Amarie

Coffee Talk

Sitting at a table for two alone, Amarie checked her phone. Nothing. She sighed as her short black hair fell into her eyes. She brushed it away and tried to tuck it under the beanie on the crown of her head. That's one more bust of a blind date to add to the list. 

1. Brad. Laura's brother who just turned 22. Didn't show up because he forgot.

2. Caleb. Ivory's best friend who just broke up with his long-time girlfriend. The emotional baggage depressed him so much he hardly talked.

3. This date: Harvey. A local heartbreaker, but apparently Orissa thought Amarie could "change him". Unknown.

Her phone vibrated as she got a text from Harvey. "Sorry babe got caught up." Then a picture of him kissing a stunning brunette. "Oh, that wasn't for you." Caught up with what? Well, what was she supposed to expect? Harvey riding into Uncle Nancy's on a white horse in a tuxedo carrying flowers while singing a  song he wrote about his undying love? He's just a player. Not Fabio. 

She finished her hot chocolate she had disguised as coffee (coffee hadn't ever tasted less than disgusting without every package of sugar, creamer, and vanilla syrup to her) and left. Walking towards her car, her mind was occupied with how gullible she seemed, even to herself. All the way home she was thinking what her friends would say. Laura would probably try to console her, Ivory would try to tell her in a nice way "What did you expect?" and Orissa would be saying how she was so sure it would work out this time, and that Harvey was secretly sweet. Honestly, Orissa probably liked him herself, Amarie thought. Maybe SHE could change him.

Amarie started baking for her Laura's birthday the next afternoon, making the white chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies she loved. "Whoever I end up with better love these too," she said quietly to herself as she popped them in the oven. She went off to read for a half hour while they baked, and she could smell the vanilla from her small living room. Amarie lived on the second floor of a small, friendly-looking apartment complex, and she actually liked living in a smaller, cozier space. She had hung antique maps on the ivory wall, and paper swans in a flock on the baby blue one, and had made sure that it was always clean. She never knew when she'd have company.

"Ding dong. Di-Di-Di-Ding Dong," the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" she called from the kitchen.

After setting the cookies on a cooling rack, she answered. An excited looking Ivory greeted her.

"Hi, Iv-"

"Amarie! Can I come in?"

"Sure, what's happened?"

"Your date happened! Tell me!"

Before she knew what had happened, she was steering Ivory away from the cookies and onto the couch.

"Ivory, calm down."

"TELL M-!"

"He didn't show up," Amarie interrupted quietly.

"What?"

"He didn't show, and then sent me this." Amarie showed her the texts and the pictures. 

"That a-"

"Ivory, he's not worth your breath. It's fine, really."

"Mmmm..."

"Do you want some tea or something?"

"What do you have?"

"Peppermint, herbal, and lemon and ginseng."

"Lemon and ginseng please."

"I'll be right back."

Amarie left to get the tea smiling to herself for two reasons.

1. She was grateful to have a friend that got so angry so she didn't steam over it herself.

2. She didn't like tea and had only bought it for her friends, who all loved it. Peppermint for Laura, herbal for Orissa, and lemon and ginseng for Ivory. She had learned their favorites a while ago.

"Here you are," Amarie said, handing her the steaming tea.

"Thanks. Do you think I could have a cookie?" Ivory said, looking hungrily towards the kitchen.

Amarie smiled.