Flickers

burnt coffee beans

There are perks to having a cafe close to your work, one being a place to hide for lunch break or meeting after work.
Sadly, this cafe only had this one perk, seeing as only half the menu was fit for human consumption, and the employees looked barely lucid.
Sat by the window, I watched the cars pass outside the window.
The vanilla smell wafted from my latte as I held it to my lips, unsure whether to risk a molten sip or wait for it to cool. My cellphone pings.

M~
Ride Eta:20 min.
New brace:€780,
(two panini delivery fee) :P

I sipped my latte, ignoring my boiling buds.
"Shoulda taken the elevator..."

●One panini, and a chai.

*ping*

M~
Two panini >:(

"Ughhhhh"
●ONE PANINI.

M~
Two panini, or the hardware gets it. >:(((

●wow, Theft and destruction of property.
●One panini and the fresh throw ups in the school gym stay anonymous

M~
...
......

●I know your tag and paint stash spots

M~
...
Bich

"Ha"
I had already taken a tumble down half a flight of stairs, so my dignity had already suffered plenty today, i wasn't going to sink any lower. It was bad enough to embarrass myself, but the damage to my rollcage of a leg brace was worse. I had figured it was everything short of bulletproof.
I am both sore, and sorely mistaken.

My eyes are drawn from my phone back to the window, where a group of figures now stand across the street. One of them I just now noticed had been staring at me for quite a while. I instinctively smiled, a tad more friendly than I intended, before awkwardly looking down at my phone again.
There was no way I just did that.
There was no way I could know for certain that man wasn't a creep or a psycho. My glasses would only make his appearance clearer, not his intentions.
I took another scalding sip, Sinking lower into the booth.
I glanced back at the figure and we lock eyes again.

●please tell me you're almost here.

M~
...

●there's a flock of unidentified gentlemen outside and one is eyeballing me

M~
Paranoid much?
Teen dudes congregate
What, Does one have a chainsaw?
...
Please tell me it isn't your ex
...
10 minutes out, stay put.

Looking out again I spotted the group approaching the building.
Four boys walked into the Cafe, unzipping their jackets to reveal cafe uniforms underneath.
The one closest to me turned and locked eyes with me again.
He seemed near my age, and much less scary up close.
He strode towards my table confidently and smoothly slipped a folded napkin onto it as he walked past.
I unfolded it cautiously, expecting a cute message and a phone number.

The message gave me chills,
But my gut told me to play it cool.

"Get out while you can"
________________________________________
I sat with a disgruntled look, my leg brace still twisted. I threw the napkin back at him and motioned to my leg, to which he signed to one of his companions. The tall rail of a man walked over and gently picked me up, carrying me outside and setting me on a bench.
The Cafe burst into flames moments after, and the napkin thrower returned to my side and handed me my coffee.

I stared at him as he put the cup in my hand, my eyes taking in his sandy gold features, now dusted with the remains of toasted brick and coffee ground ashes.
He smiled crookedly and asked how I liked my coffee. My mind fumbled at the spontaneity before I unwittingly mumbled "burnt" with an unintentional dirty grin. His eyes flashed like silent lightning, flecked with stardust, and locked their gaze firmly on my face. "Then I think my next blend will be very much to your liking."
_______________________________________
Before I could question anything, he walked off, leaving me flabbergasted.
I had an idea why when M's car rolled up.

I stood and hobbled to the passenger window, enduring the side eye aimed at me as I sat.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" M asked.
"I'm not sure myself."
I wheezed, handing over both the paninis, appetite having gone up in smoke.
"Both? For me? I thought you were serious. Is this one yours?"

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled, sliding into the passenger seat still dazed.

My eyes drifted down to my latte, now topped generously with ash and dust, the vanilla scent now a sadly unpleasant burnt sugar smell.
Written on the slightly singed side was a phone number and signature.

"You might want to get your head straight before the cops arrive. They're gonna want your statement so you better get it figured. Now, tea. Gimme."

I handed her the cup of chai blankly, ignoring both it only being half full, and M giving a bizarre look.