Midnight Coffee (Solangelo AU)

I'm Working On It

"What can I get for you?" He looked at the menu for a minute too long in my opinion before looking to me with a smile. The guy didn't even look tired. He looked ready to run a marathon. I realized his hair wasn't exactly 'curly' like Hazel's Annabeth's or even mine. It was more like small short beach waves. So maybe wavy is a better descriptor.  

"Iced Caramel mocha... coffee, with two extra shots of espresso. One of my friends said I needed to try it." I nodded a bit and put his order into the machine. I told him his total, he paid, and I went to make his drink. He could have just said an iced caramel mocha, he really didn't need to add the coffee part. 

"You know this drink already has two shots in it. That's four shots altogether." He just laughed and nodded a bit. I rolled my eyes when my back was to him and made the drink adding in his heart attack of caffeine.

I passed him his cup and he took it still smiling. "Damn, you didn't write my name wrong on the cup." He was clearly joking, but still. He can't just assume I'd spell his name wrong.

"You never even told me your name." He shrugged a bit still smiling. He took a sip and his face contorted to show he didn't like it. "It was your order." I wasn't gonna let him tell me it was shitty when he asked for it and didn't even really know what it was. 

He nodded a bit and swallowed. "I know. Do you mind if I sit in here and do some work? I've only got like an hour and a half until my next class, so I won't be long." I gestured to the empty place and sat back down.

"No one's stopping you." He smiled again and went to sit down in one of the booths. He put on a pair of headphones and pulled out his computer to start the work I assume he was talking about before.

I picked up my book and started reading again while keeping the guy in my peripheral vision. His head bopped along to what I can only assume is one of the most recent pop songs like that stupid Shawn Mendes song. What was it called? Stitches? I'm not sure but it keeps playing everywhere and it's annoying. 

He didn't really touch his coffee again which wasn't surprising considering his initial reaction. Having him in here with me in almost complete silence felt suffocating. It felt like I was being watched even though I knew I wasn't because I was the one watching him... now I sound like a freaking creep.

The hour and four minutes he stayed in the shop crawled by at snail-like speeds. Yes, he left at 1:10. When he left he tossed away his drink. Don't think I was offended, it's not like I've ever made one before. Not to mention I still got the money so I really couldn't care less.

The rest of the night was quiet, just how I liked it. No blonds coming in trying to OD on caffeine, no nothing. Just me and my book. I read until sunrise again, naturally, it was going to start raising later since fall was finally starting to set in. When my alarm went off and my co-worker hadn't shown up I just left. I worked my full eight hours and I deserved to get some dam sleep before my classes started.

I took the bus back to my dorm and did exactly that. Passed out until noon before getting up. Not because I wanted to wake up yet, but because my classes were earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One problem. My class actually started at noon. I skipped my shower, I could always fit one in later, grabbed my bag, and started running.

I was only 11 minutes late but I was so out of breath I was seeing spots and my lungs seemed to despise me. Everyone turned to me and I became painfully aware of the fact that I was wearing my work uniform still. I had been far too tired to change when I got home last night. That was two days in a row now that I showed up to class wearing an embarrassingly bright color. Only this time it was a vibrant green rather than orange. I apologized to the teacher and hurried to my seat shoving the apron in my bag all while still trying to breathe like a normal human being.