𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 ]

first snow

This first semester had been going fast, as it was now nearing the end of October, posters for halloween parties pasted all over the campus. You were slumped over the counter, your elbow propped up as your chin rested in your hand, a raggedy cloth in the other.

It was Wednesday, so today you had to work while from outside the large windows in the coffeehouse you watched groups of college kids pass by, their laughter and boisterous voices pulling your attention away ever so often.

"Damn it!" You turned your head to see Porco smack the espresso machine, his hands covered in black and brown grease that he was getting...well, everywhere.

"Porco, you're getting grease everywhere! Go wash your hands off before a customer comes in and sees that," you instructed and he just blankly stared at you, clearly not in the mood.

"Take this," you rolled your eyes and tossed the rag at him, his arm going out to catch it with ease.

"I'm just mad because this damn machine won't work when I'm fixing it," he grumbled and walked towards you, his usually slicked back hair disheveled now, dirty blonde strands falling into his gray eyes.

"So just say it's out of order. People don't even get espressos when they come in here because that machine is always broken,"

"We'd probably have more people in here if that weren't the case," he fired back and you sighed, rubbing your temples. God, he got on your nerves he was so brash all the time, even when he had a good point.

"You annoy me," you muttered and heard the door ding, instantly dropping your peeved attitude as you perked up and plastered a fake smile onto your lips.

"Hello! Welcome to Milo and Bleu's coffeehouse, I can take your orders whenever you're ready," you announced to the man and woman who just walked in, curtly nodding their heads in response.

The woman had thick black hair with a slight wave to it, her face round and her eyes relaxed. They were a deep brown color, like the wet soil on a rainy day. The man next to her seemed younger looking, his blonde hair short and his blue eyes small. He was taller than the woman, probably even taller than you.

"Actually, is Porco here?" He asked and you furrowed your brows, wondering where Porco disappeared to.

"He should be," you replied and held up your finger, signaling that it'd only be a moment as you went to search for him.

You pushed on the swinging door that led to the kitchen, your eyes finding Porco working with the bread dough as he kneaded it.

"Hey, Galliard, you have people here to see you," you called out and he looked up at you with curiosity before leaving the kitchen. You heard the three of them start talking loudly and wondered who they were.

Since Porco was now busy, you started working with the bread dough, kneading it, the stickyness of it irritating. You added more flour, continuing the kneading cycle before you came to an acceptable mixture, placing the dough into a pan and sliding it into the brick oven. That part always scared you, but it was the coolest thing inside the building.

"Hey, can you grab another crate of water? We're out," you nodded your head as Porco's head disappeared after he poked it in, heading towards the back room. You grabbed the dolly on your way, mentally preparing yourself.

It was now just you and the crate of water. Usually they were small, about a 24 pack. But the boss stacked them and wrapped about 3-4 packs together, that way it was easier to stock, just required a lot of physical activity. You've been able to do it yourself before, it was just hard.

You crouched down, noting to lift with your legs and not your back as your hands wrapped around the plastic. With a deep breath you lifted and hurriedly swung the pack over to the dolly, making the thing almost completely fall over as the packs slammed down onto it.