The Character Café

Coffee shop: Back From the Future

A muted chatter filled the café, cups clinking lightly in the background. The smell of coffee and other delightful aromas drifted about the room as the attendant wiped down the dark wooden countertop for the tenth time that day, rearranging the matching stools until it looked perfect as it would for a magazine. Business was slow today.

Whirring came from outside the shop and then it stopped. Not many heads turned when a dark skinned young man wearing a leather jacket came in a few minutes later, making the tiny entrance bell ring as he stepped into the café. The attendant looked up from her wiping and offered the man her most brilliant smile as he approached the counter.

"What can I get for you today?"

Glancing over the woman's shoulder, he scanned the menu which was written in white chalk on a chalkboard. Everything that was listed sounded good.

"The apple cider cinnimon special."

"Chilled or hot?"

"Hot, please," he said as he gave her his money.

The attendant's fingers flew over the register keys and stepped back to keep the register drawer from ejecting into her stomach. Grabbing the change, she poured it into the young man's hand.

"I'll have that ready for you in just a minute."

When she turned around to fix his apple cider drink, he took a moment to appreciate the attendant's curves. The cute form-hugging company apron she wore only helped show off more of her figure. Her baggy sweater all by itself wouldn't have given him as much of a show.

"Why don't you take a picture? It lasts longer," the attendant said without turning around. "I can feel your eyes staring a hole into my jeans."

The corners of the young man's mouth quirked up slightly. He felt his server's annoyance drop on his head like a brick.

So much for being sneaky.

"Was that an official invite?"

"Keep talking, Lover Boy, and you'll have sticky, boiling cider dumped on your head."

He chuckled and obliged her by being silent.

A few moments later, she turned around and handed the warm cup of sweet-smelling cinnimon cider to the young man who seemed to be Native American. The mug was hot to the touch. If it didn't have a rubber-like band around the thing, it probably would've burned his skin within a few minute's time.

He looked up and gave a smile.

"Thank you," he squinted at her name tag, "Sapphire. And by the way, the name is Rowan- not Lover Boy."

Sapphire looked up again to throw a sassy remark back at him, but he was already gone. She blinked as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Brushing a curl of her light brown hair out of her face, she peered at the corner of the café entrance door to see the little bell was still hanging there and was at the ready to alert her of any incoming customers or leaving customers.

Where... did he go? I could've sworn that he was right there a second ago...

-*-

The small bustling town's nightlife was just beginning to go full swing as the air got chillier and the last rays of late October sun almost dipped completely behind the horizon. Rowan sipped his cup of steaming apple cinnamon cider on a tall chair and table hidden in a corner just outside the café. The café was warm and cozy so he would have liked to stay inside for awhile longer, but decided against it since his server caught him staring. Staying in the room where awkward encounters took place did not suit him well.

It's a little cold for my liking, but it's still really nice out. And you can't beat the scenery.

Rowan's light gray eyes surveyed the quaint shop-lined avenue with the occasional tree stripped of leaves every 50 feet. The sun hardly touched the tops of the buildings now and few people were outside enjoying what was left of the day. They were all huddled inside a store or restaurant to keep warm.

A nippy breeze blew by, making Rowan adjust his leather coat and take another sip of his cider. Then he caught sight of his motorcycle out of the corner of his eye and made a face. The ride home was going to be a chilly one.

The seat/body warmer had broken a few days ago and he forgot to fix it before his trip. He had also forgotten his holographic wristband that had a warming option on it.

I seriously need to plan these trips better or make a checklist of the things I need before I go. Hope to god the hypershift doesn't malfunction on me. I'd hate to get back home knowing I stole some poor sucker's mechanical parts and equipment.

Time traveling was not what it was all cracked up to be.

Taking another sip of his drink, Rowan saw a group of people leaving the café he was just in. Good smells assulted his nose like it did eariler when he first came in the café when the wind picked up, making his stomach growl in response.  The bunch of friends all crossed the street like they were part of a hive mind and went into the small bookstore at the end of the strip of shops. It looked nice- he'd have to come back again tomorrow or earlier today if the weather wasn't as nice as it was today.

He leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head, and relaxed. The breeze blew at his face and ruffled his black hair, but the cider kept him from feeling the brunt of the frostiness.

"I could get used to this."