The Bucket List (Currently On-Hold)

The Bucket List - Chapter Four

A month later. I've updated! Finally, I hope you'll still continue to read and support :D I have a lot of catching up to do so let's get starting...

The Bucket List - Chapter Four

I threw the last of the crumpled paper lying in my bedroom floor to the garbage bag and started wiping off my sweats. It had only been less than two hours or so but I can’t seem to forget the hug I gave my teacher.

It was a gesture I was not expecting from neither of us. I smiled as I recall the scene in my head. It was one minute I’m thanking her for her patience and then the next thing, we’re hugging.

The gesture itself made me feel warm, protected, and safe. Like it has a deeper meaning behind it. I couldn’t easily compare it with the hugs I get from Gab who mostly gives safer feeling than my Mom or Dad. For some point, I’d think she’s some waaay older twin of my sister. But that can’t be. Maybe, we’re just fond of each other.

My clock chimed in and tells me to get ready for my work. I took a quick shower and put on my uniform. After graduation, I’d to leave my job. Partly because I’m going back home. And partly because the cafe will have to close for the entire summer since there will be no more students lingering the university halls and greeneries.

I sighed as the mental sight of being backed home. And Gab, waiting for me at the train station with Lawrence.

Even the thought of Lawrence makes me wish for home so much. Just a few weeks, I reminded myself and splashed my face with cold water.

I drank a whole glass of water before leaving. Knowing that my walk to the cafe would be pretty exhausting because while our apartment is near the other school vicinities which make it convenient for emergency purposes like rushed homework, or immediate help or advice from the school nurse. Our apartment location has served to be a real torture when job terms came into view.

For walking almost half an hour in a busy and well crowded walkway, I finally made it to the cafe in time. I hate having late slips. It makes me feel tardy. Though, in times I’d had late slips because of an unfortunate weather.

Blissful scent of coffee, tea, and lattes welcomes me inside. Many students would kill to have real coffee inside their system. I am part of those students. Coffee did nothing to me but made me feel relax, cool and invigorated. But of course, too much caffeine has its side-effect like having a really bad case of insomnia. I’ve said that, right?

I head straight to the counter and slipped on my apron. Everyone who works here in the Cafe is required to wear an apron. Whether you’re doing the counter or brewing coffees. Cleanliness, as it turns out to be, is everything in this place. Snotty students sometimes gush about employees not wearing uniform before, but ever since I started here, they’ve been doing some real transformation. And I guess, all the transformation they did is the best that ever happened.

Claire, one of the older employees, says that our sales have come up twice the sum than the last four years. That’s a good thing. And also, students are feeling more and more welcome with the improvement.

I smiled as I brew coffees and lattes. At some coffee shop, they use the instant type of coffee. The one that you only have to put hot water in it, and ta-dah! You have an instant coffee. But here on my job, we use real coffee. Like the beans type of coffee. Some says that’s better when it comes to quality, but some haven’t still got used to the slight bitter taste of it since it is pure.

Courtney, along with her group of friends came in the store laughing. Some heads turn, some doesn’t even mind to know and buried their noses even more at the books they are currently reading.

Here’s one thing I learned about being a college student, learning isn’t always at out of season. At some point, even at vacation, you tend to learn something whether you like it or not. Books are just paraphernalia’s, real learning comes from experience. Another experience I learned in the hard way.

It was a sunny afternoon at July when I decided to bake something for me and Gab since our Mom and Dad will be out for a while. At the thought of me and sister being alone makes me giddy. I arranged everything I would need and started mixing eggs, flour and other ingredients.

“What do we do now?” Gab asked as she flips the cook book page from one page to another.

“We bake it,” I say and slid the thing I think they called cake pan into the oven and turned it two the right temperature. “And then we wait.”

Gab sighed. “I’m hungry. Why can’t we just buy one at the baker’s? I’m sure that’ll taste better than that,” She says as she points to the thing inside the oven.

“Nah. You’ll love it, I swear,” I say and then Gab went to the living room to watch some reality show and I hang around the kitchen.

Being away from home for almost 9 months turns out to be a real big adjustment. I opened every cabinet visible and saw nothing but bag of chips, cereal, and some mysterious looking packaging. I immediately regretted on opening them on the first place.

When the cake was ready, I was so hungry I bare handedly took the cake pan out of the oven and realizing it was reaaally hot. My fingers burned and the contact and I almost dropped the pan.

I winced as I put my fingers into the sink with cold water. I remember one thing at school about treating burns, if it’s a minor burn, put it on contact with cold water so it could take out the hotness in it. And another thing I remember is, all living things, and more especially humans react quickly in contact with something. Yey, great. Thanks Biology.

I smiled and turned my full attention to my job. And before I even know it, my shift is over.