London [Louis Tomlinson]

4: Worse

Sorry for not updating for two months and then proceeding to give you this piece of trash xx

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By November, my feelings were yet to change.

        I was still completely longing for Louis to come back to me, and probably would be for quite some time to come. I still missed him like crazy, was still mad at him for walking out on me without justifying why.

        But things were a little better.

        Scarlet and I had decided that we weren't too fond of dormitory living, and that we should save up enough money to rent a flat of our own - close to the university, of course - where we'd have our own kitchen, bathroom and separate bedrooms fit for personalisation. This desire for privacy bought us to the imminent conclusion that we had to get jobs, and so one night we'd spent the evening brainstorming all the possible places we could try.

        My roommate had wanted our jobs to conform to our interests, and had suggested an arts and craft store for herself, and after much thought, a map store for me - 'You know, 'cause like... geography'. I'd passed, and instead searched for vacant positions anywhere they were, eventually landing a job at a Costa Coffee two blocks down the road. Scarlet of course, was persistent on her arts and crafts shop, and finally found a quirky little store in Covent Garden which was hiring.

        So I guess working a few shifts a week, serving morning coffees to businessmen and such, was a good distraction from the constant clutter of anxiety that filled my head. Instead of spending a majority of my spare time sitting at my desk in my dorm, trying to study yet being unable to shake out the worries of failing the course and other little things which probably didn't matter and the whole Louis situation and basically just life in general, I was occupying myself with keeping track of orders and putting on a welcoming smile for the masses of customers we received daily.

        Additionally, I'd become even closer with Scarlet, Jasper and Mala. At first I'd always been a little nervous every time I was invited to hang out with them, and when we'd meet up I'd feel as if I was fourth wheeling, if that even existed. But I soon found my place in the group, and was even able to organise a few outings myself. I even got as far as hanging out with only Jasper or Mala, as Scarlet's presence was no longer needed for me to feel truly comfortable.

        So yes, things had improved significantly over the past few months. And Louis hadn't popped up anywhere unexpectedly in my life since the bus incident, so it could only get better, it seemed.

        Or so I thought.

* * *

        "One mocha latte, one flat white," I told Nathan, my co-worker, as I placed the customer's money into the register before proceeding to the next person in the seemingly endless queue.

        The shop was bustling; each lounge chair occupied by a Londoner sipping on their morning coffee or tea, and a line stretching almost out the door. I definitely felt quite stressed, and could tell be the look on their faces that my co-workers were feeling the pressure too. It was without a doubt the busiest I'd ever seen the place, and I couldn't wait for the end of my shift.

        My hands seemed to be everywhere at once, handing customers back their change and their coffees, scrawling their names on the paper cups, not really caring for correct spelling. I served an impatient woman in a trenchcoat a latte and a Panini from the shelves below, and thought that there was only so much I could handle. I glanced at the clock, which revealed I still had a half hour left of tending to customers, and inwardly groaned. Tesco wasn't half as draining as this.