Coffee at 5 AM √

Chapter 5 ∞ Ella: Hope

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"All you have to get is root beer. And donuts," my dad had said. "Oh, but get the ones with rainbow sprinkles. They are soooo good!"

So now I'm standing outside of the grocery store, debating whether or not to go inside and risk meeting someone I know when I'm wearing my Beatles shirt and boyfriend jeans. I know it's silly, but if anyone I knew saw me, I could be in trouble. Well, to be honest, not that many people would even recognize me considering how I usually dress.

I decide to risk it and go inside. The root beer is easy to get. You see, there are very few Half Moon Bay citizens that drink root beer at nine PM. If I have to guess, my dad is the only one. Oh, and the whole two can thing? You might think one was for my dad and the other for either my mom or me, but alas, you are wrong. My father calls his late-night root beer drinking and donut eating an art, and he has therefore perfected a routine.

The first can he drinks whilst running four laps around the kitchen table. He then gets very dizzy and has to sit down. My mother tries to hide his donuts, afraid that he might throw up on the carpet if he eats them. My father then calmly explains to her that the only cure for his dizziness is donuts with rainbow sprinkles. He then continues by saying that he needs something to drink with his donuts. If she's not convinced he says, "But dear, the can is right there, and I don't want you to walk all the way to the sink just to get little old me some water."

She usually replies with, "Honey, you are too sweet. Go ahead, have some of that disgusting liquid, you've earned it."

They then bow. I roll my eyes, but laugh, as they return to their positions on the couch and watch a movie. They don't think I hear them since I always walk into my room after that, but I always stay in the hallway to hear them say it, because it fills me with something that can only be described as sweet jealousy.

"Hey, Lori? I love you."

"I love you too, Stuart."

I make my way over to the pastry aisle and quickly realize that the donuts with rainbow sprinkles are all gone. I suck in a breath and try to come up with an idea on what to do. My dad has done his stupid routine every Monday since I was four. He says it's a good way to start the week. I then remember that we have a bag of rainbow sprinkles at home, which means it'll be easy for me to fix the donuts up.

That's when I see him, running so fast he doesn't notice me. Yeesh, people always rush nowadays. The boy that had stolen my seat that morning is now in the same store as I am at the exact same time that I am. Coincidence?

I think not.

I figure that if I stay right here he might come back and see me. Then again, if he doesn't come back he won't see me. Should I follow him? NO! What are you thinking Ella?  My dad is more important and I don't even know this guy's name. I don't care if he sees me or not, why should I?

But then, of course, he walks into the same aisle that I'm in and my heart stops. I snap my head back to look at the donuts, the wrong kind, hoping he didn't notice me looking at him. I see him in my peripheral vision. He's staring. He recognizes me. He saw me this morning. I want to look back at him, it's taking all my willpower not to. Finally, he looks at the shelf in front of him, and I sneak a glance in his direction. He has dimples. Even when he isn't smiling. This is so not fair.

His eyes look so alive, and I would literally give anything to know what he is thinking right now. I love him, and I don't even know the guy. Okay, fine, I don't love him, it doesn't work that way, but I think I want to. I want to explore every inch of his mind, know everything he knows and understand everything he feels. I want to see what he was drawing this morning.