Dark & Light

Chapter One

Ding ding!
The familiar bell I had heard so many times in my life since beginning work at Christy's Coffee & Cream Shop (well over two years ago) rang once again, announcing that a new customer had arrived and coffee break spent reading Suzanne Collin's Mockingjay was over.
After an elderly lady requested an apple cider donut-our fall special- and a black coffee, I sneaked a peek at the next page of my coveted new book I had longed to read for a long time. (Actually, it really wasn't my book. It was on loan from the public library; but who needs to really know that right now?)
Just as I was discovering how Katniss might possibly make it out of the sewers from the mutts-a totally suspenseful part in Mockingjay if you know anything about the Hunger Games-my boss and owner of the coffee shop caught me.
The second time today!
"Paige! Get to work, now." She nearly yelled the words, causing everyone sitting with cell phones, newspapers, books, and steaming coffee at tables, sitting on chairs to turn their heads towards visible me behind the counter. I frowned quite slightly, embarrassed and upset. I hadn't gotten a full break in earlier, plus there was nothing to do right now anyway. Whats been up with Christy anyhow lately?
Almost as mean as when Peeta was brainwashed and trying to kill Katniss.
I laughed inwardly at myself. Man, was I obsessed with those books and movies.
Guess I'm just so much like her, that's why. I understood her probs, even if I wasn't being forced to participate in a massive teen massacre event to the death.

***

At dinner break, Christy took over my job, warning me to be back within fifteen minutes. I'm not sure what she was worried and warning me about: I always ate in a corner of the cafe in very obvious sight. I grabbed my book from my backpack and pulled out a torn brown paper bag with a mini sub sandwich which was stuffed inside.
I looked around at all the colors, sights and sounds surrounding me as I bit into my chicken sub sandwich. The cream colored wall of the quaint shop contrasted with the neon colors of some brightly-dressed teens crouching in a corner corner table silently drinking vanilla frappes.
A man with his coffee latte was buried behind a newspaper stood to the left of the cafe. He was a morning regular, always ordering two glazed donuts and one medium coffee. Literally no variety for an entire year that I was familiar with and knew the man.
Another regular, fully equipped with all three of her children under five, caused the greatest of noises and loud sequences to the other customers and Christy herself. She always ordered something for her children, such as toasted pop tarts to munch on, as they were messily doing now with frosted mouths creased in cute smiles.
"Paige, for gosh sakes, get over here!" Christy's voice implied she had called me several times and I had just heard now. That's one of my many bad qualities-I'm bad of hearing while deep in thought.
"Take care of this customer! I need to work in the back." I crumpled my paper bag, threw it in the nearby garbage can, and ran to the front counter.
"Hello, how can I..."
I paused, as I just had looked up from the menu to read aloud the customary greeting I gave a few hundred times a day to each and every customer.
"Hey," the boy responded. He looked like he was about eighteen, with his extremely tall height, and long black hair that nearly reached down to his eyes to only partially reveal ocean blue eyes hidden underneath. A small smile played around his lips, but I could see he wore it as a disguise and not one that expressed genuine happiness. (Wonder how I know that? Experience bro, experience.) Saggy blue jeans spotted with numerous holes on the lower legs hung at his waist, matched with an equally worn out jean jacket over a grey hoodie. He wore a "Rebel" labeled dark blue snap back hat that lay cocked to the side resting on his left ear, where a black round stud was piercing the same ear. Despite his appearance, he didn't seem like he was at all the cocky boy type.
His ocean blue eyes were downcast, as he scrolled through some social site on his tiny smartphone. He looked up to meet my eyes. He paused, and looked into them, as I stared back into his, slightly uncomfortable.
"Have you been working here long?" He asked me.
"Um, yeah. Why?"
"Do you know what's the best here? For a coffee drink or something?"
"Oh yeah," I said relieved his question wasn't one to be creeped out about. "Mmm... I'd say the caramel frappe with lots of whipped cream, is my favorite." I hungered for one of those heavenly treats myself right about now.
"Okay I'll have one of those, Caramel's my favorite, with lots of cream on top. Besides, it's the Coffee & Cream shop, right?" He grinned, showing perfectly straight white teeth as he did so.
I grinned back. "Yes, it is. That will be two dollars and thirty five cents."
"You have been working here awhile," he commented as he reached into his back pocket.
I laughed lightly when I realized what he meant. "Yeah, so many order these that I have the price memorized."
He handed me three dollar bills with a half smile on his face, and I counted the change and handed it back to him with a receipt.
"Hold on and I'll get one caramel frappe in a jiffy. With lots of cream." I turned around to the mixers to make one caramel frappe for the strangely friendly boy behind me.
I wonder if he goes to my school. Never seen him there before. Wait, he did say he was new around here. I'm not gonna ask though. That'd be stupidly embarrassing.
I sprayed lots of whipped cream on top, popped in a plastic straw and spoon, and turned around. The boy with the earring and snapback hat wasn't there, though. I looked around the tables; he wasn't sitting down either anywhere. Finally I noticed a tall, slim boy in worn jeans and jacket texting on his phone, and leaning against the wall nearby. I walked over to Mr. Phone Obsessed and awkwardly stepped near him, holding his frappe.
"Um, here's your order here, sir."
"Oh hey, sorry I left the corner."
"It's fine, I mean you paid already. You have a good day, sir."
"You too, thanks," he said with none of the ease he had a single minute ago.
His eyes held a long lingering glance into mine as he took the large cup from my hands. Noticing, it seemed, what he had been doing, he quickly turned away and started typing on his phone with a slight frown on his face as he did so.
I wondered about his quick change in mood, but shrugged and went back to work.

***

That evening, I snuggled into my lounge pants and tank top and sat cross legged in bed, looking at the texts on my phone from today that I had missed while at work, then moved onto emails. There was a school assignment, community housing bill that'd soon be paid for, and an email from Miss Stacy, my Advanced Algebra teacher.
Hello Paige,
As you know you're at the lead of your Algebra II class. I was wondering if you'd like to help volunteer for our school's math tutoring program, which would you mean you would meet for a few hours each Saturday morning with a student behind in his or her level of mathematics? Only select students are given the option of participating in this program that will take place at the Jefferson High's library, and I hope you will be able to help if this interests you.
Let me know. The orientation for student tutors will be Thursday, the 20th, after school at 3:30, and tutoring will start the following Saturday, the 22nd. Thank you!

Regards,
Miss Stacy

I actually began to get a little excited about the opportunity of doing something like this as I read. After all, working with little kids was one of my favorite things to do, and I loved Algebra and mathematics in general. I would definitely do this, as long as I could convince my boss at work taking a few hours off Saturday was worth it. Even though that meant less money for my college fund, I wanted to do it. I needed more extra curriculars anyway on my resume. Plus, I just felt compelled this would be a great activity-I'd learn alot, and it just might distract me-from everything else.
Though I tried to focus as I typed out a response to Miss Stacy, I strangely couldn't stop wondering and thinking, about the boy with the earring, snapback hat, and worn-out clothes I had met today. My thoughts for some crazy reason couldn't concentrate on anyone but him, while I sat in the dark of my room and the loneliness of my heart.

***

Hey guys! So what do you think of this chapter? Of Paige, and the mysterious teenage guy? Their apparently shared love of caramel frappes and cream? (Hey, I agree with their taste there. xD) Let me know in the comments, vote if you enjoyed this chapter, and share too!
Things are moving a bit slow for now, but no worries, they'll pick up soon! ;)
Thanks so much for reading!!

Xx,
Veronica