This story is the definition of trouble in paradise.
What Shai-Anna believed to be a normal trip to Jamaica turned out to be much more than what met the eye. One week away gave her the ability to see what had been underneath her nose this entire ti...
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Shai Louis "Americano for you!" I said while placing the Starbucks cup onto the table before pulling out my seat and taking it, "and iced caramel latte with a dash of hazelnut and cold foam for me." I announced, holding it up for him to see.
"You young ones and your fancy drink names." He smirked, examining my drink as he opened the lid off of his to let the steam out. "I will admit, that does look good."
"It is!" I exclaimed, "which is why I got two straws in case you wanted to try."
"Oh, I couldn't. I have mine right here." He held up, "good old fashioned Americano, black just the way I like it."
"Come on Mr. Hines, just try it!" I opened up a straw and popped it into the top before sliding it across the table. "I promise you'll like it."
"I don't know, sounds like a whole lot of sugar to me."
"Live a little." I gestured, "One sip. That's all."
"Fine." He picked up my drink, adjusted the straw to his lips and took a sip. The brightness in his eyes were instant, he had to remove the straw and hold up the drink to get a good look at it.
"Told you so!"
"What was the order for this again?" He stirred the straw in the drink before taking another sip. "I'm sorry, but this is good and really smooth."
"Trust me. It's just an iced caramel latte, I ask for a bit of hazelnut creamer however and if you actually drink from the lip it's even better because you get some of the cold foam. Which can be a bit sweet but together, it's the perfect blend in my eyes." I winked, "curtesy of being friends with an ex-barista."
"Wow Shai, this is nice."
"You can have it! I'll get myself another."
"Oh now, I couldn't do that. I have a perfectly good drink here."
"No, I insist. Today you can take a break from that tired order and enjoy mine!" I rose from my seat, "are you sure you don't want anything to eat?"
"I'm sure." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, "if I'm going to drink this, you have to use my money to buy yourself another. It's only right."
"Maybe next time. I invited you out today, so it's my treat."
"Come on Shai-Anna." He pleaded, extending his black card in my direction.
"No, Mr. Hines. Next time, I promise. Plus it's just some coffee. It's the least I can do." I stepped away from the table and giggled to myself as I watched him shake his head with disappointment.
Luckily, the restaurant was quiet and not as busy as it usually was. I purposely picked an early morning meeting for that sake, at most there were people going in and out to get their lunch for work/coffee. Apart from that, it was just us and a couple students getting their work done.
