Coffee Shop Soundtrack

Chapter One

I woke up with a groan as my alarm clock beeped repeatedly for me to get up. I peeked out of one eye and read the red illuminated 4:30 that shone brightly my face. My spine cracked as I quickly stretched and got ready for work. Luckily the coffee shop I was working at couldn't care less what I wore as long as I wore my stained green apron over it. After throwing on some tights and a shirt I hoped didn't look like it had been on the floor all week, I threw my hair up in a knot and walked out of my dorm room, leaving behind my dreaming roommate.

The halls were littered from whatever parties took place the night before with soda cans and the occasionally fallen sock. I pulled my bag higher up my shoulder and fast walked my way across the street and around a few of the empty early morning corners before arriving at the shop. The dark red awning glowed my the foggy dew as I approached, and after unlocking the door, the jingle of bells welcomed me inside.

I silently thanked last night's shift for actually cleaning up after themselves and started making the regular's coffee. After that I went to the back door where I met with Delores, a baker from across town, to get the "freshly made" goods. By the time everything was put into order and ready for business I already had two customers waiting outside for me to open.

Business was only really busy between the hours of six a.m. and 10:30 a.m. After that it was the regular customers coming for their daily slice of cake or juice, then it's the random study session kids and students who've become so desperate that they are finally trying coffee. Hopefully I wouldn't end up like the latter, now that the new semester in starting.

At 7:30 my coworker Devin came in to start his shift and help carry the weight of the early morning rush. Devin, aside from my roommate Elaine, was my best friend. And it definitely was in the gay best friend sort of way. Watching the shy Devin come out with every swim team member walking in from practice was hysterical.

Finally 11 came around and I took my break. Devin made me a Flat White while I sat in one of the old wooden chairs by the large window that looked out onto a park. My attention was immediately grabbed by the color purple; and blue; and red. There was a boy sitting on one of the many benches lining the park, strumming his guitar and bobbing his head to whatever song he was playing at the moment. His multi colored hair blew gently in the breeze of the day, and he wore a faded denim jacket and worn out boots. Thankfully he was completely unaware of my gawking.

"I call dibs," Devin whispered in my ear from behind me. I turned and smacked his arm, laughing playfully with him as he handed me my coffee. When I turned my gaze back to the galaxy haired boy, his head was raised and he was staring straight at me.

Even from this distance I could see the deep shade of pink that colored his lips that contrasted with the paleness of his skin. His head was tilted to the side slightly as he continued to stare, his hands falling slack from the strings. Eventually he began to smile, and it wasn't even in a "I'm a douche bag and I know you were checking me out smile,"but a "Hey I notice you were looking this way and I feel the need to be polite smile." I quickly stood up and picked up my coffee and threw it away, wanting to get as far from the window as possible. Devin giggled at my little scene but was smart enough not to bring it up. I looked up a little later to see him playing his guitar once again and another time to see him gone. As I took orders from the new customers and send them down to Devin, all I could think was I hoped I wouldn't ever see that boy again.