Repeated Encounters

Chapter 5: Emma's Day At Beanie's

*Emma POV*

I hate my job. It's a shitty paying job, serving coffee to assholes all day. And on top of that, there's this whole singing thing that my boss brought back from some random place she visited. Ugh. Oh look, a new customer. Joy.

"Hi, can I help you?" I could just tell by the look of him that this one was going to be a douche. He didn't even look up from his phone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, can I get a grande caramel frappe in a venti cup with ten pumps of hazelnut, three shots of espresso, no caramel drizzle, with whip on top?" Yep. Douche.

"Sure, that'll be $5.50."

"Jesus, fine." What? It's not like that seems overpriced with all the extras you added asshat. "Hey!"

"Yeah?"

"I just tipped you." Oh dear.

"Oh, well, thank you."

"Aren't you supposed to sing? The sign says tip for a song." Eff off.

"Yeah, um, that's like a new thing. The owner went to Cold Stone Creamery over the weekend and brought back the whole singing thing but, you know, there's a line, and people are working. I don't wanna disturb anyone." I hoped this would be enough to deter him.

"Haha, I don't care, I just tipped you, come on." It wasn't.

"Okay, well did you do that to be nice or did you do that to be an asshole?"

"Fine! I'll take it back then!" Oh no! So sad!

"Oh no! What am I going to do without that dollar I have to split with five other people?"

"You know what? I'm never coming back here again!" What a big loss that would be! "That sign's bullshit!" Well, I suppose that's one thing we agree on.

"Oh my god! So mean!" I flipped him off. He deserved it.

"Emma, what's the deal over here?" Ah, crap. It's Nora, my boss.

"That guy just flipped out on me for practically no reason!"

"She wouldn't sing for him." Who the hell is this guy? What right does he have to butt into the conversation, or eavesdrop in the first place, for that matter? "And I still haven't gotten my hot chocolate." Crap.

"Oh, sorry, I'll get right on that."

"I have very low blood sugar." Great.

"I'm so sorry sir, we'll get you a voucher." Like hell we will. "Jesus, Emma, I've already warned you twice." Yeah, cause this thing is a pile of shit.

"It's embarrassing, Nora! I mean, god, maybe Zoey's okay with the whole singing thing cause she majored in theatre."

"I think it's a really fun idea, Nora." Oh. My. God. Fuck. Off.

"Why aren't you working?"

"Oh, I'm on vocal rest."

"What?"

"I'm on vocal re-" Hahahahahahahahaha. "Godammit Emma, now I have to go make a tea with honey, okay! Oh my god!"

"Look, can't Zoey just do the singing? I don't like it." She'll never bite but it's worth a try.

"Huh, okay, then you must not like having a job here then, hm?" Crap. "You know what? Just don't even bother showing up for your next shift." Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap.

"What? Are you serious? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! I'll do the singing." Ugh.

"Yeah, you will. Now, move your ass. You got a line." I've only got a line cause you held me up dickwad. I turned around and it was that guy again. He's in here basically every day. I can't decide whether that's a good thing or not. I mean, to be fair, there is a wide range of people who are in here every day for work. It's just, this particular customer seemed to be more memorable. I still haven't figured out why. He smiled awkwardly at me. He obviously had heard the whole thing. Great.