The coffee shop series

Walking into the coffee shop I smell the usual scents; cinnamon,coffee, sugar, and cookies. The smell was comforting, I’ve grown accustomed to it due to the fact I spend basically every day at the shop

Sighing loudly, I flop onto my usual seat next to the window. MY spot. I sat in it every year. I made sure to decorate it as a child. It was also the perfect place to sit in and watch people. I just liked watching people, especially near Christmas time. Watching all the mothers pull their children away from shiny new toys. Single families hustling around, trying to find the perfect gift for their family back in hometowns, gave the whole Christmas feel the cherry on top.

But my favorite part of sitting in the window seat was so I could watch all the christmas lights light up. The beautiful white and blue that a Chinese restaurant owner across the street, hung up every year outside of her store. They were beautiful. Just to watch them sparkle on the fresh layer of Perfect white snow on the ground.

I smile inhaling the scents of my local coffee shop. Although it’s local, I only come around christmas time. Beings that that’s when it’s open frequently. Well, most frequently. It had a strange schedule throughout the year but regularly opened for seven days in a row around holidays. Which is why I loved this place so much. One of the reasons anyways.

I notice the coffee shop wasn’t as busy today as it was the day before, or the day before that. Business here was starting to slow down, but that didn’t mean that i’d stop coming here each year. I always come, every year and do the same things. It might sound boring but it’s something a girl like me would look forward to. It keeps me going.

You see, I have a list i’ve had handed down to me from a special person, that I keep tradition of finishing every year. I make it a priority to keep my special tradition. One thing is that it’s been going slow since the one person I finished it with was gone now. Not deceased, but moved along with other people.

I look out my window to look at the christmas lights, but I notice someone's in my way, standing directly in front of me. A tall shadowed person looking at the lights. I sigh and look at my reflection in the window, I looked sad. And that I am. My Mother is a business woman and she was taking a call in Detroit, and although it was halfway across the country, i’d miss her. Even though she’s on the phone most of the home, I enjoy her company. Every single minute of it, even if we’re arguing which was most of the time.

I wipe at my nose and notice it’s running. I wiped at some tears that escaped my eyes as well. I had no idea why I was crying. It wasn’t like this was something new.

I decide to wait my turn and to just get a cup of coffee from Marcy. That's the cashier's name. Her REAL name. She got tired of me calling her Mrs. Starr so I call her Marcy now. I’ve been coming here for forever and she’s been here for forever, so it only made sense that we become acquainted with each other.

“Hi Marcy,the usual please.” I sigh out. She pauses for a second to smile, but makes her way to the back to make my usual. I remember the first time I asked for this specific drink. She refused to make it because it wasn’t on the menu. Therefore it wasn’t available for sale. I made sure to come everyday just to bug her into making the drink for me. She caved eventually.

I take out a very crumpled twenty dollars and lay it nicely on the counter. The place hadn’t changed much but then again I came her last year and since forever. The walls are bare, except for some paintings on the walls here and there. The fireplace had yet to be used but there was wood waiting to be lit. There was also a very worn in couch in the farthest part of the small building.

Marcy comes back and I smile and wait for my change, which was going to be exactly $18.45. The thing is, at this coffee shop, the food and drinks here don’t cost much. Sometimes, on special days, they’d drop the muffin prices to 50 cents and I could buy two muffins and a hot chocolate. Those would be the days where it was snowing and nobody was outside. And the lights across the street, I could barely see because of the condensation on the windows. The snow swirling outside.

“Thanks, Marcy.” I smile, shoving the change into my jean pockets.

“No problem, Darlin’.”

I giggle at her southern accent, It was too cute.

Hearing the jingle from the bell on the door made me almost jump, Almost. It made me jump even more when I saw it wasn’t a regular christmas customer, but a handsome stranger. Before I could've gotten a look at him, he’s already at the counter speaking lowly to Marcy. It looked serious so I looked away and instead at the christmas lights. The person was finally gone and I had a clear view. So I sat down.

“Um, Hi. Cassandra right?” a voice surprises me, and I blink hard. I was surprised that somebody came up to me. I almost yelled at him for almost spilling my drink.

Turning, I look who interrupted me. It was the stranger, except I could see his face. And man was I happy I didn’t yell at him.

“Hi, my name’s Parker. I’m new here.” He says smiling, sticking his hand out

I almost blush because of how beautiful he looks. His skin was a nice, rich caramel color. His hair was curly and brown. He was tall and had to bend down and lean on the table in order to meet my eyes. Oh, man his eyes, they were beautiful, a mix of everything, as if they couldn’t decide what to make them.

“Hi.” I say simply. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I turn away. I felt my cheeks getting warm at the idea of him trying to strike up a conversation with me. Could it be that he found me attractive? Had I brushed my teeth correctly this morning? I hope so.

“I can tell that you aren’t much of a talker. Or a favorite of new people.” He whispers the last sentence. I perk up and look over at him to see him looking at me. Smiling, he leans forwards until I could see the yellow flecks in his eyes. “So, what’s good on the menu, your friend over their claims you know this place inside and out.” He Said smiling and pointing at Marcy, who had at the last minute, decided to clean the sparkling counters.

I slap my forehead, wanting to disappear right then and there.

“Ok, since you don’t talk, how about we take one of the mini menus and you can point out what i’m looking for.” He says getting up and picking up the remaining menus. I nod, even though all the good stuff is on the big menu, everybody knows that.

“Ok so, what i’m looking for is a drink that portrays winter. I also don’t like the cliche kind of taste of winter, all that candy cane, minty shit. No can do.”

Wow, he really knows what he wants.

“ and if you can’t provide that specific drink, i’ll leave this….Place.”

Scratch that, he’s demanding.

“What you're looking for isn’t on the menu, but rather my special order.” I say looking at everything but him. “So she speaks.” Was all he said, with a straight face.

But he didn’t smile this time?

“So, if the drink i’m looking for isn’t on the menu, where is it then?” He asks smirking slightly. I smile a little smile. “You see, it’s on this little menu provided by me for the people.” I look down shyly.

I could see from through my lashes that he was still smirking down at me. I could just feel the arrogant bastards cute and sexy ego radiating towards me. It clouded my body and stuffed my head full of fantasies. That, I would never understand.

I smile and get up heading over to Tired looking Marcy. I look at her and couldn’t feel anything but sympathy for her as she leaned her head on her hands. “Hi, i’m not feeling really well so, if you want anything, you know where it is Cassie.” She sighs. I felt quite bad for Marcy because she looked tired these days. I could see the bags under her eyes had worsened and she was slowly falling asleep on her hand.

I nod climbing over the counter and grabbing the brown apron with white powder, which i’m guessing was flour and tie it around my waist and look over at the new guy. “Would you like to join me, sir?” I smirk