What Comes Next

Chapter 2: Antoinelle

Chapter 2: Antoinelle

As I walked into the store, I wafted the heavenly scent into my nostrils. I sighed with pleasure and sat down on the seat nearest to me, dropping my bag onto the next seat. Here I was in my element, surrounded by the smell of coffee in a little place called Starbucks. One thing people get wrong about me and Starbucks: I'm not obsessed with it, I'm just a dedicated coffee drinker. Coffee is one of those things the world needs to survive. Without it, the citizens of this universe would be a tired and boring batch of people.

"Daydreaming again about changing the world one step at a time with the power of a latte?" said a voice coming from behind the register. I looked up and saw the manager (a.k.a. supreme overlord) Max. He also happens to be one of the very few people on this earth that's privileged to be my best friend. He grinned at me and said, "I still think the power of a caramel cappuccino overpowers the power of a mere latte."

How dare he question the authority of a latte to rule to planet! Just thinking about it was downright outrageou-- "So, a soymilk vanilla latte with two pumps of hazelnut?" Max interrupted my thoughts with a smirk, knowing I would back down to my most favorite Starbucks order.

I pursed my lips at him. "You know how low you went right there?"

"How low?" he replied, mixing together the ingredients for my drink.

"So low that you lied next to the coffins."

"Is that a threat to my precious life?"

"Now why would you think of that?" I said, my voice oozing with sarcasm. I bit my tongue as I held back a laugh, watching as he tried to discern whether or not I meant it or not. No matter how much he tried, the king of Starbucks could never figure out when a person is using sarcasm. Max kept making weird faces as he played back what I said in his head. It didn't help that every time I looked at him I'd burst into another round of laughter.

Eventually, Max noticed that I was making fun of his desperate attempt at understanding the beautiful gift of sarcasm. "Maybe I shouldn't give you your latte." he threatened, squinting his eyes at me. My face fell quickly as I began to beg for my darling little latte.

Seeing as he had the upper hand, Max laughed at me and said, "Should've thought about that before you used the forsaken language."

"It's just sarcasm Max!" I reasoned. "No need to get upset about it."

"There is a need. I'm sorry I have to do this to you."

"Max! You don't have to do this. Just put the latte down and walk away." Max started moving slowly towards the window, one arm holding the latte as if to spill it out the window. In a split second, I decided to jump over the counter, figuring modesty wasn't my biggest problem at the moment.

Jumping over a three-foot tall counter is never a good idea, especially if you're five foot three. Add on the fact that I was wearing a denim skirt, and you have a particularly embarrassing situation. I'd deal with it later.

Max swerved away from the window, and as I grabbed his shoulder, he lost his grip on the latte. Watching the drink freefall to its fate, I lunged at the floor towards the only thing worth saving. In a moment I felt my fingers grip the cup, and I sighed with relief.

All of the sudden, I saw a teaspoon of the vanilla goodness spill out of the cup onto the floor. As I sat the Starbucks cup down, I mourned over the loss of a great drink. Those drops probably cost me a few precious pennies.

From the corner of the counter, I heard chuckling. I turned towards the man I call a friend, giving him the stink eye. Max shrugged and danced around me back to the register. "I think we're about even now."