Coffee Conversations

1- Blue

"That's what I did!" Ledger exclaims, sweeping open the door to Starbucks like he owns the place.

I chuckle as I glance at him, my heart feeling so full in my chest.

His chocolate brown eyes are shining wildly, his distressed brown leather jacket doing nothing but accentuating them further. His energy, his gestures, everything about him is so...alive.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have anticipated how much my life would change when Ledger Olivier appeared in it.

He had been my brother's very eccentric, horribly handsome boyfriend. Nothing more.

Then, when Ledger moved to London, my eldest brother had asked me to keep an eye on him. Heartbroken, erratic, never capable of sitting still and essentially still a stranger to me, it was a very tall order.

But it was Ledger that had saved me. I had never known how lonely I was until Ledger. He gives me purpose, he needs me and makes me laugh and ensures that life never dares stray close to boring. He's changed everything.

I bite my lip, shaking my head in amusement.

I'm not entirely sure when things strayed from friendship to something more for me. Somewhere along the lines things had...merged. His smile not only made me smile, but also made my heart beat faster. His shiny eyes weren't just glimmering with madness, but beauty too.

I squash the thought quickly and efficiently.

"You painted the entire wall, Ledger. I don't think that's what your landlord had in mind when you suggested 'maintenance work'." I point out.

Ledger merely huffs.

We approach the counter together, our arms brushing against one another and the sensation makes my stomach flip. The coffee shop is blissfully quiet and comfortingly familiar and the smile on my face is hopelessly happy, but my heart drops a little in my chest at the sight of vivid, dark blue eyes. I take note of his characteristic scowl, sighing unhappily as it only seems to intensify at the sight of me.

It has always been this way.

Blue is my local Starbucks barista. With deep blue hair and eyes to match his name, he doesn't have a hard time standing out in a crowd. His personality is careless, sharp and brusque, often more irritated than not.

Despite his less than appealing manner, he's absolutely gorgeous, and he seems to hate me with an unending passion. If love at first sight exists, then I'd argue the opposite exists for Blue and I, and I still have no idea why.

Today, as usual, he is a beacon of shining optimism and positivity.

"You're back. How unfortunate." He mutters as we step up to the counter.

I smile, which only ever seems to tick him off more.

"Yep, lovely day, isn't it?"

Blue's jaw tenses, his teeth grinding as he completely ignores my attempt at small talk. Instead, he directs his glare to my left.

I can only watch in dismay as Ledger's eyebrows raise slightly, his lips twitching up into a smirk as he assesses the man in front of him. His features, which are dark and charming, rearrange into an alluring mask that I've seen more than a few times.

I know that it's an act, that it doesn't mean anything. I know because I hold him as he sobs over Everett every other week.

Doesn't mean that it doesn't bother me though.

I watch as he leans against the counter easily, his eyes wandering appreciatively over Blue's tense, firm shoulders.

My stomach squeezes uncomfortably, an ugly feeling filling me up like lead.