Zuri wasn't like other women. Growing up with two older and two younger brothers, it was strange that she didn't end up your stereotypical tomboy with a knack for building furniture that didn't come with picture instructions. No, Zuri was different.
Focused and determined, she had an air of intensity about her. Whether it was working hard to improve her grades her school, finding friends when she had none, or dealing with romantic disappointments, Zuri never gave up. She was a go-getter who believed that if she tried hard another, she could make a little something out of nothing.
Cozy was evidence of that, and she loved working here.
Shaking her head, she focused on the task at hand, "What can I get you today?"
The young woman looked like a college student. Her backpack was stacked full and Zuri could see the titles "Chemistry" and "Biology" peeping from the zipper on top. Her finger stuck to the centre of her mouth as she looked at the menu.
"Could I please have a mocha with oat milk please?"
Zuri tapped away at the till, making sure to select oat milk and avoid the option to add cream. "Marshmallows? Honeycomb and salted caramel has been selling well today"
"Oh yes, that sounds delicious"
As she took a seat to wait for her order, Zuri took orders from four more customers before helping Tisha with what seemed to be the beginning of another surprisingly busy day.
As expected, the little bell Kady's aunt had bought them jingled non-stop and Zuri had made more coffees and bacon sandwiches than she had expected. It began to slow down 40 minutes later and they'd run out of all their specials of the day. Poor Tisha was stuck between asking for a massage and fighting the urge to rub the soles of her feet.
Zuri added the last mug of hot chocolate to her assistant's tray and pulled her off the stool "Deliver this one last tray and I'll make you a Margarita when we close".
Tisha rolled her eyes and allowed Zuri to push her towards the tray which had three hot chocolates, two Cortados and an apple juice with a pink swirly straw. "Throw in a swirling straw and you're on. For some reason, Gwen is obsessed with these right now and it seems she only likes the swirly straws that her auntie Zuri buys her".
Zuri packed a handful of colourful straws into a brown paper bag and made sure Tisha saw her packing it away underneath the counter. "Well tell my wonderful Gwennie that she can come and collect as many straws as she likes as long as she behaves"
Tisha gaffed and almost walked off. Suddenly, the barista's hand came down on the counter pulling Zuri's attention away from her notebook, "Before you go back off the la la land, it seems we have a customer in the back that is yet to order, could you check up on him please?". Zuri followed Tisha's slender figure which stopped on a guy whose gaze was to be fixed on the book he was reading.
Surprisingly, this was the first time Zuri had had a chance to give him a good look. She had noticed he'd started visiting their shop sometime last week and always tucked himself in the same skylight nook she often found herself in after closing.
Having refurbished it herself, Zuri always thought the nook had an eerie darkness about it in the night, but looked wonderfully bright in the daylight, especially with a handsome stranger unintentionally drawing eyes from every female customer lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him.
Zuri couldn't see much of his face from the counter, mainly because it was shadowed beneath a mass of brown curls that coiled behind his ears and tickled the top of his thick eyebrows. Plus, the book. Its thick purple spine look brand new and had gold borders and gold writing on the front.
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Krissie's Writer's Lab
सामान्य साहित्यInterested in some of my ideas? I would love to test some sample stories, ideas and chapters with you all here. Looking for feedback on style,e content and narrative so hopefully you like it. It will be a mix of stories so look forward to it.
