When My Shift Ends | ✓

one | first draft

She picks the freshly made coffees up from the counter and turns just in time to see the elevator doors closing. Wishful thinking leads her to believe that she can still make it if she's quick enough and so she wills her legs to sprint towards the elevator, only to have the doors shut in her face. As if that's not embarrassing enough, the coffees in her hands spilling onto her blouse a moment later really solidify that she is, in fact, a walking disaster.

Her eyes shut tightly as the scalding hot drink burns her skin.  A snicker to her left sends her eyes wide open. Curiously, she turns to find the owner of the laugh. A boy with a beanie sits in a chair, a shit-eating grin on his face as he stares back at her.

"I'm sorry," she says, gritting her teeth, "is this funny to you?"

"Yes." He adjusts in his seat, the smile never leaving his face. "You know, the elevator would've been back down in thirty seconds. You didn't have to make a run for it."

"I left my grandmother all alone. I was in a hurry to get back to her."

"I'm sure your grandmother would have been able to fend for herself for an extra thirty seconds." He glances down at her coffee-soaked shirt. "You didn't have to do that."

"I didn't want to leave her alone for long. She's here for her first chemo appointment."

"What a coincidence. Me too."

She furrows her eyebrows. "What?"

"I'm here for my first treatment too." He stands up from his chair, walking in her direction and grabbing one of the now half-empty coffees out of her hand with ease. "Maybe your grandma and I can become chemo pals."

He brings the cup up to his mouth but she swipes it out of his hand before any of the liquid has a chance to hit his tongue. He furrows his eyebrows, a frown taking over his lips. "Is that any way to treat a boy with cancer?"

"There's a coffee stand over there," she says, gesturing behind her.

"Maybe I wanted your coffee."

"Maybe you should've asked first."

"Can I have some of your coffee?"

"No," she deadpans. "I don't even know you."

"Cooper."

"What?"

He smiles. "I'm Cooper Clarke. I have cancer and I'd like a sip of your coffee. Wow, that was a lot of c's."

He raises his eyebrows and laughs. She stares back at him blankly, unsure how to respond. A soft chime alerts her to the elevator's arrival and she turns to leave, immediately being pulled back as the blond boy's hand snakes around her upper arm.

"You didn't tell me your name," he says, a smug smile playing at his lips. She has a feeling it's a smile he wears often.

"Ellie," she says, turning to leave. He tugs gently at her arm once more and she turns to him with a glare.

"Ellie what?"

She sighs. "Ellie Wilde."

He lets go of her arm and she walks towards the elevator, stopping the doors from closing by sliding her body through the gap. Just as the doors begin to shut, an arm swings through, sending them back open. Cooper leans against the side of the elevator, a smirk sat across his lips.

"What are you doing?" She asks, her tone doing justice to the irritation coursing through her body.

He crosses his arms over his chest and nods towards her hand. "The coffee?"

"No. Go buy your own."

"What if I die on my way to buy one? You will have denied a dead man's last wish by not giving me your coffee."

She rolls her eyes. "The cancer card won't work on me. I see right through your act."

"Make-a-Wish would be outraged."

With a disconcerted look in her eyes, she takes a sip from the coffee in her hand. "Oh well."

"C'mon. My medical bills are so expensive. I can't even afford a coffee."

"Good thing hospitals have plenty of free coffee." She walks forward, pressing the button to the fourth floor. "Now if you'll kindly move so I can be on my way—"

"Do you drive your grandma to all her chemo appointments?"

"I just told you this is her first one."

"But will you be? Driving her, I mean?"

She lets out a long, agitated sigh. "Yeah, probably. Why?"

He smiles. "I guess you can get me a coffee next time. Bye, Ellie."

Before she has a chance to object, he shoots her a quick wink and moves away from the elevator doors and out of sight. She peaks her head out to look for him but the metal doors closing obstruct her view and before she knows it, she's on her way to the fourth floor.

a/n: this was originally going to be a short story before i decided i liked it too much and turned it into a full-length novel. the first few chapters are shorter because of this, but they do pick up in length!