The Caffeine Fix

CHAPTER 12

It had been around a week since the news and the crowd in the cafe had been increasing with each passing day. The crowds started subsiding as the night went on and the late nights had become quieter than before. Tyla was cleaning the counters and still thinking about the sudden popularity that their cafe had picked up just because of a single news. Just imagine, if Patrick actually developed an affair with her or any of the other girls of the cafe, how much crowd would that generate?

'Oh no……I can't deal with that. I am better away from the fame. It works for the cafe but not for me.'

Just then, she heard the familiar sound. It was THE car.

'What?!' Tyla was displeased and started cleaning the counters faster but then she stopped as she knew that it was of no use. The guy would still make her get him a coffee before she could close everything. That was what he came for anyway and he would not leave without it.

'Gosh, if someone photographs him and me together, then it's over.' 

She had a worried look as the unfazed celebrity stepped inside as if it was his cafe. He was looking handsome, for sure, he had a smart black jacket over a greyish-black shirt, with blue jeans and brown shoes. Tyla stared at him for sometime and then got on with her work of making coffee.

He sat in his usual place but did not say anything as he noticed her making coffee.

There was no word spoken between them as she gave him his coffee and then continued cleaning the counters. She continually yawned and tried to hide it but he probably noticed it, though did not appear to be acknowledging it.

"It's good," He finally said.

"Huh?" Tyla replied, surprised, as she was not expecting any dialogue.

"The coffee……it's good."

"Oh, thank you," She replied, trying to hide her blushing….and another yawn.

"Well, did you not get enough sleep last night?" He finally asked.

"Oh, no, not like that. I had started going to bed early for the last 3-4 days. So I am sleepy."

"Oh…" He replied nonchalantly.

'Really? Nothing? You do not care if I am sleepy, you just want your coffee, don't you?' Tyla thought to herself angrily.

He cleared his throat.

"Well honestly, I was looking forward to having a good chat tonight….."

There was a silence. Tyla could not believe it. She kept staring at him in disbelief as he slowly drank his coffee.

"Well, what's wrong?" He asked, noticing her surprised expressions.

"N-n-nothing," She replied, getting out of her trance.

There was no conversation for about five minutes.

Tyla could not bear the silence and the torturous suspense. She asked, 

"Why??" 

He simply looked up from his coffee and gazed at her in silence.

"Why?" He asked, confused again.

"I mean, why do you want to have a chat with me? Because I am the only one here?"

"Not really. Maybe I'd choose to run away if it weren't you but someone else." He took a quiet sip.

Tyla didn't understand if it was a joke or not. But he wasn't really smiling or chuckling so she continued,

"I am not an unusual character. Just a regular person."

"Well so am I. Beyond all the glitz and glam, I am not any extraordinary character either, am I?" He smiled, looking up from the coffee and straight in her eyes.

She turned her face away, a bit uncomfortable.

"Can't a human just want to chat with another human?" He continued.

She kept staring at him.

"Um, you are a celebrity. There are millions who want to talk to you. You can talk to anyone."

"Well, thank you, but honestly, I really prefer your nonchalance. Helps me feel grounded." He kept taking quiet sips as she stared at him quietly.

"Okay…." She wasn't sure what to say.

"But why are you so quiet today anyway? None of your 'sorry we're closed' or anything."

"Haha, as if that works on you," She blurted out but then felt uncomfortable for saying that.

He smiled and she felt a bit at ease. It seemt as if the warmth of the coffee had touched him.

"But on a serious note, do you really not mind me talking so casually to you?"

"Not really. In fact, I like it. The realness. I just want a place where I can actually be myself after a whole day of pretentious activities. And a person who doesn't have a fake smile and the same old, formally prepared list of questions for me."

"Okay…..so you do agree that it is a place full of fake people?" She sat in front of him.

"Oh, it is. And I am one of them too. Cannot complain," He replied coolly.

"Well, okay, now that you want me to give up on all my filters, how come you suddenly like my nonchalance? Our first meet, well, you were pretty arrogant, forgive me."

He smiled at her, looked outside at the traffic through the transparent window before speaking,

"Well, it was bitter at first, then I developed a taste for it….." He gave a cute smile. She found his smile extremely cute.  'Okay, only that particular smile was really cute' She thought to herself but then dismissed the thought.

"But still, why me? Haven't you found anyone else who was informal with you?"

"Well, I don't meet people who don't recognize me everyday. The ones I do find, got to keep them close, right?" He smiled jokingly.

Tyla blushed again but then she continued,

"Well, what about your friends?"

"Um, well, most of the conversation is limited to texting. Can't meet them as much either. We do try to take a vacation together every year and we have been going on consistently for the past 5 years. And from the industry, other than Stephen Ryan, Jake Dirby and Caden Wallace, I have got fake friends on whom I can rarely rely for the human touch."

"But okay, I have got the coffee here…..and I have got you. I guess I am just looking for a friend in you. A temporary friend, if that's what it is. For about 2 hours? Or 3."

Tyla was not sure how to respond. She kept looking around nervously, indicating her discomfort.