Reporter // h.s

4 || No

You know those days when your life is so fucking empty that you can't bother with anything anymore? Yeah, I'm having one of those days.

I lie in my bed looking blankly at the ceiling, reminiscing all the things I could have said to her yesterday.

"I love you." No, that would be way to forward.

"Can you please go on a date with me?" Nope, way to clingy.

"Wanna come to my place?" Okay, I'll either sound like a player or some psycho that wants to chop off her fingers one by one and watch her eat them.

"Let's exchange fluids right here on this van." Maybe? Yeah, probably not.

"Can I just say how beautiful you are." Too cheesy.

"Woah, you're even prettier in person." That just sounds like I couldn't find anything else to say.

As the sun reaches my window I hop out of bed and start my asshole of a day. I'm sure work will take my mind off things, but then again, it's so boring all I'll ever think about is her.

-

I unlock the shop from the front and walk inside. As I reach the coffee machine, a sticky note was hanging onto the surface of the table, it wrote.

Harry, I'm not going to be in today because of some family drama. Hope you can understand x  Oh and there was also a woman who was very dissapointed with your coffee and wants to have a meeting with you. Lets just say she wasn't happy... Thanks, Justine

Wow, so not only am i working alone today, I also have to deal with some woman who can't accept that sometimes baristas fuck up. Mind her, I am a very successful barista.

The day begins with a wave of work men and women in their early morning rush for a coffee. The day slows down, usually the time that I continue with my past time of writing. I haven't been writing as fluently as I used to. I think I need a new focus. A muse. As the clock reaches five that's the signal to start packing up. I clean all the tables, wash the coffee machine and throw out today's rubbish out the back of the shop. I return to the shop to find a person standing at the door.

"Sorry, we're closed."

"I wasn't here to get a coffee. Trust me, that  is the last thing I'd do here." I couldn't see the woman because the lights were off, but you could tell by the bitterness in her voice what her facial expressions were.

"Oh yeah, you're the lady that didn't like my coffee so decided to have a little sook about it, isn't that right?"

"I just came to tell you that it was probably the worst coffee I've ever had in the history of my life and that you should probably quit your job, because no one deserves to drink whatever poison you put in those cardboard cups." Here voice was so familiar. Like I've heard it before, but it was different.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood for a roasting. Just write a distressed review on some shitty website that only snobs read and then get on with your life so I can get on with mine." I turned around but then she turned on the lights and came up to me, tapping me on the shoulder.

"Look lady, I'm really not in the moo-" As I turned I was met with the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. Her face. Looking right back at me. Her dark brown eyes oozing into my soul. I almost melted.

"First of all I will not tolerate being spoken to like that, and second, why are you frozen and barely able to stand on your own two feet?" She looked confused. Damn, confusion looks so good on her.

"Uh-um uh, I-I, uh-" I was lost for words. She was everything I dreamed of and more. She was my fantasy, my everything. But it was different now. Now she was dark, and bitter, and the complete opposite as to what I know her as. She was kind, passionate and smart. Full of integrity and purpose. And now, well, she wasn't any of those things.

"Hello?" she looked down at my name tag. "Harry, yeah, I'm never coming here ever again, so I'm glad we had this chat."

"No, um, I. How about I make you a coffee again and show you how much I've improved. We could chat more, and get to know each other."

Her face was showing many mixed emotions. I didn't know what she was going to say back. But I was prepared for the worst. "I don't think so."

"Maybe we can go out sometime?" I suggest, out of pure desperation.

"Why would I go out with a barista that makes horrible coffee? I'm sure you could answer that yourself. I'm-"

"Scarlett Jamieson. Yeah I know."

"Well- I'm glad we have that covered then." She crossed her arms and slightly turned her face away from my strong gaze. I'll have to admit my stare was quite creepy, but I couldn't help the obsessive feelings I have towards her.

"So can I have that date?"

Scarlett turned her head back towards me. Her eyes were telling me something I didn't want to hear, and so did her mouth.

"Not in a million years."