"Hazelnut frappe for Zerah!" I heard a voice calling for me, it was the barista informing me that my order is ready. I walked towards the counter to pick up my order. Hazelnut frappe is the best thing ever to exist! After my family and my best friends, Sam and Elaine, this is the thing I love the most. If I could, I'd get married to hazelnut frappe. Just kidding!
I was enjoying my drink peacefully while enjoying the view outside the cafe and that's when I heard a scream that made me choke on my beloved hazelnut frappe, "ZERAH!" It was my best friend Sam. "Why didn't you tell me that you were gonna be here?" he asked me as he sat down on the chair opposite to me. "I forgot that I had an assignment due tonight at 11:59 pm and THE WIFI BACK AT MY HOME IS DOWN! So, I came here!" I replied with a smile. "Is this a STEM girlie thing to leave your assignments till the last minute or to have too many assignments that you end up forgetting one or two??" he asked. "The non-STEM girlie in you is being too obvious Sam! And, yes we can say it's a STEM girlie thing!" I replied to him while typing on my laptop. Sam is a business major, he doesn't understand STEM girlie things! But Elaine and I let it slide because he makes some delicious cookies and knows the best restaurants in town.
"Did you hear anything from Elaine? She hasn't sent me a single tiktok today," he asked. "Nah, she's probably busy with the assignment too," I replied. Elaine and I are biotechnology majors with almost the same classes every day. She and I became friends while working together on a group project back in our freshman year of uni and later we met Sam at our uni cafeteria and we clicked right away. Everybody talks about the friends that stick together since school, but hardly one talks about the ones you figure out adulthood together in college. In these two years, these two monkeys became more like a family than friends to me.
"And you know the house opposite mine has been empty for six months? My mom was saying that some family is moving in there soon." I informed him while I was sipping my coffee. "Oh, that's awesome! So new neighbours huh??" he replied. I smiled and nodded in agreement. "Why don't you go order something? And when you do get me a chocolate chip cookie, I'll pay you later". I asked him without taking my eyes off of my screen. "I can get you a cookie, but stop with this 'I'll pay you later' you never do, and I don't mind paying for you!" he replied as he got up from his seat. In a few minutes, Sam got our order and we just ate and did our stuff. This is our way of hanging out, getting food, eating and just doing our things, hangouts are fun this way.
I checked the time and it was already 6 pm. I had to go back home by then. So, we packed our bags, said our goodbyes, and parted ways. I decided to call Elaine on my way home to check on her and her assignment. "Hello Z!" Elaine said. "Hi, how's your assignment going?" I asked her. "Yeah, I'm almost done! I have to write the final report," she said. "Good luck with that!" I replied.
"What about you?"
"I got no clue, I just made some stuff up and now I'm shitting my pants, send help!"
"I feel so bad for you, you poor thing!" she replied. "Hey, I almost reached home, thanks for being my walk partner again! Bye!" I told her. She wished me luck and we hung up the call.
I watched my mother watering our garden as I walked from the gate to my front door. "Your dad lost the bet; your brother did wake up at noon today!" she said with a contagious smile as soon as I walked in. "Is it Mrs. Quinn? So tonight the feast is being prepared by my beloved father?" I asked her with a funny tone. "Yes my dear! He is indeed preparing a feast!" my mother replied with the same tone to mock me. "Oh come on mom!" I whined as I walked inside our home.
The fragrance of the onions getting caramelised and freshly baked bread hit my nose the moment I entered our home. I could already tell what he was cooking, caramelised onions and chicken cheese toast, his signature dish. I walked up to the kitchen and saw my dad in his 'BEST DAD' apron and my little brother wiping his tears with the tip of his t-shirt while cutting more onions. My brother noticed me in the kitchen and said, "Dad, why did you bake fresh bread? Your bun is here! " "Oh right you can't use that because it's old and mouldy and living in its parents' house at 20" he continued. "What did I do to you?" I asked him, "Dad, you got nothing to say?" I directed my question to my dad. "Oh hi there Bun! Didn't see ya there." my dad replied, "And Aaron, quit it already! She can stay here as long as she wants, even if she's getting mouldy!" my dad said to Aaron. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO???" I whined at my dad and my brother who was on the ground laughing. "I was just kidding, you know me, bun!" he said with his ever-shining dad smile. And yes, my father calls me bun. He says that my cheeks remind him of sweet buns my grandmother used to make for him when he was a child. And I don't think he has any nicknames for Aaron. I guess we can say he has a favourite and that's me.
The dinner table at the Quinn's is always chaotic, with my brother and I bickering and my parents trying to calm us down. And this dinner was no exception. "Dad, why don't you have a special nickname for me like you have one for Zerah?" my brother asked. "Of course you do! You're my bud!! Short for 'buddy' you know," my father gave him his answer. "Seriously Dad? Bun and Bud?" I contributed to that conversation. To which my dad replied "What is wrong with those names? They're adorable!" "Oh, and the family's father came by to drop off some stuff and met me later. The neighbours are moving in tomorrow". He announced. "I thought they were moving in next week!" said my mother, "Anyways, wash your plates after y'all are done.", my mother instructed us. After cleaning our plates and kitchen together we parted ways to our rooms to freshen up and eventually sleep.
I looked at the dark and empty house through my window and felt that lonely feeling seeping in. "This is the last time I'll be feeling this way, from tomorrow this house will be filled with bright light and life." I thought to myself as I made my way to my bed. I hope the new family's fresh beginning in Attacca Town will be comfortable.
YOU ARE READING
Serenade
RomanceThe moment Rayne Arden and Zerah Quinn locked eyes in that small, cozy coffee shop was a moment they would forever remember. It's one of those chance encounters that leaves an impression on both of them. To their great surprise, though, they soon re...