The adventures of the coffee shop

Caroline

Caroline's POV

The hot wind swirls around my face as cars zoom by. Even though I've seen these old brick buildings a million times, I still love to look at them and their crumbling structures.

I walked down the street to my usual coffee place.
I could already smell the aroma of coffee beans seeping down the street.

Despite being in the middle of the town, I don't pass very many people. I suppose the town, being a small one, people feel they've already seen everything there is to see.

I pull open the old wooden door. It creaks almost a greeting to me. Saying "welcome to my home".

Immediately, my sense are flooded with the smell of expresso and coffee beans.

The atmosphere seems to extend its arms around me like home.

I take a deep breathe and proceed to the counter.

Usually I would order a latte, however, today I'm feeling adventurous and order a jasmine tea.

I push some curly black hairs that fell out of my braid, behind me ear.

I got my tea and sipped a little off the top.

On hand on my to go cup and one hand on my backpack strapped to my back, I begin my decent up the well worn, scuffed steps.

Some might consider the steps rickety, but having traveled up them almost everyday for three years, I tread up them easily.

Taking a seat in a comfy arm chair, I slide my heavy book bag off my shoulder and onto the scuffed wooden floors.

I take my book bag off and begin to observe the people around me for a while. A couple giggles over a math text book. Obviously not doing math. One guy with Tattoes and a leather jacket, pours over an English report I can see on his computer.

Most people look like they're in college. I'm not surprise as there's a university a few miles away.

I unzip my old black bag and pull out my heavy physics book. The fairy lights and homey atmosphere make me reluctant to do anything but absorb the safe feeling it holds in it.

Soon enough I get absorbed into my physics. Pencil in teeth, I read the assigned reading and a bit ahead.
I then start flipping back and forth between pages looking for answers to problems.

My alarm vibrating in my pocket startled me from my trance. Remembering my shift, I pack up everything in my bag. I sling my bag over my shoulder and trudge down the steps reluctantly.

I take an apron from behind the counter and swiped my employee card to log my hours.

"Have fun Ro" Sasha says.

I watch her bright pink head travel out the door and down the street to her car. Turning my attention to mindlessly wiping the counter I zone out.

I make a schedule of what I need to do. Work till ten and then study till eleven. I was usually the one to lock up,Mrs. Laney, the owner of the shop doesn't mind me studying after closing time.

A clearing of a throat brought me from my daydreams of when I'm graduated to the present.

An impatient looking guy stared at me from behind the counter. Yet another self entitled college student. Most of them think they're smarter then me, a simple high school student. Which isn't exactly false, but I don't treat freshman like they're dumb.

"Can I help you?" I ask in a monotone voice.

"Yes. Give me a latte with two shots of expresso" he demands. Not asks, annunciation every syllable like a fool.

"Okay, that'll be $6.59" turning, I refrain from rolling my eyes and prepare his drink.

"Two more hours. Two more hours. Two more hours" I chant in my head

I turn and give the guy, whose now eyeing me weird, his drink.

I take his card and swipe it on the cash register.

Ignoring him, I walk to clean off a table people left their trash and stickiness all over.

"If you don't like your job why do you work here?"

I froze and turned to the fool of a guy.

"I like this place, I just don't like people" I deadpan

I continue to clean up these gross people's junk.
I guess I should be lucky people are lazy and messy otherwise I'd be out of a job.

I continued on my way, ignoring the gawking guy. Finally, he nodded his head and continued on his way.

Freak.

I served a couple more people before finally everyone cleared out. I had made sure to clean everything I could so, when everyone was finally gone I only had to sweep before I was done.

I sighed deeply and pulled out my American Government book and started to study. My music played softy through the speakers as I memorized something about money.

I was shocked to look at my phone and find that it was already 11:39 pm.

"Shit shit shit" I cursed quietly and gathered my stuff.

I quickly turned off all the lights and locked the door of the shop.

It wasn't really dark because of the stars and the moon shining brightly. The town looked deserted, the moon gave an eery white glow to the pavement as I made my way home.

Despite living in a pretty crummy town I'm not scared. I'm probably stupid for not being scared. I welcome the peace of night, and I've made my way home so many nights it doesn't phase me anymore.

I turned down my crummy road with old crumbling buildings. They looked as if they were once nice, but people neglected the houses.

The once vibrant paint and well kept yards were now old peeling paint and overgrown weed beds. The pavement is old and cracked with grass growing through most of it.

A couple of college student lived on my street, including a brotherhood and sisterhood house.

I arrive at my home, a cute cottage type house. I like my house, it's just not really home. I hear my neighbors already yelling at each other in their house. The noise seems to echo down the empty streets and disturb the sleeping world.

From the road, the metal peak of the roof seems to shine, almost like it has something to celebrate that I'm not privy to.

I make my way up the cement steps and into the medium sized porch of my house.

I unlock my door and promptly lock it behind me. I slide my phone from my jeans and check the time. 12:10 am .

I breathe a sigh of relief. The gangs usually don't start their drug deals until around 12:30.

I quietly make my way up the carpeted steps of my stairs and into my room.

I throw my book bag onto the desk that takes up almost a quarter of my room despite being an average sized desk.

I pad my way to the bathroom and wash my face and teeth.

I change into my PJs which consists of some short shorts and a oversized sweatshirt and slip into a blissful slumber.

*writers notes*

Guys let me know what you think of the story!! I want to hear your insights please!