i've been thinking about this for a while now, i'm just too scared to write it

ＡＧＯＲＡＰＨＯＢＩＡ [－ 0 . 1]

ⅰ.

[ fear of public places & crowds ]

❤

i'm scared of leaving new york behind.

ＭＡＮＨＡＴＴＡＮ,   ＮＥＷ  ＹＯＲＫ

𝚅𝙰𝙸𝚁𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙻𝙴𝙳 𝙰 yawn. She balanced two trays on each arm, heading out the café to serve the couple sat on the rounded oak tables outside.

Frank Ocean's Sweet Life was drowned out by the sound of horns from an intersection—the slow, crackling music fading amidst the sea of cars. Her apron flapped sideways as a yellow taxi zoomed past the curbside, leaving a gust of wind trailing behind.

She shielded her eyes against the beam of the Manhattan sunrise beyond the skyscrapers. The boy was typing away at his phone, and the girl was reading a newspaper.

"Soy latte with blueberry waffles." The newspaper ruffled as she set it aside.

"Thank you," she smiled warmly at Vaire, who slid the tray down in front of her.

"And one cappuccino with a sunny-side up on toast?" The boy merely glanced up from his phone as she set his meal in front of him.

"Enjoy your meals." Vaire could not have been more excited to leave.

Vaire scooped up some dirty plates and empty glasses on the way back inside. It was around six thirty in the morning and it was busy, as per usual—each table seated to the capacity.

Vaire was so proud of the café.

Faded, yellow racks held hundreds and hundreds of classics, the spine of each book frayed but blending in well with the scraped, firetruck-red brick walls. Colorful vinyls were stacked against the shelves, above a neon cursive RECORDS sign.

Potted plants hung from the ceiling and ran down the pendant lights, whilst large Swiss cheese plants were grew from peach-colored pots beside the counter. Vines snaked along the edges of the walls, along with quotes from old poems painted in a smaller font than the main text that read kayla's coffee & vaire's vinyls.

She still remembered how Kayla had a jar full of extra tips she planned on saving up to spend it on a nose job four her four-year-old niece. 

Vaire had also remembered how she stole the jar and spent it all on the café decor.

She dumped the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink with a small smile.

She was rinsing the last plate when she heard someone enter the kitchen behind her. Vaire turned to see Kayla standing there, a disgusted expression marring her perfect features.

Kayla tightened her platinum blonde ponytail, shuddering, "the old creep at Table 4 keeps asking me what body lotion I use to make my skin look so soft."

Vaire set the plate on the dish rack to dry, wiping her hands on her apron, "then ask Nico to go serve him. I've told you this."

She looked conflicted. "But he tips more, just for me. He's so easy, Vee. One sweet smile from me and another twenty bucks is gone from his wallet."

Vaire gave her a pointed look. "So he's your sugar dad."

"Sugar daddy."

"Same thing."