Your Starless Eyes Remain || A Gerard Way Fanfic

{ 2 } Stranger

     I awake the next morning, my alarm clock blaring in my ear, the orange light from the sun pouring through my bedroom window. Having high expectations for once in my life, I reluctantly decided to get out of bed and do something for myself today. My shift started at 9:00 P.M., meaning I certainly had enough time on my hands.

     I enter the bathroom across from my bedroom, gently brushing through my black strands of hair as I gaze back at my reflection in the mirror. I messily do some winged eyeliner, being a bit careless about it, and then I top it off with some black mascara and some shiny white eyeshadow on my eyelids. I smudge some black eyeshadow on the bottom of my eyes. I disappointingly take note of how much worse my eye bags have gotten, I can't even remember the last time I got a full night of rest. Even on weekends, it was difficult to go to sleep. I was constantly making time for my assignments, and having a job. Shit, this isn't going to get any better.

     I shook my head slightly, trying to turn off the constant conversation in my mind telling me things I didn't want to hear. I wanted to change the direction of things today, I wanted to go out and do something, and then I'll make sure to be more awake for my shift tonight.

     Slipping on a pair of washed-out blue flared jeans with a black oversized sweater, I pair it with my favorite silver necklaces, and then I pull on my usual pair of Converse. I grab my purse, make my way out of my apartment, and walk amongst the sidewalk that leads out of my apartment complex. A walk will do me good. The air is only a little cold, it's slightly windy, and the ground is plastered with orange and yellow leaves, the sun only barely peaking out of the clouds now. I can see the sky becoming a dull grey, and I'm hoping it won't rain, but based on how my luck's been, it probably will. Whatever, I didn't mind the rain.

     I make it downtown, where I can see bustling crowds and people chatting amongst each other. I slightly tilt my head down and make a left turn, glancing at all of the shops beside me, and looking into the windows as I walk past. I can see the stupid coffee shop I work at from ahead of me. "Rose Coffee", the words all in fancy black writing above the door. God, how I dread working there... but hey, it's paying my rent. Plus, you get pretty used to smelling coffee all night. It's not a bad smell it's become comforting to me at this point.

I enjoy walking through downtown, but I don't have any desire to go anywhere. The walk was enough to get me out of my head a little bit.

~

      I check my cellphone, the time reading 8:55. I sigh, sliding on my mandatory company apron, tying it behind my back, and wearing the same clothes I put on earlier underneath. The apron was black with "Rose Coffee" threaded in white on the front with a red rose underneath the lettering.

     Making my way out of my apartment, I head to my car, once I'm inside I turn it on and begin my dreaded journey to work. I remembered this time to bring an energy drink so that I wouldn't be slumping over near the end of my shift.

      Pulling into the parking lot, one of my co-worker's cars is here. Thank God. I think I'd die if I had to spend another shift here completely alone.

     I step out of my car, locking the doors as I walk down the sidewalk and make my way inside the shop. I notice my co-worker and kind-of-sorta-maybe friend Frank preparing coffee behind the counter, I give him a small wave and shoot an awkward smile as I go behind the counter.

     "Linnea, hey! I'm so sorry you had to work the shift alone the other night. I got pretty sick." He confesses while pouring the coffee into a white paper cup and topping it with a black lid.

     "Oh, you got sick? What happened?" I ask curiously and giggle a little in response.

     "Was at a party with some of my friends. Hey, you should totally go with us sometime, like maybe this weekend? I heard there's one not too far from here." He offered, giving a weak smile as he brought the coffee to one of the customers sitting near the window.