Spirit Of The North - The Awakening

Olivia Parker

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I glanced at my van driver and smiled. "Don't worry Ricardo, I'm off the hook if I get the teacher stuff too. Now c'mon and pull in, I need to order 6 drinks."

We turned into the Starbucks drive-thru and began the long, long wait.

"The school does not pay me to do this," Ricardo mumbled, leaning against the steering wheel.

I chuckled and pulled down the mirror, checking myself out. My hair looked like a disaster today, but I did not care.

Today was an exciting day, the start of something new.

My van driver sighed again, I don't blame him, the school sends him to pick me up every day because I live so far away, and getting Starbucks while running late on purpose is not what he signed up for. We do this at least once a week and every time it's the same thing. We've been doing this for over a year, by now I'm sure. We moved up one car, causing him to groan.

"Chill out." I whipped out my phone and unlocked it. "Now be quiet I'm calling Eli." I pressed the call button and he picked up after two rings. Which was surprising, he doesn't answer much these days.

"Morning Liv." His voice is scratchy and still laced with sleepiness. It made my heart swell.

"Good morning, the usual?"

He let out a chuckle. "Yeah whatever you're getting, I can't believe you're leaving today. And they're letting you on top of that."

I giggled and leaned back into the seat. "I know, I mean one month away from school is crazy."

"You still have to do it online." He chided into the phone, already sounding more chirpy.

Ugh, school. What's the point in going away if school was still a thing.

"Don't remind me," I mumbled.

"What are you wearing today?" Classic Eli, he always needed to know what I was wearing. 

"The gray jeans that you bought me for my birthday, that faded pink crop top from American Eagle-"

"You look so cute in that top," He interrupted. 

I felt my cheeks flush and I cleared my throat. "And my Lulu sweater with my pink dunks." I mentally cringed at the sound of my high-pitched voice. Who sounds like that?

"Sounds good, I will be looking forward to seeing it."

I looked over and saw that we were one car away from the window.

"Oh, I'm about to order, bye." I'm desperate to end this call now.

He chuckled. "Bye Liv, don't be too late."

"Bye," I whispered and hung up. I sighed and ran a hand over my face.

Ricardo turned to me with raised eyebrows. "That was short for once,"

"Shut up," I murmured, leaning over him as he rolled down the window.

"You look warm," He whispered.

"Shut up," I whispered back, turning my attention to the screen.

"Welcome to Starbucks, what can I do for you today?"

Prepare yourself.

"I would like 2 venti iced black coffees with zero sweeteners and 4 venti pink drinks with vanilla sweet cream cold foam."

"Is that all?" The girl asked, causing Ricardo to chuckle.

"That's all." I leaned back in my seat and opened my bag to get my wallet.