smoke breaks | proxies

iii.

I was a walking zombie by the time I made it to work the next day. Tim had turned out to be amazing to talk to, the hours of the night quickly becoming filled with little facts and stories of our lives. By the time he bid me goodnight nearing three in the morning, I felt like I was already head-over-heels for him, smiling at each notification that he had replied.

The weed did little to settle my racing heart as I thought about the man, and I had only managed to snag a few hours of sleep before I was woken by Natalie banging on my door, telling me I would be late again. I had stretched my hands high above my head, intent on having a good day, and then I fell while trying to pull on my jeans, and it went downhill from there.

I had somehow managed to put a rip in one of my favorite pairs of jeans, knock into my bong and shatter one of the pieces, and step knee-length into mud halfway through my trek to work. I was not a happy camper in the slightest.

Still, I managed a small, though tired, smile as I entered the building. I was with Jeff again, the boys lanky body slumped in one of the seats. He was pushing out short bursts of air to try and lift his bangs, managing to get it an inch or two away from his face before it flopped back down.

He glanced up at the sound off the door ringing only to shoot up with excitement once he realized it was me. "Toby!" I chuckled, moving forward to greet him, letting him pull me into a bear hug, bouncing the two of us around. "Got a bit worried you wouldn't show up, man. Like three people have quit in the past two days."

I patted his back as I moved past to clock in. "D-danny really get t-to them tha-at much?"

Jeff hopped up to sit on one of the counters, swinging his feet when he was settled. "Apparently it was some relationship drama. I'm not sure, but it was Jeanie, Margo, and Jackson."

I shrugged, only half-way recognizing the names. They were all morning shift, people I saw maybe once in a blue moon. The afternoon shift was mostly occupied by Jeff and I, along with the occasional Nina, a younger girl who was absolutely enamored with Jeff. Jeff was sure to keep her at an arm's length, though, not exactly interested in a child. He was sure to emphasize it by asking if she needed help with homework or things of that variety, emphasizing the age gap, but she was none the wiser, just happy to bask in any attention he gave. It was cute the way she looked up to him, if not incredibly weird.

I had just managed to tie an apron around my waist when the door chimed to indicate a customer. I turned, my customer service smile already plastered across my face only to pause at the familiar face. The pretty boy from the other day. What was his name? Had I even gotten it? I didn't think I had, but he was moving to the register, and I managed to pull myself together at the last second and approach him.

"Hello again," he spoke, that small smirk back on his face. "Hope you haven't been working too hard."

I grinned at that. "I-I never d-do, b-but I jus-sss-st got here a-anyways."

"Well, then I'm honored to be your first customer of the day," he replied, and I wanted to melt into a puddle. "I think I'll take whatever it was you made me last time, if you remember."

I nodded enthusiastically. That meant I could make one for me too and save time. "O-of course! Anything e-else?"

"Not unless you're on the menu, handsome," he flirted, and I knew I must have been bright red. When was the last time someone had flirted with me like this, especially someone so handsome, himself? Two men in two days; what a dream.

I gave a laugh in response, scurrying away to go make the drinks. Jeff leaned over close to me from where he was sitting. I turned, confused, only to groan as he whispered an elongated 'gaaaay' into my ear. I swatted him away, trying to hide my blushing face as I mixed the espresso into the milk and ice, shaking my head. Jeff snickered to himself, side-eyeing me the best he could.