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Another busy afternoon at Oasis Cafe.
Panay bukas at sara ng glass door ng Cafe dahil sa dami ng customers. At dahil oras na ng uwian, karamihan sa mga ito ay University students.
"One Iced Espresso. Two slices of cheese cake. And... Uhhm... 2 chocolate donuts." Wika ng babaeng nasa unahan ng pila.
Halos lahat ng nakapila para mag-order ay panay tingin sa likod ni Drey. Gusto nilang makita ang lalaking gumagawa ng kape sa may coffee maker machine. That guy who looks like a foreigner and is really good looking is one of the reasons why there are so many girls and gay customers here.
"Take out po, Miss?", Drey asked as he jotted down her order.
"Yes, please." The girl replied while trying to look behind Drey.
"Please wait for a couple of minutes as we prepare your order, Miss." Agad na nagtungo si Drey sa coffee maker machine para ilagay ang order.
"Zach. Eto pa isang set ng order" Zach did not bother to look because he was too busy making coffee for other customers. Instead, he gestured his lips to wards the table top, tila sinasabi nitong ilagay nalang roon ang papel at siya na ang bahala rito.
Ganito ka-busy ang Cafe lalo na tuwing uwian ng mga estudyante. The cafe is just two blocks away from El Riego University which makes it popular and convenient for most students.
Ito rin and pinakamalapit na Coffee shop sa mga company office sa syudad kaya halos di ito nawawalan ng customers.
Zach finished making two cups of Americano and four cups espressos. As Drey served these to the customers, Zach immediately looked at the table tops to see the new sets of orders.
"Bakit ba kasi ngayon pa nagkasakit si Alice? Kung kailan maraming customers. On leave pa naman si Miss D." Warren, another employee of the Cafe said when he got back from cleaning the tables.
"Palagi naman tayong inuulan ng customers." Zach commented without even looking. Halata ang kakaibang accent sa pananalita niya sa Tagalog dahil sanay Ito sa English. Everyone can see how busy and focused he is in his work.
"Tama si Zach. Di naman 'to bago para sa'tin. Let's just work double time." Drey added.
Pagpatak ng alas singko ay mas lalong dumami ang customers nila.
"Warren. Can you get me some coffee beans from the storage room? We're almost out." Zach said.
Warren immediately went to the storage room at the back of the building to get a box of newly delivered coffee beans. He was already sweating hard but still, he managed to look presentable to their customers.
Warren is quite buffed kumpara kay Zach at Drey kaya siya palagi ang tagabuhat ng mga supply mula sa delivery truck or sa storage room.
They were all busy when a loud and familiar voice caught their attention.
"Dreeeeeyyy!" Tili nito habang nagmamadaling pumasok sa cafe. She was wearing her school uniform paired with high heels which made her look like she was going out of balance. Agad itong dumiretso sa counter upang makausap si Drey.
"Stella! Ang ingay mo! Ano na naman ba?" Agad na saway nito.
Imbes na tumahimik ay tumili ito ulit. Agad nitong tinakpan ang bibig ni Stella. Drey looked around and saw several customers looking at them. He did a slight bow gesture to apologize.
"Hi, Ella." Mabilis na bati ni Zach mula sa Coffee maker machine, which is about six meters away from the counter.
Stella gestured as a reply saka ulit tinuon nito ang atensyon kay Drey.
"Ano?!" Drey asked before removing his hand from her mouth.
"Remember that time na nagpasama ako sa inyo ni Zach mag-audition sa Search for Miss El Riego?",
Excited nitong tanong.
"Oo naman. Bakit?"
Napahinto saglit si Zach said ginagawa at hinintay ang sasabihin ni Stella.
Stella opened her phone and showed the text message coming from the pageant organizers that she was qualified to join.
"Woooah! Congrats!" Masiglang bati ni Drey saka nito niyakap so Stella mula sa kabilang side ng counter.
Napangiti nalang si Zach saka nito pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa. He just listened to his friends talking about the details.
One of the customers cleared her throat. Doon palang napansin ni Drey na may limang customers pa pala na nakapila para kunan niya ng order. Agad syang nag-apologize at ipinagpatuloy na ang trabaho nito.
