This chapter is dedicated to _firebrand_ for the awesome cover above!
Tapping my fingers on the counter, I waited patiently for the first customer. The class didn't take up to five hours since the professor had an urgent meeting so I went early here in the beanery. Fortunately, after a few minutes, customers began showing up inside. Some enjoyed their morning coffee alone with a newspapers in their hand. Some enjoyed their meals with their loved ones and friends.
I continued brewing the coffee and afterwards brought it to the customers. A melancholic music with a heartbreaking lyrics filled the shop. Damn, why does the lyrics of the song feels like teasing what I've been through? I don't know whoever the singer is but I swear, I hate her for writing that song. She feels what I exactly felt when someone broke my heart.
But the song didn't even have an effect on the customers inside the shop. I could hear them laugh and there isn't even a single thing that could say they're hurting because of the song. Instead, laughter and the sound of the utensils was all I could hear.
Maybe this is just my feelings again. I shook my head and ignored the song. I leaned my head on the counter since there aren't any new customers.
After a few seconds, the door bell chime made a sound and I heard the door's opening.
I tilt my head to greet the customer coming towards the counter. I was surprised he came, Chuck came again. It's surprising how he's not covering his face now.
He is wearing a plain white shirt and a dark pants matched it. And another style of scarf wrapped around his neck too to provide warm and combat the still chilly morning.
He walked towards the counter. Nervousness was evident on his face. And I don't know why but he is not smiling. In fact, I should be the one who needs to be angry for what he did last time leaving me alone.
"Hi," he greeted, looking away.
"Hi," I replied, getting the money he just placed on the counter.
"Espresso, I guess," I continued while getting a mug.
"I'm sorry for not coming."
I immediately looked at him. Wait, what's he talking about? Is it about not coming here at the beanery or for leaving me last time?
"Excuse me?"
"Can I take you for a walk? Again?"
He stared at me for a long time. And after a few seconds, I laughed at him, Chuck's probably kidding.
"Sorry, Chuck. I need to work because I need money so that I could live."
He looked so sad and maybe, a little bit disappointed? He looked away and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm kidding. I'll wait at the table."
My brows furrowed in confusion. He sounded serious and it wasn't obvious he was just kidding.
He walked to his usual spot in the beanery while I continued making his favorite. I don't know, Kyle is not here again so, that leaves me to be the only one here. And he has no choice but to approach me to make him his coffee.
I walked towards his table and placed the coffee in front of him. He muttered thanks without looking at me. He can't seriously be so cold with me. What's happening to him?
"I'm glad you're not covering your face anymore, Chuck."
Wow. This is creepy. Saying his name is making me a bit scared. No reason, just uncomfortable.
"I'm so glad I met you, Lauren."
Well, he doesn't look like he does. He kept avoiding my eyes.
"Umm... I think I need to go back to the counter, Chuck. Another customer waiting, I guess."
He nodded.
That's weird. After knowing each other, how can he become like this? He looks like he doesn't want to talk to me. For all I know, I didn't do anything wrong. But if I did, he must tell me.
He never stayed longer at the beanery. He never left a note at the bottom of the cup of coffee after he stepped out of the beanery. He wasn't doing what he did before we get to know each other's name. He was weird and I was getting crazy he didn't talk to me properly.
After doing all my responbilities at the beanery, I started packing my things. The clouds turned stygian and it became colder. I looked outside the tintless window of the beanery and it was now drizzling. Good thing I brought my jacket and bonnet with me.
Zipping my jacket on, I sighed deeply upon opening the door leading outside. I adjusted the bonnet on my head and placed my bare hands inside the pockets of my jacket. And it was now raining I had to run faster and look for an empty taxicab.
I found myself lurking under the empty bus station. I was shivering because I'm all wet from running under the heavy rain. I was pissed off! Not even a single taxi stopped in front of me because they were all full. And I was here waiting in a bus station though I really don't need a bus because the destination of it is not really to my place.
I embraced myself though I'm wet and could do nothing with it. Why is it raining so hard right now? The news didn't even alert it would be like a typhoon. It's been raining for almost an hour. I took my phone out which says 15% and soon its battery would die. Why on earth is there no service in here?
I can't walk nor run because it'd ruin my shoes which I bought earlier this month. I need someone to pick me up. If only I have a car, I wouldn't be stuck in here, freezing. I need to speed dial Phoebe to come pick me up but I have no service on my phone here.
Guess I'll need to stay here until it stops. But when, when I die because of freezing myself to death? I hope I stayed at the beanery and worked overtime rather than being here.
I saw a car heading towards my direction. Waving my hands for help, the car stopped in front of me.
I heard a loud bang of closing door and I saw a guy running towards me. He was wearing a hood and I couldn't clearly see his face.
He placed a jacket, though I already have a wet one, on top of my shoulders. He pulled me closer and we ran to his car. It was then I saw who just came to save me from freezing.
"Chuck," I said, my lips shaking from freezing.
He shook his head and ordered me to put my seatbelt on.
"What were you doing, Lauren?"
I looked at him in confusion. He sounded upset.
"What would you do if we didn't came across together? Die there?" he asked me in disappointment.
"Thanks for coming."
He was just driving though he didn't really know where he'll take me. I found a receipt on my bag. It was a receipt of a grocery I had last Saturday. Good thing it was still there.
I took it and sketched the direction that he needs to follow to reach my apartment. Then afterwards, I gave it to him.
