Coffee & Roses

“So I have some news, we need to put in extra hours and effort into this following month before I can get new employees. If you’re going to ask why, it’s because too many people decided to quit without any notices and I didn’t have time to find anyone to replace them. So please try to take as many orders as you can. Thank you, that’s all. Look in the email I sent you all yesterday if you have any more questions.”

So I guess I’m gonna have to work my ass off. Again. Honestly I don’t know how I’m not the employee of the month. I deserve a raise dammit.

Lemme start off by saying that, that dude is Lincoln. My lazy manager. He may be a manager, but I swear he’s the laziest guy you’ll ever meet. Despite the lack of people apparently now missing, we have a lot of people that work at Taste of Luxury. Everyone is really dedicated (to my knowledge) and they know if they work hard enough, they get great tips.

I go to the bathrooms to put on my uni, which is just a reddish brown polo shirt. I exit the bathroom, I put on my apron and wait for the cashiers to open up. When the doors open 5 people come in after a few minutes. I grab my notepad and rush towards a table with two seated. After I take their order I put the piece of paper in the kitchen and wait for the orders to come in. That’s how my day usually went.

That was, until the door bell rang and a woman around my age walked in. I inhaled sharply, her presence being made known to the entire cafe including me. I catch myself staring at her figure, and I see her glance in my direction so I instantly look away. When I know she’s busy I look back at her and let my eyes wander freely.

Her caramel skin complimented her bright green eyes and black hair. As my eyes wander lower her body I feel my heart quicken, and my face feel hotter. Her soft-looking mounds on her chest look like they would have difficulty fitting in my hands. Her ass looks so pillowy and soft, I start imagining things I shouldn’t while I’m at work.

She was wearing a white sports bra that could pass as a crop top, beige zip up sweater, and ripped denim shorts. Her hair was lightly curled with half up and half down, with little strands out to frame her diamond shaped face. She also has a nose ring on her left nostril, and it doesn’t even look devilish, it makes her look elegant, with her fox eyes.

My heart was racing as I approached her with my pen and notepad in my shaking hands. My head felt dizzy, and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Maybe I was having a stroke. Her beauty did everything but lessen, and the awe I felt as I finally made it to her table was euphoric.

“Hi, my name is Elena, I’ll be your server for today, is there anything I can get you?” I managed to say coolly.

She smiled in a way that made me feel giddy, and she rested her head on her palm as she leaned on her elbow. “Yes..I’ll just have a cappuccino, please.” She spoke with a slight Spanish accent, one that always sounded sexy to me.

“Okay, and the name for the order?”

“Julia.” She purred as she said her name to me. Her eyelashes lowering as if she were drunk.

Julia.

Julia.

Julia.

“Ok Julia, I’ll bring out your order in a little bit. Would you like anything else?”

I needed to get out of there before my little cafe crush became something else. I’ve been through the same position, so I’m not going through that again.

When I rushed out the question she opened her mouth, looked up and down and closed her mouth. “Ah, no thank you, just the coffee please.”

“Great, I’ll bring it as soon as I’m done.”

I gave her a quick nod and smile before racing back to the kitchen to make her coffee.

“Busy day huh?” My coworker Arely asks with a monotone voice. I roll my eyes because this is the 8th time this month where we have been understaffed.

Being a barista really takes the stress out of me. I fluff the coffee grinds and put them in the machine and wait for the strong coffee liquid to pour into the glass. While I wait, I grab the creamer and the milk to froth it up. Delicately, I make a design with the cream after the espresso comes out, making the foam in a beautiful heart. I obviously don’t do this often, I just put in the extra work for the deliciously beautiful lady.

While I’m doing all this I’m making conversation with Arely, the new hire that recently joined 4 months ago.

“Not really. Same as everyday.” I say with veiled boredom in my voice.

Leaving the conversation at that, I left the kitchen after making her order and proceeded to make my way to her table. I literally had to make the drink myself because we’re so understaffed.

Anyway I carefully walked over and delicately placed her drink on the table. I was not about to make a fool of myself in front of someone as beautiful as her.

The first thing she did was place her lips close to the rim and blow on it to cool it off. She then took a few small sips so delicately, I might have thought the glass was made of air. She looked at me and said she would like the check to pay. I obliged and quickly returned with a check book in my trembling hands. She saw my hands and looked up with a soft smile. As if she knew why I was shaking.