Pumasok si Stella sa counter at dumiretso kay Zach.
"Congrats." Agad na bati ni Zach nang makalapit ito sa kanya.
"Thanks. Salamat sa mga advice at help mo sa'kin.. Ang galing mo kaya magmentor." She said full of enthusiasm.
"Well... You can thank me by helping out. We could really use a hand here." Saka nito itinuro ang mga kapeng ready nang iserve.
Stella looked around and saw how busy the cafe was. She nodded then immediately wore her personalized pink apron before heading back to the counter.
"Ako na dito. Ikaw na bahala dun." Stella said as she took the notepad and pen then pointed at the trays to be served. Drey nodded in response.
Stella and Drey had been Zach's friends since they were freshmen. Actually, they're the only close friends he has. He never really had an interest with making friends since they moved to El Riego three years ago.
Hindi employee ng Oasis Cafe si Stella, but she likes to help her friends, especially in times like this. She even learned how to make cappuccino and espresso from Zach, just by helping.
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Napaupo si Warren sa stool chair malapit sa bintana. Katatapos lang nyang magpunas ng mga lamesa at magligpit ng mga upuan. "Nakakapagod!" He exclaimed. They were about to close the cafe.
"Oo nga. Ako Rin gutom na gutom na. Quarter to nine na pero di pa tayo nakakapaghapunan." Stella said while taking off her apron. "Ganito ba kayo palagi? Ito ang unang pagkakataon na tumulong ako dito at inabutan tayo ng ganitong oras." She added.
"Di naman. Nagkataon lang na nagkasabay ng leave sina Alice at Miss D." Drey replied. He was still wiping the counter.
"My God! Adik na adik siguro sa kape ang mga taga ERU." She said as she sat beside Warren.
"Baka adik Kay Zach." Drey Commented.
"Siguro kasi ilang linggo nalang midterm exams na. Masyado silang busy sa requirements nila. Hindi lang isang cup ngkape ang kakailanganin nila para manatili silang gising magdamag." Warren said.
"Warren's right, Ella." Zach said as he emerged from the employees' locker. "And all of us should start reviewing. The cafe isn't the only thing that should keep us busy." He fixed his collar and sat near Stella and Warren.
"Anyway, I should get going. Baka hanapin na ako ni mama. Dapat kaninang eight pa ako nakauwi." Stella said before she stood up and walked towards the door.
"Salamat ulit said tulong, Stella. At congrats ulit." Drey shouted. She gestured bye before she finally left the place.
Drey finished wiping and immediately went inside the lockers room to change.
"Kumusta na ang short film project ng grupo niyo? Balita ko nagquit ang lead actor nyo?" Warren asked.
"Actually, I'm thankful that he quit. Jerome is not a good lead actor anyway." Zach replied.
But actually he was kind of worried. They haven't found anyone to fill the role, yet. And their deadline is two weeks from now.
"Panira talaga.". Warren commented. "Kaya nyo bang matapos bago ang deadline?"
"Maybe? We just need to find a new lead actor as soon as possible."
"Sabihin mo lang kung kailangan mo ng tulong sa editing. Tapos na naman yung grupo namin. Pwede kitang tulungan anytime." Warren tapped Zach's shoulder.
"Thanks. But, I really don't want to bother you."
"Okay lang talaga. Maliit na bagay lang naman yun." Tumayo si Warren saka nag-unat ng likod at mga braso. "Sige. Kailangan ko na rin umuwi. Magrereview pa ako para sa exams natin sa minor subjects." Paalam nito.
"Okay. Take care. Good night." They did a fist bump before Warren walked out of the place.
Several minutes later, Drey walked out of the locker room.
"Oh? Asan na si Warren?" Tanong nito.
"He went off. He said he still needs to review." Zach answered.
"Ah ganun ba? Sayang. Sasabay Sana ako sa kanya. May dadaanan Kasi akong reviewers sa kaklase ko na nakatira malapit sa kanila."
"You can still catch up with him. Kakaalis lang niya." Suhestyon nito.
