When Fire Meets Coffee

Chelsea I

Just another day at the coffee shop I worked at. Don't get me wrong, I loved working there, but the cleaning and maintenance can be tedious.

I love talking to customers and my coworkers. And sometimes I do wish that it wasn't part-time. I study English as a Foreign Language as well as a few other languages. I'd like to help some people with the language barriers they may face and possibly help exchange students who have just arrived in America. But that's just what I'm hoping.

I go through the usual process of taking people's orders and sometimes making them. That's if I was quick enough. My colleague, Alley, was much faster than I was, and much more skilled for that matter. So naturally, she took to actually making the orders, while I handled the money and labelling cups.

I enjoy it though, we have a good system in our little coffee corner. And I like to know people's names. Like the lady I'm about to serve, she's a regular,

"Good Morning, Miss Price. The usual?" I asked. She came in that often that I could pretty much do her order with my eyes closed.

"Chelsea, you know me too well." Miss Price answered with a chuckle. We made small talk while Alley made the order and Miss Price paid.

She thanked us both an left with her coffee-to-go. I think she owns a clothes shop just down the road. But I'll have to find out.

It was the same ritual over and over until my favourite customer came in. In her six foot glory, ponytail swinging just behind her neck, eyes sparkling as the catch sight of me. Well, me as a barista, not a person. But this woman was literal eye candy. I could look at her all day. And to top it all off, she was a firefighter. She rocked her uniform every morning she came in.

This is why I love weekends. I get to work mornings on the weekends and I get to see McHottie in all her fire fighter glory.

As she approached the counter, she smiled and I wanted to cry at how pure it is.

"Morning. Can I get a lattè with milk to stay, please?" she said, voice smooth as silk.

"Of course, just take a seat and I'll bring it to you." I replied.

She said her thanks, nodded and walked to a table. She pulled her phone and headphones out to listen to music, which is what she always did. She began to do little head bop and I could explode right now.

Alley got her drink ready and put it on the counter for me to take to her. For me to take to her.

I carefully balanced the liquid in the cup as I basically tip toed to her table. I placed it down in front of her and she looked up with excitement at me. Ugh, my heart.

"Thank you, you're a legend." she so simply said. But I feel like I've been complimented by a goddess.

She took a sip of the coffee and for some reason I was still stood there. She noticed this and gave me two raised eyebrows.

"It's lovely. Thank you." she said. I think she thought I was there to see her reaction, but I wasn't, I was just admiring her.

"Oh no! I wasn't-I was just. You're just so ho-I mean. I gotta go." I stuttered.

I was blushing real hard as I walked away too. I could hear her chuckle, which made things worse. When I got back behind the counter, Alley was just staring at me with an amused smile while she blended some ice and milk.

"What?" I asked, wiping down the counter as there were no customers to serve.

"You got a crush. You like like her." she teased.

"No! She's just pretty... Intimidating. She intimidates me a little."

Nice save, Chelsea.

"Uh huh. That'll be why you practically burn holes into the side of her head when she's here. I get it. She's hot. She's cool. I'd like her too if it weren't for my partner." Alley reasoned.

"Shut up." I mumbled. But all she did was chuckle in response.

I looked back over to the fire fighter, she was looking at me too. I swear my heart skipped a beat.

She soon finished off her coffee and brought the cup back to the counter. I was confused, to say the least.

"You can just leave at the table, I'll pick it up later." I say.

"It feels weird. And besides, it'd be easier to bring the cup to the counter so I can pay as well. So it's not an inconvenience at all, when you think about it." she stated.

She was smart. Hot smart.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense."

She dug through her wallet and brought out the money for the coffee and a little extra. When I say little, I mean she gave us fifty dollars each in tip.

"Fifty? That's a bit much, don't you think?" I question.

"No. Plus you deserve it. Have a great day!" she sang as she struts out the coffee shop. I didn't even get to say thank you. I'd have to see if I can chase her down tomorrow.

But in the meantime, I clean the counters and serve customers. It gets busy after nine in the morning but it doesn't matter. I get off at twelve. That'll leave time for me to go home and study. Pleasure.

But it's all I can do really. Apart from drool over a hot fire fighter that I don't stand a chance with. I don't even know if she's gay. What if I ask her out, and she has a boyfriend or something? I don't know. Maybe I should just befriend her. Yeah I think that'd be okay. It's not usually busy on Sundays. I'll try tomorrow. But until then, I have to fill the gap with work, studying and sleep.