"Please take me home, Chuck."
My eyes widened in shock when I saw him crumpled it. Then, he dropped it under the accelerator of his car.
"I thought we're friends, Lauren. You're having a hypothermia, I'll let him take care of you."
"Him?"
"I mean, I'll take care of you. Of course," he said while smirking.
"I need to go home, Chuck," I sighed heavily and yawned.
"I'm sorry I didn't walked you home last time. But right now, I want you to trust me."
I was dead tired to argue with him so, I ended up nodding my head. Fine, I'll trust him this time.
The long ride to wherever he's living at—maybe an hour or so—was quiet. All I could sense was a very awkward atmosphere that nothing is really talking. He was just too focused on the rough, slippery road with his one hand on the steering wheel while the other's leaning on the car's window. There are times I glance at him and I saw his baggy eyes. Maybe he was really drained with his life that's why he never talked to me early this morning at the beanery and now that we're together in his car. I was leaning my head on the window, holding the seatbelt like I own it, and watching the endless fields and heavy rain I see outside.
"We're here," he mumbled, while parking the car on the garage.
I never waited for him to go open the door in his car. I wouldn't let anyone do good things to me. In fact, I'm not even a person with disabilities so, I think I could move my own extremity to open the door.
He walked excitedly leading to his house's door and I followed him nonchalantly. As soon as he already opened the door with his keys, he told me to follow him inside. He told me to wait in the sofa.
I was freezing. Maybe he was right saying I'm having hypothermia. I embraced myself and zipped up the jacket he gave me earlier.
I couldn't help but scan the surroundings right now. The house was quite simple on the outside. When I stepped inside, the fireplace was the first one I noticed. It's located near their living room where an old boombox was sitting atop the small, rounded table.
Chuck is like me, he has a simple and quiet life. I could see pictures hanging on his wall. I couldn't see his parents picture; it was just him. He had a picture taken that he has a mole near his eyes. As far as I could remember, he doesn't have a mole when I looked at him. There was also a picture of him—maybe taken when he was five—dipping his fingers on the color paint and he was dirty. There is also a picture of him swimming, and a picture of him holding a trophy.
"That's eight years ago if you're looking at the dirty kid doing arts. And that's three years ago if you're at the trophy."
I saw him standing on near the door leading to his kitchen with a tray on his hands and two cups on top of it.
"You swim?"
He walked towards me but shrugged his shoulders. What a vague answer!
"I've given up with the water, I stayed home and made tea at all times," he responded, with a playful tone while handing the cup of tea to me.
He was good in making the tea. My stomach immediately felt full and warm.
"What do you like most? Tea or coffee?" I asked, out of nowhere.
"Asking me if I love your masterpiece at Kaffe 1668?" he joked.
"I thought you said you want me to be the only one to make your coffee always, Chuck?" I inquired, raising a voice.
That's me when I talk to Phoebe. Maybe, me and Chuck are getting close to each other because I can't stop but talk to him normally like how I treat my friends.
"Did I?" he asked, brows furrowing in confusion.
I nodded.
"Ah! Of course, yes! I was kidding!"
"Obviously, you forgot!"
"I was just kidding, haha."
Then, he took another sip of tea.
"Tell me a story," I breathed out as I continued watching the pictures in the wall.
"I'm not good at doing fairytales for girls, Lauren. I'm good at making them scream."
"I'm not talking about it. Tell me about your family. Like where are your family? Or are you an only child? Or why on earth do you have a cat sleeping near the open window when it's raining?"
He laughed. I won't doubt he might be sent to a mental asylum one day. What's so funny?
"You cared about the cat when you're freezing there, huh? Want me to give the jacket to the cat?"
I rolled my eyes at him. He can be bipolar sometimes. He was ignoring me this morning but right now he was playing me. He was so different when he was still covering his face. He can be annoying sometimes.
"My parents work outside, I mean, outside the house. Not overseas."
"And you're an only child?"
He placed his tea on the table and sip his last and dropped himself at the opposite sofa, closing his eyes.
"Rest, Lauren. I'm tired, too. I'll sent you home once the rain stops."
He stood up again and walked upstairs. Not too long, he came with a black oversized shirt with him. He threw it to me and went back to the sofa again.
"Change up," he commanded.
"How did you get your mole removed?"
He didn't answered but he was humming an uncommon song. I don't even think if it's really a song.
I gasped as I heard a spoon dropped in the floor. And I heard a footsteps running upstairs.
"What was that, Chuck?" I asked, feeling nervous.
"That's the answer," he simply sighed, still closing his eyes.
"What answer?"
"I have a sibling. He's a nervous-type five-year-old baby boy."
I let out a deep sigh. Chuck has a little brother and that's amazing. I love to play with kids.
"Can I play with him?" I smiled.
"Silence means no. There's a bathroom next to the fireplace. Go get change and let's take you home."
Glaring at him, I gave up on probing him. I immediately went to the bathroom and used the shirt he let me borrowed. Afterwards, when I opened the bathroom, I could see him walking towards me. He grabbed my hands. He led me out and opened the door of his car.
"The rain stopped. Let's take you home."
"Care to let me be friends with your brother?"
"Now's not the time. Go home and rest, Lauren."
I didn't argue anymore because he was insistent on taking me home. Chuck must be really overprotective that even he doesn't want his new friend befriend the little boy.