Day 1: Write a scene that takes place in a coffee shop.
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Connie swept in along with a gust of crisp autumn air, long black hair swinging in a ponytail behind her. Under the bright yellow glow of the fluorescent lights, her frozen hands and feet began to thaw, and she welcomed the sensation with a satisfied sigh. Even though the café was filled with people, she instantly spotted her friends at their usual table, February with her flaming red hair and Andie in her usual leather jacket. She ordered a latté and flicked a crumpled five dollar bill at the register before making her way over to them.
"Writing love poems again, I see," she remarked, casually snatching away February's red notebook from the table. Everytime they went there, it was always open beside her cup of minty hot chocolate, pen positioned neatly across the page. Connie knew she'd been there long before them, writing lovestruck poems and trying to muster up enough courage to talk to Leo the Guitar Boy who was always writing songs with his instrument in the back corner of the store.
"Why don't you just talk to him already?" she asked as her eyes scanned across the fresh ink.
"It's not that simple," February argued, stealing her notebook back and hugging it protectively against her chest. "I...can't."
"Why not?" Andie said. "Both of you are always here at the coffee shop; it's the perfect place to start a conversation."
"Forgive me, but I think coffee shop-romance is such a cliché." Connie rolled her eyes. "I mean, who invented the ridiculous myth that meeting people at cafés is 'romantic'? People only go here to leech off some free internet or buy something that'll hopefully make them last the morning after a crazy night of partying or doing overtime, so what the hell is so sweet about meeting people when they're either really broke or really tired?"
"Hey! I come here and I'm neither of those things," February argued again.
"Well, it sounds like you are to me, because writing love letters for a boy who's never going to read them must be exhausting," Connie easily retorted.
"Ugh. You're mean!"
"Don't take it personally, Febs," Andie laughed. "She's just a little bitter from the break-up."
Connie's jaw instinctively clenched at her friend's words.
"Just because you're upset, don't drag me down with you," February added.
Connie knew they were only joking. This was how they always talked to each other. But somehow their words stung a little. Maybe because the wound was so fresh. It had only been two months ago when the break-up happened, and since then, she'd been doing everything in her power to forget about it.
She refused to talk about it with them, her best friends, because she didn't want that petty incident to get the best of her. She didn't want it to seem real or relevant by letting her feelings roll off her tongue. So she kept a tight lip, which was probably why her friends thought they could already use it against her.
She wasn't about to tell them to stop. Doing that would make it seem like she was actually heartbroken, and she couldn't let anybody but herself know that.
"Me? Bitter over that boy?" She snorted. "Please! I couldn't be any sweeter since he left."
"Really? Cause you've totally been the opposite," Andie said.
"Yeah. I mean, you were already pretty frank before, but lately you've just been mean," February seconded, sipping her hot chocolate nervously.
"And you credit him for that?" Connie responded, maybe a little too loud. "Don't be silly, guys, I'm fine."
At that moment, another cold wind blew through the coffee shop, and the newly-arrived couple caught all of their attention. Toby had his arm around the new girl, Eliza, as they made their way to the register. His eyes met Connie's for a brief moment, but it was enough for her to know that he had done this on purpose. He knew she would be there with February and Andie at that exact time, because back then he used to come with them. His arm used to be around Connie's shoulder. His usual mug of bitter black coffee used to be beside her latté. His laugh used to mingle in the air with hers. But now, he was there with someone else, and just looking at them made Connie freeze up all over again.
"Looks like you're the only one who thinks coffee shops aren't romantic," Andie snickered.
Connie could feel February's foot kick her under the table. She cleared her throat before speaking, "We could leave if you want, Connie."
Stuck in a daze, it took her a while to answer. "What? No. It's fine." Her heart was beating so loud in her ears she could barely hear her own voice when she said it. "This is our spot every three in the afternoon. Why should we move?"
"Look, Con," Andie said. "It's alright if you want to--"
"No! Trust me, it's fine." She put a brave face on even though it was probably too late--they already knew. But she swallowed hard as tears filled her eyes, "I'm fine."
