Semi Sweet

        S E M I  S W E E T 

        Robin Charis has always had a strange obsession with peppermint. So it seems fitting that this drove her into the local Barnes and Nobles bookstore, seeking nothing less than a peppermint mocha from the Starbucks inside. The mere thought of the beverage burning her tongue makes the wait in line all the more dreadful for her. Not to mention the small group of girls behind her, blabbering on about some boy in the line. 

She almost feels it is necessary to turn around and give them a look, but a strong whiff of peppermint calms her. Robin is already towards the front with no trouble (besides hormonal girls with no sense of filter), so she can wait out three more costumers for her little cup of heaven. 

"Oh my God, I am pretty sure he just looked this way!" 

Well, Robin hopes she will make it, at least. 

Taking one step closer to the cashier, she watches another customer leave happily. 

Soon that will be you, Robin thinks to herself. You will leave this place with a peppermint mocha in hand, not in handcuffs for attacking little girls. 

"Seriously, can you guys shut up? That guy hasn't even looked this way." 

For a brief second, Robin thinks she said that. She turns around, eyes slightly wider, mouth ajar. She almost apologizes, too, but thankfully Robin realizes she wasn't the one to break the girl's gossiping. It was the guy behind the group of girls, who looks completely uninterested in hearing more of their conversation. His hand makes its way in his heavy coat's pocket nonchalantly as his eyes are fixated on his phone. 

One of the girls, the tallest one, huffs. "I am telling mom when we get home that you said shut up." she threatens.

The guy scoffs. "I am terrified, really."

"You should be. . .  Beckett." the girls adds, looking as if  she cannot think of anything else. 

Robin is too engrossed in witnessing an amusing sibling bicker to hear the cashier calling her up to order. Her eyes lay peeled on the careless brother of the brat now going on about yet another boy in the room. Beckett, she remembers. That is what his sister called him. Robin takes notice of his scruffy cheeks first. She normally enjoys a good amount of facial hair, but this Beckett's cheeks are overboard. Albeit the annoying facial hair is one of his more prominent features, his eyes make up for it, she thinks.

"Um, hello, can you hurry up? You are holding the line up." 

It is then that Robin realizes this Beckett is directing his overly crude words to her--not to mention that she is staring at him like a lunatic. Beckett takes her staring absentmindedly though, going back to his phone. He has no time for people; especially ones who are making him stay with his sister and her friends longer.  

Tucking a loose hair behind her ear, Robin turns around while whispering out an apology. 

"I'll have a peppermint mocha." She orders while rummaging through her purse. 

The cashier's friendly smile weakens ever so slightly. "I am sorry, ma'am, we just ran out of the peppermint syrup. We should have more by tomorrow, though."

Robin almost chokes on the nonexistent peppermint mocha in her mouth. She has waited a good ten minutes for the drink, her drink, and this is what happens.

"Are you serious right now?" a voice pipes in from behind Robin. He sounds as annoyed as Robin herself. 

And truly, Beckett is. He drove the group of brats all the way from across town to the only Starbucks around. Sure, he doesn't want any retched drink from the overly cherished coffee phenomenon, but the fact he had to stand by the tweens who wanted peppermint mochas while they swooned over a not so attractive guy (at least, in his opinion) makes him furious.