Dunkin' Donuts

Chapter 1

Whether my life was undoubtedly cliché up until that point, or rather just simply followed the typical course of a teen romance book; it happened to be snowy the day I met Will Solace.

I was sitting behind the counter, dozing off on the sticky floors of Dunkin' Donuts during my 8 hour shift with my uniform strewn this way and that. I had noticed the clear ring of the bell and the cold rush of air as the door opened but I didn't move from my spot.

I hoped, at the very least, whoever had walked in had the courtesy to leave when they saw me dying on the floor.

But they didn't and I am now very thankful for that. Because if they had aforementioned courtesy, I wouldn't have met who I believe to be the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.

"Uh... Excuse me... I came to get coffee but I guess you need some more than I do," he said with a laugh that wasn't mean-spirited but made me want to slam my head against the counter all the same.

How could he be so cheerful? More accurately, how dare he? It was cold and I was tired and sick of this goddamn job. And he had the nerve to speak nicely and laugh?

Though my eyes were still shut, my mouth was hardened into a scowl that would strike fear into the hearts of many. Though, the boy only laughed more and I heard his shoes tapping against the floor.

Finally, I reached behind me and gripped the counter with my left hand and lifted myself to my feet. I turned around to face him, my eyes still shut. "How may I help you?" I asked, voice dripping with fake cheer. "May I suggest the great deal of getting whatever— I don't fucking know— when you purchase a large frappe?"

"No, thank you. I like my coffee black," he said and snaps right under my nose.

I flinched and my eyes snapped open. "What the hell?!?" I asked as my heart worked to go back to a regular rhythm.

Once again, going back to my cliché teen romance novel capers, when I saw him all I could think was: fuck, he's cute.

But the thought was roughly shoved to the back of my head when he snapped again.

I snatched his hand and roughly slammed it against the counter. "Stop."

"I think you're assaulting customers, Nico. Where's your manager, I'd like to speak to them." He teased and brushed a lock of most definitely  dyed blonde hair behind his ear.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, a little uncomfortable.

He snorted. Nerd, I think to myself.

"You're wearing a name tag, y'know? Also, why are you the only one here?" He asked and leaned back on the pole behind him.

I sighed heavily and got to work making his coffee. I couldn't believe his hipster ass wanted regular coffee. I'd at least expect him to want cream or something...

"I'm the only one who's shift covers this time. I got fucked over with the schedule and my only break starts 20 minutes before I get off," I said bitterly while pouring the fragrant liquid into a to-go cup. Strangely, I didn't want him to go. He was the first person to ever ask that and it seemed like he was eager to listen.

He hums in response and steps up from the pole to get his coffee. "Why don't you tell your boss you have a problem with the schedule?" He took the cup from my hands and sat at the table just a few feet away.

"I... I don't know. He makes me uncomfortable," I confessed and looked around the room to check if the man had somehow magically appeared to ruin my life further.

"Well, Nico. He's not going to do anything if you don't say anything..."

I suddenly felt indignant. "When did you decide to be my life coach?" I sit up on the counter and slide off, my bare feet making a weird slapping sound against the cold floor. I yelp and stand up on my toes when I feel just how cold the floor is on uncovered skin.

I quickly tiptoed over to the table where the boy was sitting and hopped in the seat in front of him, trying to swallow my embarrassment.

He's laughing again, I note. "Stop it. The floor was cold!" I yell in my defense.

"Well, I get that but why are you barefoot behind the counter?!" He asked, snorting again.

I barely manage to hold back the curses in my throat...

"Never mind, don't answer that," he mumbled, still smiling and took the top off of the cup and stirred it around with his finger. He finally seemed satisfied and licked the coffee from his digit.

"That's unsanitary and you didn't wash your hands... what if you get... AIDs or something?" I asked and folded my arms as I watched him wipe his hand off on his pants.

He rolled his eyes and pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. "I'm a medical student, I think I'd know if I would catch AIDs from that."

I nodded, pretty shocked. With his disheveled appearance and shaggy blond hair, you wouldn't expect him to be a medical student. "Why are you at Dunkin' Donuts at 5:00 AM?" I question and he sighed and opened up his notebook.

"... Like I said, I'm a medical student. We don't get any sleep... and I was pulling an all-nighter," he said with his smile slowly fading into a displeased thin line and put the top back on his coffee.

"I'm in art and have a job... We never sleep either," I said and got up as the bell rang signalling another costumer.

Weirdly enough, I had the urge to frown. "Well, I gotta go so... Enjoy your coffee," I said and smiled instead.

He smiled back and went back to his notebook.

I found myself hoping he would come to the shop again. Maybe I could ask about what being a Med student was like and why he liked Dunkin' Dounts rather than Starbucks, and—

"Sir, I'd like to place an order," the new costumer interrupted. I shoved those... abnormal... thoughts to the back of my head and tried to focus.

"Whaddya need?"