The Big Bang

Sister Sophie

 The brisk wind and sharp snowflakes stung as they pummel my face. Holding my scarf around my cheeks, it was getting hard to breath in the recycled air, I pull my scarf down quickly, taking a sharp breath. The icy air cooling my lungs, a cloud forming in front of my face. I hide behind my warm shield once again as I continue my walk. I make my way to a door that jingles as it opens, like little fairies taunting me with warmer weather. The warm air numbs me, rubbing my cheeks to get an effect, getting no result. I go through the bustling shop, exotic teas and sour coffee intoxicate me as I make my way to the back room. I trade my scarf and coat for an apron and my hat for a baseball cap bearing the shops logo. I walk behind the counter, tieing my apron as I go, standing next to a person finishing up an order. 

"Hey, Chris. Your shifts up." 

"Thanks, Soph."

He walks into the back room as I inhabit the station he was previously at. I spend my day mixing, pouring, steeming, steeping, straining, and working behind the counter. My favorite job was making all of the drinks, and due to my impeccable memory, mine are house favorites. (Another bonus were the tips). After hours go by in a blur, and I had only a few orders left and I was working on a big order as I heard a stampede of feet walk in. I finish the previous' groups orders, going back to work without even being able to look up. I hide behind the counter even more until all were done. I look at the names and give a small laugh. I know that people like to give weird names as orders, but this was ridiculous.

"Thing 1. Thing 2. Techy. Emo. Butterfly. And -" I pause, who would ever write that down has a very- I never was able to finish my thought as someone cut it off. 

"Common Foster, the least you could do was finish my name."

I jump, almost dropping the drink I was holding. 

"Keefe, what the hell!" 

"Woah. You made Sophie curse. And she never curses," said Dex coming to stand next to Keefe.  

"Let me guess, your Techy."

"In the flesh." He gives a little bow as I laugh at my cousin. 

I feel a hand wrap around my waist as someone leans into me, their breath tickling my ear. "Hi, Soph. Why don't I take over so that you can hang out, ok?"

I turn and give him a hug, "Thanks, Marcus." 

Keefe seems to be glaring at Marcus as I take some of the drinks to the far table where the rest of my friends were sitting at. Dex was going to hand out the drinks when I stopped him. 

"I want to see if I can do this. Black coffee two sugars, thing 1, must be Fitz." He nods and I hand him his drink. "I still can't believe you like that stuff. Chai Latte, thing 2 is Biana. Emo, has to be Tam." I hand them their drinks, and I swore Tam was muttering some selective words about Keefe, "Butterfly must be for our own Lihn." I hand Lihn her drink and I get a thanks in response. 

"Now, aren't you going to tell them what mine said?" asked Keefe, puppy-dog-eyes in full mode. 

"Nu-uh. You have a dirty mind. You know that." I said poking him in the chest. I turn to address the rest of my friends, "How did you guys know when my shift ended?" 

"I talked to Adam in my drafting and engineering class, and he asked Marcus when your shift ended. Marcus got on board, and so now we are here." Dex answered. 

"So then where's Adam?" I ask, looking around to see if I can spot him.

"He forgot today was his anniversary, so he is getting Marcus a gift as we speak." Lihn answered, "Just don't tell Marcus that."

Keefe's eyes widen at the mention of the boyfriends and I swear I saw him visibly relax. 

"Hey Sophie, you're still in your uniform." Tam pointed out. I look down and see my apron still on. 

"Aw sugar, I'll be back guys."

I leave the table and head behind the counter. I say hi to Marcus again and of course, he had to ask where his boyfriend was. And I hate lying and I am terrible at it. 

"I-I think he went back to get his, umm, phone?" I say more of a question than a statement.

"He forgot that today was our anniversary, right?" He asked. I groan and nod my head. he laughs, "Figures. He always does last minute everything. Huge project due at midnight that he's known about for weeks, do it at 9 pm the day it's due. I have no clue how I tolerate that dumbass" 

I chuckle, "Just don't tell him you knew that he forgot. Adam hates guilt, no matter what kind." 

I go into the back room and hang up my apron and hat, getting my coat and scarf I head out behind the counter. Marcus stops me one last time, "So Sophie" he sings, "you finally got yourself a boyfriend?"

That accusation stops me dead in my tracks. I look at him, eyes wide and face blushing, "Wha- what?"

"You and that new dude. I felt some jealous vibes when I came in. Are you two a thing?"

If I had a drink I would have spit it out all over the counter. I give an awkward laugh, "That is absurd. Keefe? No. No, no, no. Nothing, why would you think that?"

It was his turn to chuckle, "Sophie, Sophie, Sophie. We gotta find you a man soon. Otherwise, I might have to refer to you as Sister Sophie forever. You know, Adam knows this guy-"

I cut him off by putting up my hand. "Stop right there. You are sweet and all but no. Just no."

"Suit yourself." He shrugs and I make my way back to my friends, cheeks burning.

I take a seat next to Tam and Dex, stealing Tams drink I take a sip of his scalding hot black tea. "What was that about?" Asked Biana, "There were a lot of hand jesters involved."

I bury my head in my hands, "Marcus kept going off about the Sister Sophie thing. He is so sweet, but sometimes I just can't stand that guy." 

"Sorry, Sophie. But I swear I can see his point." I give Lihn a look, hopefully, my best death glare, after her statement. She takes a sip of her herbal tea looking innocent. 

Keefe looks around in confusion. "Y'all better back the t-rex up, 'cause what in the world is going on?"

I stay silent, crossing my arms in an 'I'm-not-talking-about-this-anymore-someone-else-gotta-answer' type of look. So Fitz takes it up explaining, "Sophie has never had a boyfriend before, so Marcus always jokes that she will end up being a nun one day."

Biana continues the explanation with the most embarrassing part, "So he tries to set her up with a ton of guys." She gives a small giggle that I can only despise. 

"He has even resorted to try and get me out with girls. I find that flattering, but I keep telling him that they aren't my type." I steal Biana's drink thanks to her input on the story as I was talking. 

"Hey, why don't you get your own drink?" she complains. 

"Why waste my money when I have friends," I say taking a sip.