Keith was having quite a week. He forgot to pay his rent so he had to deal with a $50 late fee. Things were moving slow at the cafe so he started looking for other jobs. Despite Dari's attitude and pushiness, he liked working with her. Not to mention, Keith's mother called about not having seen him in so long. He balled his fists up and bit his lip to keep from mentioning how her boyfriend kicked him out. He kept himself from mentioning that he was not the reason that things were as they were. So while he forgot to call Jess, forgot to text and forgot about their dates, life was happening to him.
They'd been dating for a little over a month at this point, and Jess thought it was strange. She wasn't expecting a call everyday, but a text was easy. A text could be sent a second before bed. She wanted something to confirm his existence. That is why she appeared at Kameron's Cafe for a medium mocha with whipped cream.
She'd prepared a whole speech, ready to mouth off as soon as she saw him. But when she saw him with his eyes sunken and shirt dirty, she softened. Jess wanted to hug him and order him his favorite takeout meal. Quietly, Jess stepped up to the register where he was standing. Keith was so dazed that he didn't even notice it was her.
"Welcome to Kameron's Cafe, can I get your order?"
She didn't bother with grabbing his attention. "Medium mocha with whipped cream."
He quickly recognized her voice. "Jess, I'm so sorry. I was meaning to call but-"
Jess remembered her anger all over again. "It's fine. How much is it?" She grit through a smile.
Keith shook his head and wiped his sweaty palms on his shirt. "On the house. Please Jess, let's talk once my shift is over." He tried to make eye contact, which she shamelessly avoided.
"Nevermind, you can keep the mocha. I have plans for later so I'll see you whenever." She didn't bother letting him say anything more, leaving him with all his explanations.