The Lost Coffee Beans (Book 1)

Chapter 1: Coffee w/ Vodka

Life has different meanings if you measure it by people's perspectives. It just happens that mine was far different from others. When you know that you've been a failure to yourself, regretting every decision you made. Then, a miracle happened - something out of a fairy tale. Trying to prove something while drunk to the person you've been with for the past four years or so is not a fairy tale of some sort. It was an unending discussion. One ugly argument. Rather, beautiful.

I was drunk with whiskey and vodka because, that's what you get to drink in one of the most privileged college fraternities. Can't blame a college student who is completely broke and dumb at the same time trying all his best to live the life he always wanted. I imagined myself in Harvard or Yale when I was 12, by now that I'm 19 and grown, my dreams are just starting on becoming as dreams. I'm this close for being a McDonald's crew member answering people from the drive through windows on what dip they want on their chicken nuggets; will your drinks be upgraded to a large?

Shit happens. Sometimes that shit turns out to be me.

I live in a small apartment where the kitchen is as big as the bathroom which is not big, an average room where I can invite my friends for sleepovers, and a living room with a 32 inch flat-screen T.v. I have a pet gecko named "Lucca" I have neon lights installed around his tank which defines his name (in Greek, it means light-bringer). With only the neon lights turned on, he fluoresces the brightest of orange.

I grew up in a family who believes in a lot of superstitions. That's why I bought a gecko, it brings wisdom and good fortune. I was that desperate. Enough with my lizard friend- I have this neighbor who turned out to be my bestfriend. The person who I spend most of the time goofing around...

My quiet neighbor and dog loving bestfriend, his name is Samuel. We've been friends for almost four years now. We moved out of our parents' house at the same time. We found ourselves in the nearest diner in San Francisco next to a bus stop. The story was that my bus happens to stop at the diner for a quick bathroom break but, I went inside and grabbed me one of the diner's most famous brownies-the one you see in their local posters. Then there's Samuel and asked me if I was from here but then, I answered him no. I told him my story that I'm not from here and that I am moving out to find where the cheapest apartment in San Francisco is, and there he was having mutual's already.

Samuel Johnson offered his hands for a quick handshake, and let me tell you that it was 8.5 magnitude of gauche sweaty handshaking. I gave him one of the brownies I bought 'cause I always bought two pieces, but always left the other one unfinished and always end up in the bin.

By the way, I'm Tyler Andrada O'Connor. The boy who always listen to sad music and acts like he's in one of those music videos. I still have my parents; but for my grandparents, they all went somewhere... I am agnostic. Maybe, they are in heaven or they just died because of old age and diseases and sciencé.

My mom was born in the Philippines and then resided in California with my aunt while my father is from Seattle and he has Indian roots from grandpa. I got my looks from my father and got a tan-ish skin tone from both of my parents. I got the mannerisms from my mother, which are not good ones but, I'm cool with it. I also have a little sister who looks like the sun when she smiles. She makes me look at her drawings and stuff. She is such a ball of happiness.

Samuel was drunk with homework and coffee. Mostly coffee... The guy who was put on the hospital just because of caffeine. He was 90% coffee 10% organs. That night when he was confined, he asked the nurse on how good was the coffee in the facility. I can see the disappointment in the nurse's eyes after reading his papers of confinement, "not good", said by the nurse, I then chuckled. "We'll see about that", Sam said.

Then, it turns into a silent. "Fuck you" I whispered while I was on his side while the nurse was trying to put some life contraption thingy on him. "fuck you too, but thanks man. Without your help, I might be the biggest loser in t.v who will have a headline "Student dies from coffee"; "Student found dead while drinking coffee..." He just keeps on bringing dumb headlines to himself if I never have found him and brought him to the hospital. Who the fuck drinks 2 liters of coffee and haven't slept for 3 days? Samuel Wright Johnson can.

The guy even has a fucking collection of coffee bean plushies. It is a total of 27. Don't ask me where he places them. It's a long story, very long. His addiction aside, he was smart. As smart as those scientists back then! He had this favorite show called "Big Bang Theory" where he was inspired to study more. He keeps on telling everyone to call him by the name of Donshel. I didn't understand it at first but when he started watching episodes of BBT in my apartment, I did. It was Sheldon the name of the main character in the show. What a geek. Sometimes I love the smart just jumping out of nowhere when I'm with him. It makes me feel less dumb. At this point, arguing with him is hopeless. He always win. But in our case, both of us are the losers.

*****

Present day.

We are not making a point. His ears are getting redder by the minute, his glasses are falling off his face because of the head shaking caused by the anger and coffee, he recuperates. He shuts up for a moment. I giggle. He smirks, took off his glasses while shaking his head off of disappointment. I lean in for a kiss, got stunned. Blushed like a new born baby. I tried to flee but, he grabbed me by the hand. He then pulled me in his direction and kissed me again. And again. And again. His nose brushing off mine while our cheeks become one. We were so busy kissing and all of a sudden I dropped to his bed while his hand is on my head and the other in my rear. He was careful and gentle with me. Like a vase being delivered somewhere. I was fragile in his eyes. My head is spinning like crazy like a toy top on drugs, I lost consciousness. I woke up having the worst hangover one could have. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters.

When the person you love is by your side, nothing matters. Until I puked at the side of the bed and woke him up. He then greeted me with a good morning smile while pinching his nose.

CTTO of the gif: Vallery Martin/Pinterest

Movie: Handsome Devil, 2017