Blooming Youth

Chapter III | The Cool Kids

Lottie Moore

Time went by fast. It was a normal day at work just like any other. People would come and go, leaving behind tips which Tyler and Luna would bicker with one another to see who would get it first, Tina and I would cook while dancing to the sound of Cheetah Girls coming from Tina's phone, and Sr. Wilson would be busy entertaining his clients with yet another of his saxophone shows. It was already the third song in a row. This is what happens when you combine coffee with live music. The customers were too focused on the saxophonist who was playing on the stage, its sound mingling with the coffee machine running and the intense and sweet smell of coffee and sugar penetrating the air.

Meanwhile, Caspian would be preparing the drinks along with some desserts for take-out orders. At one point, he was making two coffee drinks, putting whipped cream and buttery caramel sauce on top and handing them to two young women who wouldn't stop batting their eyelashes to him as if Caspian was food while giggling and whispering in each other's ear. They certainly didn't come here for coffee; however, he didn't pay any attention to them. Unfortunately for them, they didn't stand a chance as his heart already belonged to someone.

Tina was watching that scene unfolding by my side, and if looks could kill, those two girls would have been done for. She was clearly upset. Not to mention the muffin squished in her hand. I stared sadly at the poor muffin as bits of it fell to the floor.

When it was time for the lunch break, we were all sitting around the small kitchen table at Wilson's household above the coffee shop, except for Tina who had promised her family she would eat with them. Filling our bellies with grilled cheese sandwiches with lettuce and tomatoes made by Tyler's aunt, Kiara Wilson, along with some soda and potato chips, we helped lift the dishes, though it was a little difficult to move through that tiny kitchen with so many people together, and still had time to chill out a bit.

Mr. Wilson and Tyler had convinced Caspian to try to play the saxophone which explained the discordant mixture of sounds coming out from the kitchen, as I acted as a guinea pig for both Luna and Kiara who were inspecting and fiddling with my hair to check out what new hairstyles would look good on me.

Tyler's aunt usually takes photos of my hairstyles and hangs them in her salon which is a 15-minute walk right down the street to serve as inspiration for her clientele while Luna... Luna merely liked playing with my hair. Not that I'm complaining, because whenever someone stroked my hair, I would fall asleep at the slightest touch, feeling my body relaxing and my eyelids slowly closing. A habit I gained when I was a baby as my grandma would pat my head until I had fallen asleep. That's why they had a hard time keeping me still and straight, trying to prevent my head from bobbing up and down all the time.

Two hours later, we were back to work. The shop was almost empty if we didn't count the two fishermen sitting at one of the tables outside playing chess while drinking a good cold beer that Tyler had just handed to them and having to deal with these damn mosquitoes buzzing right next to our ears with some being now and then swatted away by a rolled-up magazine that Luna was gripping.

Due to the infernal heat, it was likely that people were inside their houses cooling off with their air conditioners when ours had broken down, having to resort to the ceiling fan which wasn't much help. The streets were deserted, and the work was running slow. Caspian and Mr. Wilson were in his office discussing expenses and payments. From the kitchen window, I could hear soothing ambient music which indicated that Tina was in the middle of her meditation. Meantime, Luna was sitting upside down on one of the bean bags while reading a motorcycle magazine and eating her blueberries and Tyler was slouched down next to her with his head leaning back and earphones in.