The Coffee Shop Story

Chapter Three

We talked for a while, a lot longer than I had thought. Just about life mostly. What we planned to do after college. Not really worried about the time.

"Hey, you guys almost done here?" Alissa asked from the top of the stairs.

"What time is it?" I questioned, looking over to where she was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Uhh...," she paused, looking at her watch. "Eleven o'clock."

"What‽"

"Seriously!"

"You guys have been up here for a while."

"Oh really?" I responded sarcastically.

"Hey, that's not my problem, smart ass. I'm leaving now."

I read I pulled out my phone, reading 11:02 AM.

Damnit!

"Look I'm sorry, I have to go. I'm actually late for class already," I explained as I hurriedly got up from my chair.

"Hope to see you soon," I waved as I dashed down the stairs.

"Hey, give that boy this when he leaves. His name is Tristan, be nice to him," I informed Matt, who was now playing cashier at the cafe, when I got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey that's my hoodie!" He yelled at me as I walked towards the door.

I flashed him as a quick smile as I left the cafe.

The weather was nice that day. The sky was a pretty blue, the clouds were white marble on the blue satin, dove grey underneath and they were thin enough to let the light through.

I walked quietly down the hall, trying my best to slip through the door and to an empty seat unnoticed.

"Excuse me, Mr. Rosiello, why are you late to my class?" Professor John sternly asked.

"Umm I woke up late," I stuttered out loud enough for him to hear.

I slid into a chair close to the door and quietly sat my bag down, trying to not make any noises that were unnecessary.

~

The whole lecture, all I could think about was him. Mystery boy Tristan. I blatantly ignored the professor and tried my best to recreate the curls that covered the top of his head on the edge of my notes.

"- have on the Revolutionary realist movement?" Professor John projected towards the class.

I could see his eyes drifting from the class over to me and back to the class but I continued to draw in the margin of my paper.

"So, Mr. Rosiello, how did Gustave Courbet impact the revolutionary realist movement?"

The sudden question, brought me back from my thoughts. I racked my brain for all things Gustave and realist movement.

"Gustave Courbet was a French painter and played a key role in the mid-nineteenth century realist movement...," I blurted out, breathing heavy after trying to save my ass from ridicule.

"Good," Professor mumbled as he paced to other side of the room.

I hate when people pace.

The temperature had dropped at least five degrees since last I've been outside. I clutched the sides of my jacket with my bare hands as I practically sprinted to the coffee shoppe.

The wind kicked up a bit too as I turned on Green Street, so I decided to make the walk to the shoppe, to admire the gorgeous view.

I had seen shadows before but none compared to those cast by the skyscrapers. More than that, there were hardly any trees in the inner city, which was unfortunate to say the least because they were my favorite part. The wind started to blow a bit fiercer as I walked, blowing my jacket open.

"Hey Alex, your friend left this note for you," Gina, the server there, informed me.

I took the slip of paper questionably from her hands and opened it as I walked to the back of the shoppe.

~

Hey Alex, thanks for buying me the coffee even though I ruined your nice shirt, most people would've just yelled at me.

I had a great time, hopefully I'll see you again.

-Tristan

~

My eyes widened a bit before a small smile settled on my face.

He liked it?

"What are you smiling for, handsome?" Mrs. Lillian joked as we passed each other in the hallway to her office.

"Oh, nothing ma'am, just a stupid little note," I replied, smiling her way as I went to put my bag in the back.

I slid my apron on and proceeded to walk out back to the sitting area.

This was going to be an interesting day.