Back to the Beginning

Chapter 8

"Hey, Miles!" I shouted as I walked through the glass doors, and the first thing that hit me was the strong smell of coffee.

"Oh, hey, there Samantha." Miles smiled politely at me as he made his way from behind the counter by jumping over it. He always does that, but he's employee of the month, so no one really cares.

The lights are always dimmed in here, and all the walls were painted with soft colors, as if to set the perfect, relaxed mood. I scuffed my feet on the brown tiles and quietly hummed to the tune of the faint, soothing music playing.

Miles lead me to one of the seats in the corner and as I took a seat on the velvet colored couch, he pulled out a notepad from the small apron that was tied to his waist.

"Welcome to Brewed," he said in a bored tone while giving me a sarcastic smile, "How may I help you?"

He slipped out the pen that was also in the pocket of his black apron and was ready to write down my usual.

"Do you really have to ask?" I chuckle lightly, loving the mood this place sets me in.

Miles starts giggling, "No, but I haven't said that in a long time." He says, returning the notepad and pen to its rightful place. "I've been on cashier duty for over two months, and as easy as it is, I really don't want to make a living by pressing buttons all day."

"Okay, if you've been on cashier duty for so long, why do you have a notepad and pen ready in your pocket?" I ask, pointing at his apron and stifling a laugh.

Miles narrowed his eyes and pointed his index finger right in my face before whispering over-dramatically, "Don't judge me."

He whirled around and strolled his way back to the counter and stepped in front of the cash register, and pressing a bunch of buttons before repeating my order to me, "Mint mocha frapp?"

"You know it." I say before relaxing into my seat and placing my old schoolbag onto my lap.

I take out my laptop and its charger and place them both on the small, glass coffee table before placing my bag onto the ground. I plugged in my charger and placed my laptop on my lap, opening up Pandora while plugging in headphones.

I sat there for about five minutes, jamming out to my own songs, thinking about my past, my present and my future.

It's never going to work with Jasper if I leave.

That one thought was enough to make my head explode. I'm guessing I was spaced out on the idea of leaving, that I didn't even see Miles in front of me before he snapped his fingers in my face.

I shook my head, as if to get rid of my poisonous thoughts, and took a headphone out of one ear.

He handed me my frap, and I handed a five dollar bill and a thank you.

But he didn't leave after that; he just stood there, hands across his chest and a blonde eyebrow raised at me. I put in the other headphone and focused my gaze on the screen, knowing that he'd want to talk about whatever's wrong with me. He poked my shoulder a few times--or a hundred times before I finally gave in and took off both my headphones with a groan.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"Do you see anyone else in here?" He scoffs, to which I roll my eyes at and bend both of my legs to my chest, clutching them tightly. I look around the petite coffee shop, and there was no one there except a worker who was cleaning the counter up.

"Whatever," I grumble, closing up my laptop and placing it on the coffee table. I tried to avoid his gaze because Miles knows me way too well.

His black, curly hair looked shiny when he ran a hand through it, and the dim lighting made his usual porcelain skin glow.