Infinite

Chapter 1 - The Simple Life

Elixa, the name written on the waitress’s shirt in bold letters, seemed so plain, as though it embodied the girl’s life in full. She had what people called ‘the simple life’. She woke in the morning, went to this draining place called work and then resumed her studies in the afternoon, with training in the evening with her Sensei. A student of psychology, it is her first year out of school and, at the age of 18, nothing exciting had happened to her. No love-struck relationship, no sweeping moment where her life would flash before her eyes, although that alone may kill her from boredom, nothing spectacular. However, something felt different this year.

 She moved swiftly through the empty tables at The Inferno, a small coffee shop, her skirt flapping soundlessly with the grace she always unconsciously carried herself with. Her slender, yet defined body, always allowed her to flow through the environment with ease, with special thanks to her years of training, the one exciting thing she had done. She reached her table of very tired looking patrons, and took out her notepad.

“And what can I get for you this morning, Alex and friend?” Alex, a young man of 20, and one of Elixa’s university friends, though she had known him for a few years, turned his dark ringed eyes to her and smiled as wide as he could muster.

“Isn’t 5am too early to be so happy, Elixa?” he groaned, exasperated.

“University keeping you up late with projects again, A?” she taunted as a playful smile spread across her lips and touched her deep brown eyes. Being two years her senior, Alex was already busy with his practical work, and always complained at how it ‘was no joke’.

“Projects are the least of my worries. It’s all this listening to other people’s problems in life that causes me not to sleep. There are some really bad things out there. Some real bad Crazies, Elixa. Just wait and see.” He looked down to the table and sighed, “all I need now, is coffee and company”

Turning to the other person to the table, a frown buried itself on her face. That’s right, he did have company this morning. She had never seen this person before. The gentleman, with no other way to describe him, looked up at her, smiling softly. His eyes, a gentle storm grey, seemed deep, yet calming. Alex, looking up from the table, followed the man’s gaze to Elixa.

“Oh, excuse me. This is Zephyr…”

“Hi there,” came the soft greeting from the grey-eyed person. And, as though she hadn’t been breathing, air rasped from her lips, “Hi”.

An awkward air flushed around the once graceful Elixa, she felt her heart skip a beat at the gentle look in the man’s eyes. Then, as though broken from a daze, she turned her eyes to Alex, partly to escape the calmness of this Zephyr’s gaze, only to realize her friend had been speaking the whole time.

“….and so we came here for coffee. I told him that it is the best I have ever had, and he being a coffee lover, wanted to see what I was making a fuss about. I am sure he would like the same as me, we have always had similar tastes, I have just always been more open about it”

“That is true,” came the short reply from Zephyr, who was now smiling jokingly at Alex. “I have always been the quiet one. Elixa, was it,” he questioned softly as he turned his eyes to her once more.

“Yes,” came the breathless reply again.

“I would love to try your coffee, please”                                 

In the kitchen of The Inferno her heart still raced. What had overcome her? She had never been so nervous before. “I would love to try your coffee, please”. The words were still ringing in her head. It was as if Zephyr had stepped out of an old romantic novel. His expressions, calm gaze, and gentle way of speaking epitomized the typical ‘gentleman’. He was completely different from Alex, though Alex had always had been rather forward towards people.

After finishing the second cup of coffee, she threw the spoon towards the sink. It spun as it loudly hit the side of the metal sink. Startled at the sound, she jumped away from the counter and grabbed her chest, her already racing heart now working overtime. Leaning against the wall, eyes closed, she tried to calm herself. What was happening to her, she had the most perfect aim at the worst of times.

“Are you okay?”

The voice broke her finally, as she took a sharp breath of fear. Wide-eyed she looked to the source. Her boss was looking at her from his office just beyond the kitchen. His dark green eyes, normally filled with joy, watched her with concern.

“I am alright, just not feeling myself today, Erik” she replied. The boss of The Inferno didn’t like being overpowering with positions and preferred first names. She was lucky to get the job with such an understanding owner, as most of her friends were always complaining of the lack of understanding within their work places.

“Alright, just be careful,” was the reply, before Erik returned to his office, his eyes joyful as ever. As he disappeared, she sighed, glad to be alone again. Calming her shaking hands, she bent over to pick up the spoon and carefully placed it in the sink.

Back in the front of the shop, Alex seemed more awake, speaking inaudibly to his friend, only stopping to laugh out at himself, no doubt. Zephyr smiled at him, and nodded once in a while at the story being told. As Elixa approached the table, the talking stopped as Alex turned to her, smiling widely.

“Sounds like you had to fight someone to make that coffee. Clashing swords again are you?” he mocked her. Yep, he was definitely awake now.

“Ha-ha, Alex. I just had a small accident with a spoon,” she said jokingly, yet her voice still trembled slightly with her nerves still in ruin, and slight embarrassment of making a fool of herself in front of this new person.

She places the cups of coffee on the table. Alex is quick to pull his cup towards himself and places his lips to the cup. He quickly recoils and put the cup back down.

“Woah, be careful Zeph, it is still pretty hot.”

Alex’s reaction sparks a small smile in his friend, which is followed by a soft and barely audible laugh. However, the laugh sounded almost like a growl, a low rumble of entertainment. Zephyr’s hand slowly, almost as if he is calculating, reaches down to his cup and moves it to his lips. Smelling the contents, he slowly tips the cup, closing his eyes, and lets it slip into his mouth.

“It is wonderful, sweet and full. The best I am yet to have,” he said, turning his attention to Elixa, cup still in hand. She smiles shyly and looks down to her hands, holding the tray she used to carry in the coffee close to her legs. “Thank you,” is all she could muster up.

Alex, who was still too busy nursing his tongue to see the interaction, looked over to the two. Zephyr’s eyes locked on Elixa and her looking down at the tray, fiddling with it nervously. A small witty smile crosses his lips. He looks down to this watch and suddenly jumps up.

“Hey, Elixa. Mind putting these in travel cups, we have to run.”

She nods and quickly packs the cups onto the tray and carries them to the order counter, speedily placing them into the cardboard boxes they have for take-away coffee. When she turns around, the two are there, Alex counting out money and Zephyr, hands in his pockets, his calm eyes watching Elixa’s hands. Their eyes meet for a moment when he looks up, and he smiles.

“Thank you,” he mouths to her, and is then quickly dragged out by Alex, carrying both cups and shouting about how he is always late for the children’s home.

Elixa, now left alone in the front of the store, wonders to herself. This Zephyr, there was something, different about him, and why had Alex never mentioned him before? This was a weird start to her normal day. Sighing she turns to the ringing of a bell as the early wakers enter the store, wearing her smile once again. “Good morning!”