double chocolate chip - declan mckenna

december 15, 2019

I know that I mean nothing to you, babe

—

"How can I help you, sir?" The smile that the woman behind the counter sent him showed obvious signs of flirting. She was only attracted to the British accent, though. And he knew that.

"A chai tea latte with almond milk for Declan, please," He glanced behind him at the line. A girl with tan skin stood staring down at her phone that was encased in a sort of blue and white design that seemed to lack a pattern. "$4.25," Declan shuddered slightly under her gaze, feeling uncomfortable as he dug money out of his wallet. Glancing back at the girl, he had made his decision.

"I'll cover her's," He gestured his head back towards the girl behind him, lowering his voice. Maybe this'll help to get barista to understand he's not interested. He could also show a simple act of kindness to a pretty lady. He slid a twenty over the counter. "Keep the change." He refused to look her in the eye as he spoke and walked away to a table to wait for his name to be called.

The pretty lady took her steps to the counter, repeating her order in her head as to prepare and assure she won't stumble over her words. She fumbled with the green bill in her pocket, checking on last time as to make sure she'd have enough. "Hi," She forced a smile, finding the woman working behind the counter to be intimidatingly beautiful.

The woman rolled her eyes slightly before putting whatever was bothering her to the side and took the order. "Double chocolate chip frappucino, please. And a birthday cake pop." The barista's annoyance was evident as she informed the girl of the sweet man that had paid for her. The girl felt her face drop. Yes, she was glad that she didn't have to pay, but there had to be another motive behind the kindness.

She looked over at the man who the barista had pointed at and made her way over to him, not before giving her name for her drink and cake pop. "I appreciate it but don't expect anything other than the same amount of money in return." The man looked up from his phone, eyes wide. They simply stared at one another for some time, the man stuttering to find words. He didn't expect her to be angry with him. And she didn't expect confrontation out of herself. She's always running away from things like this, why is she making it now?

"I-I'm sorry, I was just trying to be nice." She fought the urge to roll her eyes at his words and instead let her eyelids fall into a glare. She pulled out her wallet and began digging through it and finding the amount of money she felt she owed the Brit in front of her. "You don't need to, it's alright." The man's words fell from his lips as did the American change and bills did to the table he had been sitting at.

"I'd rather not be in debt to you." Her words held needles in them, surrounding him and pricking his pale skin with every movement. She began to walk off as her name was called for the drink, a perfect moment for it to, she thought to herself. He called after he, much to her dismay. "W-Wait, your name is Solana?" She couldn't hold back the eye roll that time.

"What's it matter to you?" She turned around, her eyebrows furrowed deeply. She dismissed her plans of staying at the shop to study and got back into her car with her drink in hand, backpack full of school supplies. She huffed at the thought of the man paying for her. He didn't even know her, why would he pay for her?

The next day after her classes, she made her way towards the same Starbucks definitely not expecting the same man to appear across the table from her a drink in his own hands. She removed her bright blue earbuds. The sweater she had been wearing made small noises as she moved the fabric together, nothing compared to bustling of the shop she was in.

"May I help you?" Her eyebrows had stayed furrowed from the question she was attempting to answer on her homework, but the man had thought they were for him. He suddenly lost almost all the confidence he had spent the last ten minutes building up from across the room, watching the girl with the tips of her hair dyed blue work on whatever it was that she had been taking care of.

"What's your number?" He sat his phone on the table papers that lay scattered in front of the girl with the number keypad pulled up. Her eyebrows relaxed though she still didn't seem necessarily happy with the situation she was in. And she wasn't. Giving her phone number to a stranger was not something she does everyday.

She scanned the boy. His messy hair, the way he kept glancing down to his lap, how his shoulders moved slightly showing obvious signs of him play with his thumbs under the table. He gnawed slightly at the inside of his mouth surprised that he managed to get words out. This was new for him, too. "Give me one good reason why I should give it to you." He looked up. Her arms crossed over her chest. She leaned back against the uncomfortable chair. His nerves subsided slightly as he noticed the corners of her mouth turn upwards slightly, almost unnoticeable.

He thought for a moment. Was there any reason for her to give him her number? He didn't think so, he simply had hope. After he stayed silent, she gave in. Picking up his phone, she typed in his number.

"If I don't reply don't be surprised." Was all she said before sticking the earbuds back in with a small grin, continuing to listen to "Zillionaire" by Nao. He smiled at the phone before him. He glanced back up at the girl who had continued to study and acted as if he wasn't there. He took that as his cue to leave.

He left satisfied.