Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs- 1

Outside, the rain drops in soft pitter-patters as students bundled up in coats holding an array of umbrellas duck around to pass through.

I am seated in the quaint little café just mere seconds before the sky opened up and the rain descended heavily.

The downpour that had almost caused serious accidents had now receded into nothing but a light shower. The droplets of water cling onto the large glass windows of the café like fairy lights in Christmas.

Inside, the light is dim and the heavenly aroma of freshly brewed coffee emits a growl from my starving stomach.

This safe haven of mine that no one knows is the tiny coffee shop located in the valley of a series of winding streets just in between the uni that I go to and my apartment. It's not a literal fact that no one knows about it though, as the tiny bistro about 400 square feet is mostly packed with university students who just want to enjoy a cup of the shop's famous espresso in tranquil. It's amazing to know that the little bistro is such a contrast to its contemporary surroundings; where the streets are deserted, the shop is packed with students and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

Already in my final year as a literature major, the stress has already taken its full toll on me. Assignments after assignments and reports after reports, there is absolutely no way I can have a 'me' time. Except of course, drinking coffee in this tiny little café Challenges. I have always puzzled over the name. Why would anyone who owns this peaceful shop title it Challenges? There are many possibilities but I just like to prevent putting my mind on a static answer.

Today, as usual, I sit at the window seat overlooking a once plain wall now filled with murals drawn by some art students. The art they have portrayed doesn't make sense fully, not to me at least, but I can see that they are crazy talented.

Surprisingly enough, Challenges is deserted today. But the homely feeling it possesses is still intact and the smell of coffee and freshly baked pastry still lingers in the air. I order a cup of my usual cappuccino to a petite cheerful girl behind the counter who asked me to wait for the coffee to be served. Normally, I like to order a plate of their famous cookies but today I'm feeling fancy so I just order their tiny macaroons in vanilla, plain, I know but it's a classic flavour.

I just direct my gaze towards the murals, trying to untangle the abstract pictures in my mind. I was never talented in art and probably never will.

A cup of coffee enters my indirect line of sight so I shift my eyes to it. A beautifully drawn coffee art of a smiling cat fills my vision and makes me smile. I'm not a pet person, but I do appreciate coffee arts.

"Here you go. A cup of cappuccino and vanilla macaroons for the lovely lady."

The voice snaps me out of my intrigued mind. I look up only to see a cute guy who seems to be around my age. I have seen him in the shop from time to time but I didn't know he works here. That's one of Challenges' disadvantages. They don't have uniforms so unless it's the person behind the counter, you don't really know who the employee is and who the customers are.

"The coffee art is beautiful. Who drew it?" I ask, my mind still fascinated by it.

"I did and I'm glad you enjoy it," he says smoothly, a small twinkle appearing in his grey eyes.

"It's amazing. Thank you," I genuinely answer.

"I've noticed you trying to figure out the murals," he starts, "any chance you can tell me what you concluded about it?"

I look out towards the art filled wall once again, my face scrunching up in thought.

"Well, at first it looks like some random kid's graffiti work but now after spending quite some time looking at it, I think it is trying to tell a story. Although, I don't know whose story, I'm pretty sure the story of the person the artist has illustrated is pretty rocky. I um... I don't. I mean, that's just how I feel. Nevertheless, it looks beautiful," I finally concluded my blabbering and look up at the cute waiter. His eyes roam the walls and overall he looks very sad.

"That's the most defined explanation I've ever gotten," he says breaking the silence.

"Really?" I find myself asking.

"Yes," he replies, his grey eyes meeting with mine briefly. "Enjoy your drink," he says before walking back towards the counter.

I stare at his retreating form until a wave of nostalgia washes over me. The coldness of the table I've laid my bare arm on seeps into my skin. I dig into my book bag to take out my extremely worn out cream cardigan and shrug it on.

In Challenges, we don't feel the rush and excitement of people. Not the greed, anger and envy everyone nowadays possesses. What we can feel though is the empty calm feeling.

Today feels even more serene than ever before. Outside, the sun moves behind a set of clouds, making the world around me to go dim.

Shaking my head out of my wavering thoughts, I pull out my laptop on the table and bury my head to get my works done.

Just another term to go.

A/N: It'd be awesome to vote for this story if you liked it.

It's sometimes quite tricky for readers to comment on a story even if they like it, so I'll be posting some "tell me what you think of __" in the end of every chapter to help everyone out.

Tell me what you think of the murals in the comment below~

xxVic