Dear Patience (n.j.h.)

chapter two,

It'd been a few weeks and Eva was starting to get used to the chaos that was LA.

Luckily, she'd found a job and she was excited, definitely nervous, but mostly excited.

"Laura!" Eva yelled.

"Laura?" She searched.

"Que, muchacha, que?" Laura says stumbling into the living room.

"I'm leaving," Eva said smiling. "Its my first day, wish me luck! But I just wanted to tell you that there's leftover butter chicken in the refrigerator. I'll text you when I'm out. Okay? Bye!" She yelled and quickly left.

Since Starbucks was close to her dorm, she could walk. Which gave her time to think.

 She'd never had a job before, other than selling samosas to nearby neighbors with her mother in Afghanistan. Regardless, her people skills are really good, she thought.

Stay positive Eva, stay positive. She repeated. She began freaking out because she realized she didn't know what most of the things on the menu meant. Her English was good, she had a minor accent but she wasn't fluent in coffee. 

She missed her mother in times like these. She would console her and tell her to take deep breaths. Meanwhile her father would tell her that that was not the attitude he wanted his daughter to have.

She sighed and set her mind, "Alright, baba. I'm making you proud." She said as she put her green Starbucks cap on, getting ready to serve a lot of entitled people overpriced coffee.

After a quick reflection she realized that maybe working at a coffee shop shouldn't be her proudest moment.

"Eva?" Her manager spoke, walking towards her.

"Yes, I am Eva. Hi, Malone." She said extending her arm for a handshake.

Malone was the store's manager, so her boss. He was about 25 so only three years older than Eva. From the few conversations they've had, she deemed him a nice person. You could tell he studied politics. Her guess was political science or international affairs.

Or he just watched loads of CNN. People really live for Anderson Cooper.

After Malone introduced her to the rest of the staff, he assigned her to the cash register. She nodded, she was calm.

She was good at math so she was relaxed. Or so she wanted to believe. She looked at the ceiling, "God let this go be easily."

It was 12 pm and it didn't look too busy, so Eva was happy. So far, she'd taken care of about 6 customers.

Then in about 2 hours business picked up, big time.

"Hello, what can I-"

"I want a Venti Caramel Cloud Macchiato." The woman said to Eva while staring at her phone. "Keep the change." She said and handed her a $20.

"Your order should come out soon." Eva replied but she'd walked away in the middle of her sentence. Eva wasn't used to the lack of manners so she began getting angry.

Breathe, just breathe. She repeated as she smiled and took the next customer.

Eva took a quick look over to her co-workers and it looked like mayhem had overtaken the back. There were loads of steam, blenders kept going off and our trashcan was filled with defective lids. Malone was running around with several cups in his hands.

"Hi, what can I get you?"

"Hello!" The customer replied.

Her first proper greeting and Eva was overjoyed.

"Can I get a Grande Iced Cold Brew, please?"

"For sure, that'll be $5.13." Eva said and she handed her card over with a smile.

If it weren't for the counter, Eva honestly would've hugged her.

As she walked away the next customer came up but another man shouted from the end of the line.

"What's taking so damn long? You can't take down simple fucking orders? Can you even speak English, you Paki?"

Just as the man began yelling, all the blenders turned off. Eva was shocked, she thought America was over racism. 

She was wrong though. She could feel everyone stare at her while others murmured, her face turned red. 

As Malone came to the front to yell at the guy, the customer in front of Eva yelled: 

"Hey man, watch your mouth." 

"Thank you, but I got this," Eva whispered to the man.

"You know what? You think it's so fucking easy, come do it yourself, you entitled prick. Got anything else to say, I may not be that tall but I got a bat in the back of my car that makes up for it, you wanna see? Didn't think so. So kindly, shut up and wait for the drink we all know you need, you sad incompetent, man." Eva said with exhale, her hand shaking. She watched as others just cursed the man out in agreeance.

Malone simply put his hand on her shoulder. Eva had many hypothetical scenarios for how her first day would go and being yelled at by a racist white man wasn't one she'd though of.

The man in front of her looked impressed but also she knew he just wanted his coffee.

"Do you really have a bat?" He asked.

She laughed shaking off her nerves, "I don't even have a car."

He nodded and smiled.

"Oh, and the men here are so attractive." She thought.

"Right. So, what can I get you?" She asked, trying to move on from her outburst.

"Oh, can I just get a Grande Double Chocolate Frap, please? Also this," He said and placed a bag of coffee beans on the counter.

"Ran out at home." He finished and Eva nodded.

"Sure thing." She said and he handed her his card.

Niall Horan. 

Niall. She repeated.

"There you go, and it should be out soon."

"Thanks, have a good day."

"Yea, you too. And thanks for standing up for me. But me and my bat got it covered."

He nodded his head and laughed.

"Hello, what can I get for you?"

* * *

sup losers. double update, ikr crazy. it's like i don't sleep anymore.

hope you all are liking it so far, i sometimes try and make it interesting.

<3 stay safe.