Behind The Name.

Chapter 4- Computers and Coffee

I'm on the verge of throwing this laptop out of the window. Some genius decided that when a laptop was about to die, it would beep and announce it to the surrounding mile or so. Outside, on the school field, there are too enthusiastic year 7's playing Rounders or something. All I can hear is screaming, screaming and, you'll never guess, more screaming. As my entire English class looks around to watch me suffer (I think), Mr Brady wanders over to me.

"What's going on?" He half laughs. I look at him exasperated. I point at the computer and say in a perfectly calm voice-

"I'm going to throw it out the window. The thing is dying but of course it won't let me turn it off..."

"Make sure you really try to miss those year 7's. I'd hate for them to be quiet and allow us to actually learn something." I snorted. A habit I seem to be acquiring. He smiles and walks back to helping other students. Finally, the bloody thing shuts up after it runs out of battery. I let a rather loud sigh of relief and the girl in front turns around.

"I don't believe we've met. Alyssa Clark. And you are?"

"Maya Anker." I look at her slightly dumfounded. There's no way on earth I would ever just introduce myself to someone. I think I'd rather get shampoo in my eyes every time I shower. And that shit stings.

Finally, after a very tiring day I'm walking on the way to my job at the café. I found out whilst coming in at lunch that Mrs Rhodes in fact lives only a few roads away. How ironic. So, being the angel she is, she's going to pick up Alfie and take him home. So here I am completely outside of my comfort zone, standing outside the café.

Taking a deep breath, I strode confidently up the concrete steps outside the building and opened the door. But, then I tripped on the last step and sort of fell into the café. I look up from the stone floor and slowly pick myself up. I excuse myself and jog to the backroom.

It's 2 hours later when he and his friends trundle in. It's 2 hours later when my heart physically stops. It's 2 hours later when my manager tells me to serve these customers before heading home. 

Cooper and his friends, I'm assuming, are sitting surprisingly quiet, on a far table. Cooper's on his phone and the others are talking animatedly between themselves. I slowly approach the table, slightly aware of my shaky hands. Coughing to grab their attention, they one by one turn their heads and acknowledge my existence. But one."That's bad for your vocal chords you know"

"What?" I turn to Cooper. His brunette hair styled in a lazy quiff and his eyes still aiming at his phone. A game of puppet soccer, I should've known.

"Clearing your throat is bad for your vocal chords" He reiterates, glancing up from his phone and giving me a cheeky grin.

"Oh-" I blurt slightly flustered "-okay" He turns off his phone and slides it into his blazer pocket and chuckles a little. Face moderately red, I turn to the rest of the group of 6 and ask them for their orders.

"Do you guys know each other?" A blonde at the left hand corner of the table asks completely ignoring my question.

"No" I stumble but at the very same time as he clearly speaks-

"Yes." Looking slightly panicked I shoot my head to Cooper who's clearly finding this situation funny. "Guys, this is Maya Anker. My new friend!" Scrunching my eyebrows and my eyes wide open, I turn to Cooper. 

"We're not friends." 

"No I don't suppose we should be..." I raise my eyebrows, this is not going how I expected. "After all, you did cause me to get this bruise." I look up at his forehead and see the mauve bruise, still pretty fresh on his head. I find it quite funny but I wouldn't tell him so. 

"You punched him?" A coffee-brown haired stranger says from sitting beside Cooper.

"No! No! He walked in to a pole!" I say desperately, I couldn't have a reputation for no friends and abusing people! 

"Don't listen to her, I was sitting perfectly calmly at the bus stop and all of a sudden I was being held to the ground by an angry red-head. Flailing arms everywhere and I asked for pity but the heartless lunatic wouldn't permit my escape." I snort. Well, at least I was winning in this imaginary scenario. His friends look at him, not believing a word of it. Finally the one beside him speaks, 

"So Cooper, when did you walk into a pole?" Cooper sighs. 

"Buses are hard to walk on okay..." Looking in disbelief his friends, who I must ask the names for, fall into a fit of laughter at the mere idea of Cooper walking smack bang into a pole. Eventually, I get their orders, and deliver the coffees and hot chocolates to their table and, as their now the last people here, I wait for them to finish and start wiping down the tables. I shout to the backroom that I'm leaving and start walking down the steps. I didn't get as far as 10 meters before a shout through the quiet street halts my steps. 

"Hey Maya, do you need a lift?"