greeting everyone.
He turned toward the doors.
Then he stopped.
He looked back.
His eyes found mine.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he smiled.
"This is not a goodbye, Layla."
I looked at him.
"Just because I wanted to move to another store doesn't mean I'm moving away from you."
A few people smiled.
Lance continued.
"I promise you..."
He pointed at me jokingly.
"I'll definitely be keeping an eye on you."
I laughed quietly through the sadness.
He smiled.
"So, see you, Layla."
He turned around and walked toward the exit.
I watched him disappear through the doors.
For a long moment, I stood there without moving.
The store suddenly felt different.
Quieter.
Even though all the same people were still there...
Something was missing.
Lance had been part of this place for so long.
His complaints.
His arguments.
His ridiculous stories.
His embarrassing moments.
His laughter.
All of it.
And now he was gone.
I looked around the store one last time.
Pick Your Product had given me many things over the years.
It had given me friends.
It had given me memories.
It had given me difficult days, good days, stressful days, and days I would never forget.
And now...
It had given one of my closest friends a chance to grow.
I smiled.
Maybe this wasn't the end.
Maybe it was simply the beginning of something new.
I took a deep breath and returned to my department.
Tomorrow, the store would open again.
Customers would come through the doors.
The shelves would need to be packed.
Someone would complain.
Someone would probably break something.
And, somehow...
We would carry on.
But I knew one thing for certain.
I was going to miss Lance Brown.
And no matter how far away Water Fountain City was...
He would always be part of Pick Your Product.
And part of my story.
End of Chapter 20
End of Season One