amongst the stars~(complete)

43.

"WHAT THE HELL!!" the room once filled with lulled voices turned silent and the sweet air took a bitter turn.

"THIS IS NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR. THIS COFFEE IS FAR TOO COLD!!"

the boy who had glared at me early stomped to the counter and slammed the foam cup down, it crushed under the weight of his hand and steamy liquid poured over the counter.

"I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU THE DRINK NEED TO BE 200 DEGREES EXACTLY. THIS HAS TO BE AROUND 130!! I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER!!"

A million eyes were in my direction and I flinched back with every word he yelled.

"S-sir I apoligize...I could make you a new coffee if you'd like...a-and give you a refund on the other one..."

This is what I was told to do if a customer was unsatisfied with their drink.

"NO, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED!! A FAG SHOULDN'T BE WORKING HERE ANYWAYS!!"

The quiet in the air became the quiet inside of me when he spoke that word.

'Faggot'

I hadn't been called that in so long...I almost forgot what it meant.

I was brought back to those hellish days at school and my body ached all over again.

"Excuse me!?"

The boy turned abruptly at the yell of another voice.

"Who the hell do you think you are!? Assuming that about this poor boy without even actually knowing him!! And what would it matter if he was gay!! This is a professional establishment and homophobia will not be allowed!"

My manager stood in the doorway to the kitchen lunged out toward the young man whose face had turned red with anger and embarrassment.

My manager's name was Chris.

Chris placed a soft hand on my shoulder and stared menacingly into the boy's eyes, "He made a mistake and he apologized and offered you another drink. Take it or get out!"

The boy huffed and without another word walked out of the cafe, slamming the glass doors behind him.

His friends still sat in their corner booth. They had watched the entire scene in silence.

"I apologize for the disturbance everyone, please, continue with your night." Chris's voice boomed over the small space in a calming way that reassured everyone that everything was okay now.

Chris looked at me with soft eyes, "Are you okay Charlie?"

I nodded.

"Come into the back room, let's talk." he called another employee to the counter and I followed him into the break room.

"Customers like that will come in every so often, I wouldn't bother with it. They have their own issues and when something small happens they explode." Chris sat at a small table and I sat across from him.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" his voice seemed to get more hushed with each sentence.

I nodded again.

"Oh, here, your tie is crooked." he reached across the table and his soft fingers brushed against my chest, he tightened the deep blue tie around my neck and I looked up at him.

His dark hair curled long and soft down to his ears and his face was soft and plush but curved in all the proper places. His eyes were the deepest blue I had never seen and I imagined swimming in them.

"You're a sweet boy and a good worker Charlie."

He kept calling me boy and he.

It made everyone bad that had happened flush away and I felt like I passed as who I wanted to be.