Unpredictable. (Felix Sandman)

2. The Coffee Shop

The next morning, Lenox found herself walking alone to the closest coffee shop in town. Her town was relatively small, so it was easy for her to walk from place to place whenever she wanted... and whenever her mother allowed her to, ofcourse.

She walked into the shop, the smell of coffee consuming her immediatly. Her head felt horrible after crying herself to sleep the night before. Her eyes were probably puffy and she was sure her face looked a mess. But who was going to see her at this time in the morning anyway? She needed a coffee, and also a time to spend out of her house before everyone woke up.

Despite the desperate desire she had had to go to the airport the previous night, she couldn’t snuck out knowing that she could be grounded the rest of her existence. So she ended up crying into her mattress and woke up as soon as the sun rose, just because she was so frustrated that even her bed felt like it was made of bricks.

It sucked that her family didn’t understand how important this was for her.

But whatever, there was nothing she could do now. Not before drinking coffee and planning her next move.

The shop was mostly empty, there were a few people distributed around the space where the tables were spread. The lady behind the counter smiled at Lenox when she caught her eye and she smiled back.

“Good morning, what can I serve you?” She asked when Lenox stopped in front of her. Lenox had seen her so many times, but it always felt like the first time.

“Can I have a hot mocaccino please.” The lady nodded and typed it in the computer that was in front of her.

“Do you want to add a cake for five more?”

“Um no only that, thanks.”

“Okay, it will be ready in a minute. The name for your order?” The lady asked as Lenox payed the quantity that was showing on the screen.

“Lenox.” She replied and then moved to the other side of the counter to wait for her order.

She sometimes felt like the coffee shop was better than her own house. She loved her family, but they frustrated her very often. Here, there was a certain warmness that made her feel relaxed and happy.

After not even 10 seconds of waiting, a guy who she'd also seen a couple of times, placed a glass filled with cold coffee in front of her.

“Um, sorry I didn’t order this.” She said to the guy, who was still holding the glass over the counter. He frowned at her.

“Oh, sorry.” He replied and then turned to the lady who was behind the cash register. “Aye, who’s Sandy?” He asked her, reading the name on the glass first and then holding it up so that the lady could see it.

“I think I saw the client enter the men’s room, Nate.” She tells him, and he looks confused for a second but then nods. “I’ll bring your coffee in a sec.” He says to Lenox and turns around.

Some clients just happen to be males with awful female names. Lenox hear him say and she couldn't help but laugh.

She turned around to see if the client was coming, when she saw a guy stumble out of the bathroom. When she saw him, her heart raced. Lenox tried to see the guy’s face, though it wasn’t necessary, because she would have recognized him even if there had been a bag over his head. But she just needed to know it wasn't her imagination playing with her feelings. Her body froze as her mouth fell open. It was definitly him.

Felix.

Out of all the places in the world, she never imagined him being here now. And It’d have never crossed her mind that “Sandy” was actually her Sandy. She couldn’t believe Felix Sandman was walking to the counter where she was standing in that very moment.

“Here’s your coffee.” The guy who was attending her snapped her out of her trance and brought her back to reality. But she was too shocked to even talk.

She couldn’t meet him now. Not like this. This wasn’t the impression she’d wanted to give.

“I have to… to... bathroom. Go to the bathroom.” Were the only words Lenox could say before she sprinted across the shop, to the opposite side of where Felix was coming, not even giving a chance for the guy to protest. She quickly hid behind one of the sides of the counter, kneeling down so that no one could see her.

Once she was settled she focused on trying to calm her breathing. What the heck was he doing here so early? There were a couple of coffee shops in town, and the fact that he had come to this one could only mean that he was staying somewhere around the perimeter. But she had no time to think about that right now. Her head was spinning, how was she going to get out of here?

She knew she was being so damn ridiculous hiding behind that counter; she could just stand up and meet him right in that moment and walk away with her biggest dream accomplished. But she also knew that if that happened he was going to be nice to her and ask for her name, maybe take a picture or two, and maybe say he was thankful for the support and then he was going to go back to wherever he was staying, and wouldn’t even remember her name after that.

“Sandy?” The guy named Nate asked Felix when he approached.

“That’s me.” Felix said, and Lenox’s heart stopped; the sound of his voice echoed inside her. She peeked her head out slightly to catch a glimpse of the young man and could only see his animal print high collar basketball sneakers. She looked up, passing his dark jeans until she could see the contour of his jaw. Then she hid back in place.

She was shaking and she wanted to scream out loud. But she couldn’t do it. She had made her mind up already. He had obviously come here to relax, she didn’t want to run to him like a lunatic and ruin his peaceful morning.

“Okay, here’s your coffee man.” Nate said, and Felix muttered something that sounded like a thank you.

Lenox wasn’t even surprised anybody had recognized him yet. He wasn’t really famous where she lived after all. She wondered if anybody had greeted them yesterday at the airport. She also wondered where the others had gone to; was he out here on his own?

Is this real life? Lenox thought as she breathed in and out.

She heard his footsteps walk away and she hoped he was already on the other side when she popped her head out again. When she spotted him, he was already sitting on the far corner of the shop, taping his precious fingers against the screen of his phone. His was wearing a black beanie despite the lack of coldness, and a white t-shirt with animal print that matched with his shoes.

She smiled at the sight of him and thought she might cry. He was real and he was just a few feet away.

If only he knew that she was hiding behind the counter, watching him carefully and admiring him in secret…

As she thought about this, an idea emerged in her head and she sat on the floor.

She obviously didn’t want him to see her looking like she had just been hit by a truck, but she couldn’t let this opportunity be a waste.

She glanced back at him once more and made sure he was still distracted with his phone before standing up and walking from her hiding spot back to the lady behind the cash register.

She already had a plan.

“Can I help you?” The lady asked her when she saw that Lenox was just standing there.

“Yes.” She said, and went quiet again, looking through the menu that was pasted on the wall behind. “I changed my mind.” She added. “I do want the cake.”