Strange Cafe Nights // dnf

ch.1 - A Cappuccino

A young adult listening to some music walking down the city sidewalks. Not having a care in the world, he stops by a small coffee shop. Pulling out his earbud, he ordered a cappuccino.

The lady behind the counter spoke. "Cappuccino for Clay!" He stood up and grabbed it. "Thank you." She nodded. And he walked out the shop.

He put his earbud back in and sipped his drink a few times. It was that fine crisp night as all the lampposts shined bright onto the paved floor. A few puddles seen as he walked.

Dream lived in an apartment and had a decent job working in an office. His boss wasn't the best, but the maximum wage he got at the end of every week payed off his bills. He couldn't afford to have any more new payments into his life.

He holds his right hand up meanwhile the left was holding his drink and phone. A taxi pulls to the side of the road, and dream hops in. "39 Santer Lane please." He looked at his phone as the man drove to the designated request. A few minutes later, they arrived.

Dream handed the man some cash, hopped out, then walked up to his building. He got to his apartment.

Opening the door, there were 3 rooms. A bathroom, bedroom, and a conjoined kitchen with some space to a living room. It wasn't large but it wasn't small either. It was enough.

Dream sighed and placed his phone on the counter. He popped in a microwaveable food platter and took it out after hearing the beep. He sat and ate.

As he finished, he threw out the remaining plastic dish. As he looked around the small area, he noticed he had some cleaning to do. Dishes dirty in the sink, and the casual dust seen in shelves as he passed by. He grunted. This place is a disaster.. I need to clean it. Not fixing the mess, dream looked out the window. Bright towers shined in the drips of the condensated window. It was raining. The sound of cars and beeping of horns came straight through his thin walls of the 12th floor.

Dream went into his bedroom. He sat at his desk. He was tired, but with the amount of business work he had to do, there was no way he could go to sleep and not get fired the next morning. As the time ticks past 9 PM, his eyes drift off into a stare, blink, then to the quick bounce to keep himself awake.

It was a long day, and keeping himself up was not possible. There, he fell asleep at his desk.

***

His alarm struck eight. He had slept through, and based on passed moments, he couldn't stand to be late one more day. Dream sprung out of his bed, quickly changing and running out his apartment.

Stopping by the coffee shop, he ordered the same. It was everyday he would go and order from there. The employees basically knew what he wanted, which made today easy.

Pulling up to his job complex, he scanned his ID then walked up to the elevator. Waiting in the small metal box until he reached the 5th floor, stood a guy next to him. He looked about two years older. "Hey man," said the unknown guy. Dream looked over, causing him to leave the stare he was in. "Oh hey." "Late again? That's 3. Y'know how the boss gets.. you could get fired!" He quickly turned. "Look Wilbur I get it alright! Just calm down. Act like I was here the whole time." He scoffed. "Fine. I'm just trying to look out for you, ok?" Dream nodded. The elevator made a dinging sound which indicated the reach of floor 5. The doors opened.

Dream walked over to his cubicle and began typing. He couldn't get caught slacking.

Within seconds his boss walked over to where he sat. Dream caught a glimpse of his shoe by the wires that ran from the computer. "Ahem. Young man, I see you didn't check in at 7 AM today. May I ask why?" Dream froze but quickly pulled himself together. He looked at him. "Hi sir. Yes I forgot to I'm sorry. It won't happen again." "You're right. It won't happen again because I am putting you on your two weeks notice. I don't want to see you back for two days." Dream stood there shocked. "Sir I don't understand- i-"  "No you do understand. You know exactly why. So now, leave with your belongings." He pointed to the elevator. Dream sighed. He made quick eye contact with the man from the elevator. He mouthed "i told you so." And dream just kept moving. He got up and left the complex. "Well fuck that."

Rummaging through his thoughts, dream decided to go to the coffee shop to clear his mind. Walking in, he noticed a new guy sitting at one of the window tables.

Although, it wasn't that casual guy that caught dream's eye. He had brown fluffy hair and sat so relaxed as he sipped his drink. Making eye contact, the guy looked like he got weirded out. I mean, who wouldn't? A man just staring at you from the doorway as you drank your drink.

Dream snapped back from the contact due to a loud sound behind him. He had realized people were raising their voices because he was standing in the way of them waiting to come inside. Ugh. Pathetic clay. Just pathetic. He looked over to the guy near the window. He was clearly laughing at the whole door situation that had just gone on. It had caused dream himself to let out a laugh. Moving up to the cash register, dream ordered his cappuccino.

"Two in one day huh?" Asked the woman behind the counter. "Yeah. Been a tough day today Linda." She rang up his order. Dream handed her his card. "I'm sorry to hear that Clay. Hope it gets better for you though!" She smiled. "You're order should be ready soon." Dream smiled back. "Thank you." He walked over to the wall and leaned, waiting for his drink.

Slowly glancing over more at the unknown guy made dream realize he's distracting in some way. He drew out all of dream's focus and thoughts only to himself. And to top it, he was still some random stranger. Dream has never seen him on the city streets before, not even in a taxi. He was brand new.

The guy looked as if he took his last sip. I'm assuming because he got up and threw away his cup. He blinked and the guy was gone.

Who is he?