Over A Cup Of Coffee

The night was waning. Little, miniscule hints of daybreak were growing on the skyline. The usually bustling pavement and congested roads were now quiescent, leaving only the distinct rustling of the fallen leaves on the ground to be heard.

Her peace was disturbed when her alarm clock emitted a cacophony of rings, chiming and rooster crowing into the air. 

She remained still in her bed.

"Mmmf," She responded. She thrashed her arm around recklessly, seeking the only object that annoyed her the most at that point of time. 

Until she hit her wrist on the edge of her study table.

"SHOOT!" 

Calie leaped out of her bed instantaneously, rubbing her wrist and jumping up and down on the same spot. 

"Seventh time this week," Calie muttered under her breath, sending a withering look at the table. "The feeling is mutual."

Still in her PJs, she dragged herself into the bathroom, then tip-toeing on the cold marble flooring before she vigorously brushed her teeth. Filling a tumbler glass, she proceeded to splash the water into her mouth.

Just that she missed and icy water hit her chest.

"Great." Calie's thoughts were starting to brim with sarcasm. If the sink was a table, she would flip it. Or maybe the cup.

"Just great."

*

Calie ran her fingers through her recently blown-dry hair before neatly tying it into a high ponytail. Then, she applied as minimal eyeliner as she could manage onto her lids before dusting on a little silver. Furthermore, she was still a student. 

Decked out in a spotless white shirt, high waist knee long black pencil skirt, she turned around a couple times in front of the mirror to check for any loose threads. It took Calie a long time to be satisfied. 

After all, it was her last day of work at the cafe. At least until the next school holidays. 

Moving out of the door, she gently closed it behind her before she moved down the staircase. Reaching the shoe rack, she slipped on a black shiny pair of flat heel shoes.

"Goodbye. Will be back!" Calie announced to her house before she left. Not that anyone would have heard her or that it was meant for anyone. Her parents were overseas on a business trip and had left her and her brother to take care of themselves.

Well, her brother was not at home. Him being the hot popular guy that had nearly the whole female population of their school in his hands, he was going to party right to the last minute.

She, being the perhaps polar opposite of him, the nerd of her class, was going to work. 

Calie smiled a little as she reached the cafe. The New Year decorations were still up, and they were all her work. She unlocked the cafe before locking it behind her, the usual bell tinkling as the door moved.

"Always the first to arrive and last to leave!" Calie thought to herself with pride. Then she painfully remembered having to drink two orders of caffeine that were took wrongly by her colleague, Kaylee, yesterday. 

It was an arduous task for her to fall asleep. 

She smiled a little as she took out the cups and glasses before using a wet cloth to clean them again even though they were already washed last night. 

Calie could never emphasize enough on hygiene. 

The bell tinkled again and Calie's heart felt a little high as she held her breath. Then she looked up.

The guy had dark messy hair that fell all over his forehead, nearly covering his warm chocolate eyes. He was taller than Calie by almost a head even though they were the same age. He wasn't all muscular like those sports people, like her brother, but she knew he had a six-pack a week before when it was sweltering hot.

He was like; near perfect. However he chose to attend a neighbourhood school out of defiance towards his parents instead of for the prestigious school Calie and her brother attended.

"Hey there, Aiden." Calie smiled.

"What the shit you're always early!" Aiden leaned slightly on one of the tables, his arms crossed with his face displaying mock annoyance.

"Well, try better next time." Calie encouraged as she walked over to the door and flipped the signboard to say "Open". "Now let's get down to work, Kaylee's on leave today."

*

Calie watched as the one of the girls took a snapshot of her coffee. Probably, she was going to upload it  to some social networking site. 

"Hey," a familiar voice drawled. "Don't space out when you're at work." 

Calie looked up at the person in front of her at the counter and rolled her eyes.

"Thats not proper attitude."

Well, that person was Kai Austin, another popular guy that also had nearly the whole female population of the school in his hands. His attire was perpetually swanky and he had an overbearing level of self-confidence.

Not today.

Kai now wore a worried look.

"Three cafe lattes."

"Okay."

Calie looked behind Kai. Behind him, was this formally dressed couple. Calie gave Kai a smirk as she turned to make his lattes. Arrogant as he could get; he was still a mouse in front of his parents. She waited for the espresso to fill the cups.

What were people like Kai's parents doing here? They owned a successful company. In their formal attire, they just looked a little out of place in the little cafe.

Calie grabbed a carton of milk and poured it in a thin strand, before she held the carton lower to create her design. Then the next. And the other one.

Placing them on a tray, she placed them on the counter.

"I was about to ask someone else to do my lattes," Kai raised an eyebrow. "But never mind. See you at school tomorrow."

Kai passed her the money for the lattes. Sauntering back towards his parents with the tray in his hands, Calie resisted the rising urge to laugh. The sight was hilarious. 

Kai Austin. With a tray. Minus the muscles, she could totally imagine him in a maid costume with all the glimmery stuff.

Aiden came out of the kitchen with a mocha cake, heading for the refrigerator.

"Hey, you see that guy? I'm going to bear with people like him starting tomorrow. Please. If you come to our school it'll make school more bearable." Calie pointed at Kai, who was checking out the girls that were taking pictures of their coffee.

Calie would have sworn Aiden's face looked a little thoughtful but it was wiped away in a second as he laughed.

"Well, good luck!" 

He headed back into the kitchen.

Calie leaned on the counter and sighed. She'd change school to Aiden's if things didn't go better the next term.

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Hey there, thanks for reading my story. Do comment and vote if you want to! The next chapter will be about Calie and school :)

Cover by HanesRaines