"Talaga? Sige. Eto Susi." Iniabot nito ang susi ng shop. "Pakisara nalang ng mga ilaw at pakisigurado na nakalock ang office ni Miss D. pati na yung main door. Okay?" Paalala nito bago kumaway at kumaripas paalis.
Napailing nalang si Zach. As usual, siya na naman ang magsasara ng cafe.
He stood up and began closing the window curtains. Nilapitan niya isa-isa ang mga switch para patayin ang mga ilaw. He checked Miss D.'s office door Kung sarado then finally, went to the last switch which near the door.
He turned off the switch then went outside. The only light that was open is the one outside their door which they usually leave overnight.
He inserted the key but then he noticed someone walking towards him. He looked back and saw a guy on a black hoodie standing about few meters from him.
The scenario was quite creepy but Zach was never afraid of those sorts of stuff. So he talked to that guy.
"Uhm. Good evening? What can I do for you?" He asked the guy. The guy took off his hood.
Zach's eyes sparkled when he got a glimpse of that person's face. He was really handsome. He was quite shocked pero di niya iyon pinahalata.
He was also confused. He had never admired other guy's face except this one.
"Are you closing already?" Zach's eyes raised as he heard the guy's voice. It sounded like he heard it already, but somehow he couldn't remember. He wasn't able to answer because of his thoughts.
"Mr.? Are you closing already?" Tanong ulit ng lalake. Zach went back to reality and realized how awkward his situation was.
"As you can see, I was about to lock the door." He answered.
"Too bad. I was hoping I'd still be able to drink two cups of iced espresso tonight." The guy looked from side to side. As if trying to find some other cafe. "All the other cafe and shops have closed already." He added.
Napaisip saglit si Zach. Total dalawang iced espresso lang naman ang gagawin niya, siguro pagbigyan nalang niya. Total di rin naman siya nagmamadaling umuwi.
"O-okay." Nagtataka siya sa kanyang sarili kung bakit sya nauutal.
Binuksan niya ang glass door at pinapasok ang lalaki. As that guy passed by him, his nose flinched with a familiar scent.
He rushed towards the switch to turn on the lights at the coffee maker machine.
He watched the guy silently sit on the chair of the table nearest to the counter.
"Please wait for a couple of minutes." He said loud enough for the guy to hear him. Then he began making two iced espressos.
The guy just nodded without any emotion in his face. He kept looking around as if trying to observe the whole cafe.
Zach kept on stealing glance on the guy. 'Mas matangkad sya kumpara sakin. I can't deny the fact that he's a beautiful man. He doesn't look like a Filipino, but he looks familiar tho. His biceps are well shaped even under that hoodie. His eyes are so attractive and his lips are ---Sh*t. What the hell am I thinking?'
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Napatiklop ng labi si Zach nang mapagtantong kanina pa rin pala siya tinititigan ng lalaking iyon.
"Nothing." He cleared his throat. "Your coffee is almost done."
Nang matapos ay agad nyang dinala ang dalawang iced espresso sa mesa kung saan nakaupo ang lalaking iyon.
"Here's your order. That would be 200 pesos, sir." Agad na inabot ng lalaking ang bayad. Tinanggap niya it saka inilagay sa cash register.
"Come sit." The guy said as Zach closed the cash register.
"What?" He though he might have misheard him.
"I said sit, here. With me." The guy said. He was staring at Zach seriously.
'What's up with this guy?' Zach thought to himself. He was in conflict inside whether to sit or to pretend that he needs to clean up the coffee machine.
Then he found himself sitting in front of this guy. Now Zach is wondering if he was hypnotized. Though he doesn't really believe in such things.
"Here." Inabot sa kanya ang isang iced espresso.
"I thought---"
"That's why I ordered two. Para may kasabay akong uminom." The guy explained. Zach was hesitant but he took the cup. He thought that it would be rude t decline his offer. He's a cutomer after all.
There was a long silence between them. They just sipped coffee from their own cup without uttering a single word. The guy was not staring at him. He wanted to ask his name but it was against their employee code to ask personal information from their customers.
"Uhh... What's---"
"My name is West..."
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First update 😊
Please tell me your thoughts about thus in the comments 😜
/Yuji/