Clouded - the stars in your eyes

Chapter 2 - Coffee

I sleepily eye myself in the mirror.

My dark brown hair is going every possible direction. I yawn and grab toothbrush.

"Vincent!? Your friends are waiting!" my mother exclaims in the hallway.

Right! It's Saturday! Peter and Louis wanted to go to that new café that opened a few streets away. And I slept till 12 o'clock, typical...

"I'll be right there!" I shout back and almost jump into a pair of Jeans and a dark green hoodie. I finish brushing my teeth, quickly fix my hair so it kinda looks like I want it to be this spiky and grab my coat.

Outside Peter and Louis are already waiting.

"What took you so long?" Peter asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe I've been texting with a girl? What do you know?" I say and play hurt.

"Like you have a girlfriend!" Louis laughs as his short blond hair whips back and forth, "You're Vince! You don't even look at girls because you're always concentrated on some book."

"Hey! I've had plenty of before girlfriends! I just don't like anyone currently," I announce and put my hands in my pockets, "Can't say that for you, Louis! You've been into that Kylie for mooonths now!"

His head turns red like a tomato at which I and Peter begin to laugh. It just looks to funny with his light hair.

He first looks angry but then can't help but laugh to. We all breath out white clouds in the cold air.

Peter collects himself after a few more giggles, "Come on, guys. We should head to the café now. It's freezing!"

Louis and I nod eagerly and we start making our way down the street.

The streets are crowding with people even out here, so far from the main road. Almost all hold clourful shopping bags. Full of Christmas presents I'm guessing. It's not far from Christmas after all.

We turn a corner and stop of front of a building with a glass front and two big entrance doors. Above the doors a sign states "Lavender Café" in dark purple and cursive letters.

"Doesn't sound cliché at all," I sigh and look over at Peter who's been clinging to his phone ever since we started walking here.

He breaths out a cloud in the cold air, "What? You guys wanted to hang out and my sister just texted me about this."

I feel a hand on my shoulder and as I turn around I hear Louis add, "As long as the coffee's good, it's fine by me!" I nod and open the wide doors.

A stream of warm air hits my face as I step into the inside of the café. The room's kinda small and the tables and chairs don't really help. All in purple of course to hint at name.

Most tables are already taken but we surprisingly spot a table pretty close to the glass front. We take a seat and eye the menu.

The cake's pretty expensive... I furrow my brows. I guess a coffee will do.

Peter notices my expression, "It's really not the cheapest place..." Louis nods in agreement.

I look around the room. A girl and her mother are sharing a piece of chocolate cake, one of the cheaper ones. Two girls are giggling over a mobile which has a bright pink heart on its case.

A waitress coming up to us catches my attention and I quickly check the menu again.

"What would you like to order?" she asks with a close eyed smile behind her black bangs.

"One milk coffee please," I say and smile a little back at her. Her cheery personality really spreads I'm guessing.

"One coffee black for me, please," Peter says looking at his phone.

Lastly Louis announces with a smile, "One milk coffee for me too, please. And a piece of chocolate cake!"

The waitress notes everything and leaves our table.

"What're you always looking on your phone for?" I ask Peter with a sceptic look, "You've been clinging to it ever since we met up!"

Louis puts a hand on Peter's shoulder, "Oh, he's probably still texting with your colleagues." He looks down at him, "Aren't you?"

Peter looks up with a slightly annoyed expression, "Stop calling them colleagues! I'm still in university and you know it! Anyways it's just a few friends from over there. They all think I'm the one who'd explain the stuff we learned all over again..." He shortly pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers, "How's everything going for you?"

Louis puts his arms behind his neck and lead back in his purple chair, "Pretty good, I guess. I'm still not used to not being in a class with Vince though. I mean, me and Vince were still in school in summer..."

"So you're really not going to university this year, Vince? Are you still working in that small bookstore?" Peter asks with a raised eyebrow.

I sigh, "Yeah... Still only part time by the way... I still can't decide what I really want to do. I mean, sure art college would be an option but.... I just don't know yet." I grit my teeth. Just got my A levels and I don't know what the heck I wanna do with my life. It's just great.

As I stop my sentence the waitress from before walks up to us and sets down a tray with our coffee and Louis' cake. We all thank her as she walks away.

Suddenly the bell rings. I turn around and see the girl who ate the chocolate cake leave hand in hand with her mother.

When I turn back to our table Louis has already digged into his cake, "This was so worth the price!" I smile.

But shortly after I sigh. It's not easy to not know what to do with one's life. Especially when you just finished school and all your friends are already so invested in university or the like.

I wonder which path I'll take and what, or better, who I meet along the way.