I returned to my place behind the counter and waited for another customer. Try as I might, my thoughts were swarmed of her. Not just her, but her smile. Her beautiful green eyes that were so precious and captivating that I might as well be hypnotized.

I was so drowned in my thoughts that I didn’t realize how much time had passed until I caught motion of her gently waving at me to get the bill.

I hurriedly grabbed my notepad and sped walked to her table, embarrassed that I was caught staring into space like I was high or something.

I asked her if she wanted to pay with cash or card, and she pulled out a $50 dollar bill.

That was almost 5 times more than the amount she actually needed to pay. I told her as such and she replied with, “a little tip for the hard worker is necessary, no?” Batting her fox eyelashes almost seductively.

“Ah, t-thank you Julia, I appreciate it a lot but it’s simply too much. I’d rather you use it for things that you need.” I gently declined her offer, and gingerly placed the bill in her palm.

She took on a mischievous smile, sexy as it was playful, and said with mock innocence, “oh it’s too little you said? Say no more darling, I have more where that came from.”

And with that, she took out 5 hundred dollar bills from her frighteningly expensive purse and slapped all 6 bills back into my hand.

“Ciao, amor.” She then winks and leaves the cafe, leaving her suddenly empty cup on the table; also me with my eyes trailing after her and my jaw to the floor.

Faintly I hear my name being called from the counter, and I realize I’ve been standing there for 3 minutes. I close my mouth and look towards the direction of my name and I see Arely with her eyes frantic and excited like some kid got a phone for Christmas.

Slowly I make my way to her and she grabs me by my bicep and drags me to the break room, not caring if we were still on the clock.

“Bitch, what the fuck just happened!?” See, me and Arely were never close, but she could be like my sister sometimes. She was like a friend that was like a flip switch; sometimes she’s like your private therapist, and sometimes she was emotionally absent.

I always appreciated her efforts though.

“Girl, I don’t even know. I literally gave her her money back and she gave it back times ELEVEN. I mean I’m not saying I’m ugly but I’ve never seen anyone tip me because I ‘work hard’. Oh my gosh, and she was so beautiful too.” I swooned.

“Hun, spill.”

As im relaying everything that just happened, I catch myself daydreaming about her and blushing like I’ve gone crazy. She carried herself with confidence, not arrogance, and she smiled at me like I carried the moon in my palms. Not once have I felt this way about someone before, much less a woman.

I had just come out of a 5 month relationship with a guy, and we ended things mutually. He was nice overall, and if I had feelings for him I would still be with him, but I just felt like something was missing. Like my life was bland and had no energy that you’re supposed to feel with a loved one.

So when we broke up I felt sad, not sad because we broke up, but sad because I hate the feeling of missing out on love. I wanted to love and adore someone, I’d love them so hard it could be classified as obsession. I wanted true happiness and love, but I couldn’t find it no matter what dating apps I used. Eventually I just gave up and indirectly decided to focus on building my career as a baker. To own my own bakery. I wanted a distraction from the fact that I’m alone and that I’ll probably never find someone that completes me. So here I am, getting experience in a pretty cafe.

“Oh my gosh.” She gasps.

“What?” I ask in confusion as I return to the land of the living to look at her.

“You like her.” She remarks as she points a manicured finger at me with a smirk on her face.

Immediately, my face is red like my shirt. I put my hands to my cheeks to cool them down, and I turn away from her accusing stare. “What?! Ok, you’re crazy, and I’m going back to work.” I speed walk out of there and go back to the kitchen to busy myself with an imaginary order. To my absolute dismay, Arely is right behind me and she continues to blabber on and on about how it’s so obvious, and that the evidence is on my face, and she should start planning the wedding and wondering how our house is going to look.

A flash of my possible future appears in my mind, me happy, with a Doberman at my side and my hand interlaced with a partner. I want it so bad, but I can’t have it. I haven’t had it since I started looking. It will never happen as long as I keep my hopes up.

With my emotions steering my pain, I cut her off, and with an hand on my hip I demand,

“Goodness, put those foolish ambitions to rest woman. I’m not gonna have a baby with her, and she’s obviously out of my league. Did you even see how much money she gave me? She’s obviously promised to some rich dude who will inherit his father’s business or whatever and I’ll die alone. Now please, go back to work, for both our sake.” I turn away to take the next order, leaving her to stare at my back in pity.

Julia…