Timelines (Phan au)

Chapter four: love smells like coffee

May 29th, 2018

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"It's so weird." I mumble as I come stumbling in the kitchen, rubbing my eyes, my glasses on top of my head. "What? Wearing glasses?" PJ asks. I nod. "Yeah, it's like I can see, but I can't? You know? If I try to see something from the corner of my eye it's still blurry. Also I keep pushing it up, thinking it's about to fall off my nose." I sigh as I sit down at the table. "You've just gotta see it as wearing sunglasses." Chris grumbles as he walks in the kitchen as well. Hair peaking in all directions and small eyes.  "What are sunglasses? Do I need different glasses for when it's sunny? You know what never mind. Why are you guys up already? It's a quarter past six." I look at the clock on the wall. "What? You didn't think we'd miss your first day, did you? We're both free. We'll be your first costumers." Chris quickly responds, shooting me a smile. "But first I need coffee or I'll kill the first person to get on my nerves." He adds with a more grumpy face. "There's still some in the pot." PJ points at the pastel green pot on the counter behind him. Chris walks over to it and fills himself a cup. "Can I have some too?" I ask as I pour cereal and milk in my bowl. "You guys really shouldn't do this, but thank you. It'll help with the nerves." I thank them in addition. Smiling grateful at Chris when he places a mug with damping hot coffee in front of me before plumping down in his chair. "That's what friends are for." PJ smiles, taking a bite of his sandwich. My smile widens even more and I quickly devour my breakfast so I can get ready for work. I wonder if I had friends before this and if so, are they worried about me, right now? I shake the thought out of my head. I can't be thinking like that. I run up the stairs and throw on another one of PJ's short-sleeved plaid shirts, a black and blue one this time. With the same black shorts as yesterday. I quickly brush my teeth, clean my glasses and let my hair fall as good as I can get it. "Phil are you ready?" PJ calls from downstairs. "Coming!" I yell back. Looking one last time at myself in the mirror before running back downstairs. "I'll bring you by car again, but I won't be home to pick you up tonight. You've got a key, right?" PJ asks as we jump in his car. Me in the backseat seeing as Chris is already sitting shotgun. I hold up the key to answer him and put it safely back in my pocket before I lose it. PJ nods in approval and starts the car.

When we arrive at the station, I practically jump out of the car. Terrified of being late. "Thank you, see you guys in there." I wave as I sprint away. Only to come to a halt before the cafeteria and walk in like a more normal person would. Also trying not to breath too loud from running that small end. Guess I wasn't an active guy before losing my memory. "Ah, good morning, Phil. Glad you made it." Louise greets me. "Good morning, Louise." I smile, feeling more at ease now that I remember how sweet Louise really is. "Come on, grab an apron. I'll teach you the ropes." She waves me over behind the counter. I take the brown apron with the name of the shop on and pull it over my head. She teaches me how to use the different machines and how to make all sorts of drinks. She also explains how the register works and tells me what I can do between orders. Like cleaning tables or washing glasses and mugs. "Ready?" She asks. I nod though my stomach twists from the nerves. "Alright let's help Caspar, shall we?" She points at the other boy with apron who runs around between the tables to take orders. I nod again and walk over to the boy with spiky blond hair. "Hi, I'm Phil." I introduce myself. The boy gives a wide smile when he sees me wearing an apron. "Thank God, finally another helping hand. I'm Caspar." He briefly shakes my hand. Before we each go our own way and help as many costumers as fast as we can. I'm usually not the jealous type, but boy, do I wish I had Caspar's or Louise's skills, right now. I have no clue who I was before all this, but I'm fairly sure I wasn't a cord dancer with my terrible hand eye coordination. While Caspar practically flies through the room with a tray full of drinks. I slowly balance two hot teas on a tray to my friends in the corner. I wipe the sweat from my forehead when I put the tray down in front of PJ and Chris. "You're doing great, buddy. The first three hours are already done." PJ encourages me. They only just arrived, apparently they first had to get something for the background of one PJ's videos. "I'm not doing great. I'm doing mediocre at best." I sigh. "It's only your first day, don't worry about it." Chris waves my concerns away, eagerly sipping  from his mug of damping hot tea after blowing in it to let it cool off a bit. I smile at the both of them and put my glasses further up the bridge of my nose before turning around to keep working. "Phil, wait-" PJ tries to warn me, but it's too late and I smack straight into another person again. I'm a cursed or is this place cursed? "I'm so sorry!" I exclaim only for my heart to skip a beat and my mouth to turn dry when I see who it is I walked into. The same caramel brown eyes accompanied with those cute dimples from yesterday look down at me. I sigh and look down at my feet to hide my blush. Of course I literally run into him again. Out of all people. "That's okay. I blame it on my mad ninja skills, no way you could've seen me coming." The boy chuckles and my insides turn to mush when I hear that sound. I'm at a loss for words again, until I notice how PJ nudges Chris with a knowing smirk. "Or these just don't work and I'll have to become a bat and use echo location." I blurt out to say something, anything, as I point at my eyes. Dan laughs again and I softly chuckle along. His laugh is just really contagious. I look over his shoulder and see how Louise looks at us. I stop laughing and shoot back into action. "Uh, what can I get you? Before my lovely boss over there fires me." I look back at Louise, who shoots me a cheeky wink. "Don't worry, I'll take all the blame on me. Louise and I are close friends." Dan assures me, holding out his hand as if to keep my concerns at bay, while he folds his other one over his chest to let me know he's being sincere. For some reason the fact he's willing to stand up for me makes him look even cuter and I feel the corners of my lips curl up into a smile again. "But, now that you're asking. A black coffee, please." He adds. "Black?" I ask as I quickly scribble it down. "Yep, like my soul." He winks. Let's not talk about how that wink made me feel. I put the notebook away and laugh at his rather dark joke. This guy sure loves his black, mysterious aesthetic. You've got to be really dedicated to walk around all black in this kind of weather. "One black coffee coming right up." I say, ready to leave. "Uh, Phil?" PJ asks for my attention. I turn back around and he points at the tray I almost forgot. I smile grateful at him, cursing at myself internally as I quickly grab it. This time looking before turning around. I notice how Dan takes a seat at PJ's and Chris' table. I can only hope they're not gossiping about me.