Over a Mocha

Giant Strawberry-Banana-Kiwi Sweet Teas

I wake up to my alarm screaming next to my ear and the sun in my eyes. Yet another day that I wake up early and go to school. Just another day. Meeting Luke Hemfield yesterday didn't mean anything. It's not like I've ever seen him at school before, so why would I today? I sigh and get up, the cold tingles on my bare legs. I take off my sleep shorts and exchange them for jeans. Just another rainy day, I think to myself. After I change my shirt into a red and black flannel I walk over to the window and look out. Just another- I pause mid thought.

"It's, it's not raining..." I whisper and touch my fingers to the glass. "It's not raining?" I say a little louder. I smile to myself. "It's not raining!" I yell. When I look back down at my outfit, my smile fades. It's not raining. I am going to wear something different. Maybe a skirt of a dress. It is a special occasion! I pull out a skirt from my closet. It's about mid thigh length with green, light pink, and powder pink roses and flowers on it. I match it with a cream sweater tucked in and brown combat boots. I tie my wavy, red hair up in a pony tail and walk back to the mirror. I smile to myself again. It's not raining. I grab my backpack and head down the stairs to breakfast.

When I reach the table, there is a cut up orange sitting on the table. I smile again. My mom always leaves before I wake up and sometimes there is food waiting for me. I sit down and eat my oranges then walk out the door, locking it on my way out. It's not that far of a walk to get to school and since it's not raining, I walk the two miles to school. The sun shines on my back as I pass two people biking, then I pass a boy skateboarding down the sidewalk who took a break to pick up some fallen papers. The city is so much prettier when it's not raining. Maybe it's because it's rare or maybe it's because I was made for the sun and not a rain all day stay inside type of person. It may just be because the sun glitters off the glass windows and makes the sidewalk glow like I really am walking on sunshine. The flowers seem to bloom bigger and brighter, the

About halfway to school is Grinder's. I check my watch. It's only 7:45, so I stop into Grinder's to pick up some ice-tea. When I walk in, a familiar figure is standing at the counter. They are tall with strong shoulders and dark hair that contrasted with their tan skin. This guy looks kind of like Luke, I think. I stand behind him in line. April walks out and smiles at me.

"Good morning, Carli." The guy in front of me turns around and stares at me. His lips slowly curl up until all of his perfectly white teeth are showing.

"Why hello, Carli Stokes. Pleasant seeing you here." Luke casually leans back on the counter as April quietly wipes it down.

"Oh," I say smiling, looking down at my boot, blushing a brighter pink than the roses outside, "hey Luke."

"What might you be doing here, Carli Stokes?" His smile widened (if that was possible) his his eyebrow slightly raised.

"I just stopped in for some ice-tea before school."

"Ah, yes ice-tea. I see they have many different kinds of ice-tea here. Which do you usually get?"

"Um," I look past him at the menu. "I usually get a strawberry-banana-kiwi sweet tea blend."

Luke smirks, "Sounds delicious." He turns around. "April, pardon me, but can I order myself and this lovely lady each the largest strawberry-banana-kiwi blend sweet-tea?" April smiles and nods as she gets to work making them.

"Luke, you don't have to buy me sweet-tea, I have money."

"Yes, but this way, if it's not good, I can blame you." He grins and turns back to face me. His grey t-shirt fits over his shoulders perfectly, stretching to do so. And the neck slopes down slightly in a V shape. His jeans are dark and distressed and his shoes are plain black with tan soles, the kinds you see skaters wearing during competitions and everyday life for that matter.