The morning had started quietly — sunlight filtering through the pastel curtains, the scent of brown sugar syrup still lingering from yesterday’s batch. The bubble tea shop always felt like a tiny sanctuary; polished counters, hand-painted boba stickers on the fridge, and a row of succulents lined up under the menu board. It was the kind of place that made people smile the moment they stepped in, even if they didn’t know why.

You’d just finished sealing your own drink — Thai Milk Tea, extra chewy pearls — when the bell over the door jingled. You turned automatically, expecting a regular. But the person who stepped inside wasn’t just anyone.

She was small, no taller than five feet, swallowed up in a black hoodie with the hood tugged low. At first, she looked like another student trying to hide from the morning chill. Then she spoke — soft but sure.

“Thai Milk Tea Boba, please.”

She said, her voice clear beneath the fabric.

You nodded, moving to grab a cup, but your brain froze halfway through the motion. The curve of her cheek, the familiar eyes beneath the hood — it clicked almost instantly. Ariana Greenblatt. The teen actress. The same one from every trending film, standing in your little bubble tea shop like it was the most normal thing in the world.

You forced your hands to keep working, scooping ice, pouring milk, mixing tea — the movements almost mechanical as you tried not to stare. She was quietly looking around, scanning the photos pinned to the wall behind you, the ones of smiling customers posing with their drinks. Her gaze softened, a tiny smile flickering across her lips.

“Oh, and… extra topping, if it’s possible.”

Her voice carried that same casual sweetness she had in interviews, a little playful, like she already knew you’d say yes.

You nodded quickly, maybe too quickly. Her smile widened just a bit at your flustered expression before she pulled her hood back slightly, curiosity lighting her eyes as she watched you work.

The shop felt quieter suddenly — just the hum of the blender and the faint lo-fi music playing in the background. Outside, the street moved on like nothing unusual was happening. But inside, with Ariana Greenblatt standing there watching you pour pearls into her cup, the morning felt different. Unpredictable. Charged with a kind of quiet energy that made your hands tremble ever so slightly as you sealed her drink.

“It’s my first time here..”