Firebird

1

|Unedited|

People entered the shop, going about their day. Some sat with friends or acquaintances, others by themselves, working on their devices. People ordered something new or old, delightfully enjoying their beverage or food. It was a repeat. Everyday someone came into the shop to buy a coffee or crepe, and I came into work. Over and over. The cycle was boring, sure, but I found comfort in the predictable pattern.

The bell dinged as someone entered the shop. I didn't bother looking because I was currently working on an order and a coworker wasn't doing anything at the moment. That person, Jen, a lively blonde, jumped up and rushed to the counter.

Finishing up the drink, I turned to walk to the counter when I saw the scene. Jen was leaned seductively against the counter, talking to him in an overly flirty voice. Standing beside Jen, I called out the name on cup. I saw her shoot me a small glare. After the person retrieved it, I turned to walk away, noticing the uncomfortable look in the male's eyes.

"Hey, Jen, that table needs to be cleaned over there."

"Make Jim do it." She argued.

"Jim is busy, so why don't you do it."

She huffed in defeat, walking off. Turning to the male, I took a short look at him, before I warmly welcomed, "Hello, welcome to Rosie's Cafe and Crepes. How may I help you?" The man had blonde hair that looked bleached on the ends by how light it was, which was styled to the side by using his fingers. He had steel blue eyes and lips with a strong cupids bow. His face was softly carved with a strong jawline. He wore a gray shirt, a black leather jacket, and black jeans. His eyes had shifted, becoming more relaxed when Jen left.

He looked down briefly to my chest, reading my name tag, before saying, "Well, Lilith, I'll have a medium iced caramel macchiato."

I quickly put it into the computer, asking, "Anything else?"

"That's it."

"Okay, that will be $6.12."

I watched him put his card into the machine, and after it accepted, he slide it back into his wallet. The object was leather and the edges were worn from use.

I grabbed the appropriate cup and a marker, asking, "Can I have a name for this order?"

"Cassius."

After swiftly writing the name down, I looked up, stating, "You can have a seat if you'd like. It'll be out in a couple minutes."

The man thanked me and turned to find a seat. I headed towards the coffee machine, beginning the order, when Jen walked over. "Jim wasn't busy. You just wanted him all to yourself." She sneered, with a sharp glare.

"Yeah, that's what it was." I chuckled dryly.

The rest of my shift went by without any commotions from Jen or any customers. I put my apron into my locker, and grabbed my jacket and satchel. I walked out to my blue Kia Soul, unlocking the vehicle. I got in, started the ignition, and pulled out of the parking lot. I drove through the city of Las Vegas, stopping by a pizza shop, before heading to my apartment.

Getting out of the car, I carried the pizza box up to the door. Looking through my bag, I struggled to find my keys. Suddenly, bright LED headlights shown across the off-white door. In curiosity, I looked over my shoulder. A silver Acura sports car pulled into the lot, parking backwards into the last row. The lights and engine shut off, but no one exited the car. An unsettling feeling rested in my stomach. I rushed to find my apartment key.

Finding it, I jammed it into the lock, and quickly entered the room. I switched the two locks over, before sighing. I was safe in here. I hung my satchel and jacket up, taking off my shoes. I headed into the bathroom, turning on the shower.

After undressing, I got in the shower, jumping back from the hot water. Using my nonexistent contortion skills, I finally got it to be cooler. My shower was quick as I was tired, and soon, I was laying on my bed watching TV. I ate some of the pizza, getting cozy on the couch. It was around 10 at night when a knock sounded. I paused the TV, stood up, and made my way to the front door. Looking through the peephole, I saw no one outside the door, just was extremely confused, and the uneasy feeling was back. I cautiously opened the door, scanning the lot before stepping out to look down the walkway. No one. Not a single soul. Some of the lights were on in a few apartments, others dark. I went to take another step, but stopped when I felt something.

Looking down, I noticed a rose was placed on the welcome mat. I bent down, picking the flower up. The petals were a vibrant red, full and luxurious. Standing, I took one last look of the area, when I noticed something different. The silver Acura was gone. I scanned the lot again, but once I turned up unlucky, I hurried back into my apartment, shutting and bolting the door.

Carrying the rose to the kitchen, I pulled a vase from a cupboard, filled it halfway with water, and setting the flower inside. I felt confused, but I knew I needed sleep, and I wasn't going to get it if I didn't stop worrying about this.

I took my night medication and headed to my room. Arriving, I shut the door behind me, and climbed into my bed. I settled under the covers, staring at the wall, as I fell asleep.