Thunder & Lightning: A Collection of Rilaya One Shots

The Regular

Riley's POV

I hated my job. I only got it because my parents insisted that it was important that I work in customer service at least once in my life and they refused to pay my cell phone bill anymore. Which I couldn't really blame them for, I had gone over my data cap three months in a row and when I asked if I could just have an unlimited plan I walked right into the response of, "you can have whatever you want if you get a job."

So, I had acquired a job at the Starbucks that was just a few blocks from the house and I hated every single minute of it. The customers were cranky and always asking if we can recreate TikTok drinks...not to mention, my manager thought himself to be a matchmaker which was always fun especially when she came in.

It hadn't taken long for me to open up to my co-workers and tell them that I am indeed a lesbian and surprisingly, they were all really cool about it. Of course, my manager was a little too cool with it, spending every minute of my shift pointing out cute girls that I should hit on. "She's here again." Tony nudges me like he does every single time the blonde comes in and I roll my eyes.

She was clearly not into me. I was just her barista, here to make whatever drink she desired. "She likes coffee, is it a crime?"

"No one likes coffee enough to pay our astronomical prices every day" he argues. I ignore him, returning to preparing the girl's drink. She didn't even have to order anymore, every morning her drink would appear on her table within minutes of her arrival and today would be no different.

I get a venti cup, fill it about halfway with coffee before adding the obscene amount of vanilla creamer she preferred. One day I had suggested that she just order a vanilla bean Frappuccino and she replied by telling me she would if she could add espresso shots. "I'll be back." I skirt around the counter and head for her table. "Morning." I place her cup down and her bright blue eyes find mine, her lips quirking into a mega-watt grin.

"Good morning" she replies, reaching for her cup and taking a long sip. She hums in delight as she puts it back down. "Perfection as always. Thank you."

"Mhm" I reply, turning on my heels to walk away. I make my way back behind the counter and return to my station, getting asked only once to make a random beverage that someone has on their phone. Finally, I look up at the clock and find that it's ten minutes to seven which means that my shift is about to end and Maya is about to leave for wherever it is she goes.

"Hey." I have my back turned to the register since I'm busy cleaning a blender but her voice catches my attention.

"Maya. What can I do you for?" I ask, realizing immediately that I've butchered that sentence. She chuckles, her cheeks turning a soft pink. "What's up?" I rephrase like the normal millennial that I am.

"Could I get a refill?" She stretches her arm across the counter, holding out her cup and I offer her a soft smile, nodding my head but as soon as I go to grab the cup, our fingers brush and electricity sparks from the tip of my fingers down to my toes. "Oh my gosh" she exclaims as the cup falls to the floor.

The cup was empty, thank goodness but I'm still embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. I'll get you a new one."

Flustered, I turn to make her a whole new drink. It takes about a minute before I finish it and present it to her, apologizing once more for my idiocy but she simply shrugs. "Happens to the best of us" she says casually, taking a sip of her freshly brewed coffee. "But it is missing something" she says thoughtfully.

I furrow my eyebrows. I had been making this same drink for her for months. It wasn't missing a thing. It was perfect. "W-what?" I stutter and her lips quirk into a grin.

"Your number." My eyes widen. "If it's too forward or you're not interested, I totally understand but I sorta feel like there's something here. But again, if it's all in my head-."

"It's not" I interject. "Really. I-I just didn't think you were-."

"Bi" she explains. "And totally interested in you. So, how about that number?" The girl even holds out a damn Sharpie that she pulled out of her purse and I'm dumbfounded.

Quickly, I scribble my number onto the cup and slide it back across the counter earning a soft smile before she finally leaves. But just as I'm clocking out and taking off my apron, my phone vibrates and I pull it out to find an unknown number calling.

I pick it up on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Just checking." And then she hangs up, leaving me smiling like an idiot and thinking that maybe, just maybe, my job isn't that bad.