Old Brews Die Hard
Ari didn’t like coffee.
She never got how people could drink that bitter concoction, let alone do it on a daily basis. She got the point of it, coffee let you stay awake so you wouldn’t fall asleep while writing your stupid English paper you forgot to write and now you had to do it overnight before class in the morning. But she also knew people were crazy enough to drink the damn thing everyday because they liked the taste of it. To her, it was basically powdery mud.
And yet here she was, working from 12 to 5 at a cafe making minimum wage. It wasn’t exactly her ideal job, but it was alright work and a decent income to help pay for her college debt and to get some spending money. Sometimes they asked her to do the night shift which sucked balls, but at least Emily didn’t mind her entering their dorm room at 3am. That made it easier to get some of that extra cash, much like tonight. Her boss had asked her to fill in for Susan because she got the flu so here she was, taking double shifts today.
Ari looked down at her cup. It was a double espresso shot, so it only filled the cup a third of the way up. It was black enough to where it was essentially a void in her cup. A void that tasted like ash and mud and…
Stop. Don’t don’t think about it. Ari closed her mind from any other thoughts about the expression and chugged it down. She was able to quickly finish it, but despite trying to avoid it, the bitter aftertaste still stained her tongue. Blegh, well hopefully it would be strong enough to last her the shift. She just had to not sleep through it and get caught dozing off from her manager.
Luckily for her, someone would help her with that issue. Specifically the brunette with a ponytail strolling into the cafe just now.
“Hey, can I get an Americano?” The customer asked as she was texting on her phone.
“Sure, that’ll be $2.50.”
“Gotcha, here you go.” The customer then handed Ari two dollars and two quarters. Ari held out her hand barely glancing towards her, only to take a second look back and realize who she was talking to.
“Nicole?! What are you doing here?”
“Getting a coffee, what does it look like?”
“Well, I mean, you look different! That’s all!” Ari had remembered her before as the emo-dressing girl with a ponytail with some sort of grunge shirt and jeans, sometimes a chain attached to said jeans. But this person she was looking at now? She had Khaki pants, a sweater, and glasses to top it all off! This was not the girl she knew from high school. The only thing that was left of Nicole’s high-school image was her ponytail and even that seemed to look more prim and proper than before.
Well, that and her attitude.
“Yea, and what of it? You wanted to comment on how ugly this sweater is or something?”
“Oh no! I think it looks great on you!”
“Really? Cuz even I think it’s ugly.”
“Oh. Then why are you wearing it?”
“Like I said, it’s freaking Antarctica outside right now,” Nicole replied back with a scowl. “Winter can kiss my ass.”
“Hehe, yea totally,” Ari responded back before realizing what she said. “Oh! Um, so would you like your receipt for the coffee?”
“Nah, I’m staying here for a while anyway so it won't matter.”
“Well thank you for choosing our cafe for your stay!” Ari smiled, trying to not make her employee smile too wide.
“Yeah, you guys make cheap enough coffee that doesn’t taste like crap. I like McDonald’s fries, but they can’t brew a cup to save their life.”
“Hahahahaha, yea.” Ari awkwardly replied back, with chuckles being placed in between her voice. Nicole glanced back at her with the side of her eye before going back to staring at her phone. She seems to be texting someone, but Ari couldn’t tell from this distance. It seemed like they were making small talk with short messages and various emoticons as -
“-Hey! Keep your eyes to yourself!”
Whoops, Ari had tilted towards her by mistake. “Sorry about that! Just a bit light-headed right now!” Ari chuckled awkwardly, doing her best to remain calm. Sadly from how the brunette was staring at her, it was probably failing.
“Whatever.” Nicole turned away back to her phone, leaving Ari fumbling in her own mind. She sat across the cash register at a table next to one of the windows and pulled out a notebook from her backpack. It looked like Nicole was either doing an assignment from class or studying with how much writing and erasing she was doing. Ari couldn’t help but stare at Nicole, it had been almost 2 years since they had counseling together at LHS. She was sure she wasn’t going to see Nicole again but alas, fate had set their paths to cross at this moment in time.
Was it bad that she still found Nicole hot with that tacky sweater on? She was different looking for sure, but still very much Nicole. Her sullen eyes as she scanned the pages of the notebook hadn’t changed as well as her attitude, still uncaring and aloof as ever. She seems like she was taking life more seriously at least by actually studying. Ari had never seen her touch a book before, let alone read one. Nicole looked like a really hot librarian with the whole winter nerd look.
Shit, she was still into her.
Ari bit her lip, almost breaking the skin with her teeth. She thought she got over Nicole, but apparently she was still into the egotistical brunette that rejected her after all this time.
Well, to be fair she wasn’t inclined to say yes to her confession. Just because Nicole helped her be more open with her sexuality didn’t mean that she had to date Ari. It wasn’t like Ari was expecting it to go smoothly when she asked, she was just being really hopeful about it that’s all. Ari wanted to ask her for her phone number or email or something to keep in contact after they left, but would that sound too desperate? Too weird? Should she wait until next time they meet? But what if Nicole never comes back to this place? What if she never saw Nicole ever again?!
Wait, hold on. She just needed to calm down and act rationally. Her mind was still a slurry of confusion, but she knew someone she could ask. Ari began tapping on her phone to the one person she could ask to help in this situation.
Ari: EMILY!
Emily: wazzup?
Ari: Nicole is here!
Emily: nice, well gn
Ari: wait I need help!
Emily: fiiiiiine. Whut u need? :/
Ari: whut should i do?
Emily: ask her out duuuh
Ari: whut?!!? But how did yu know?
Emily: you wouldn’t be asking me for help if you didn’t want to
Ari: I mean, yes yur rite
Emily: so what’s yur plan?
Ari: idk, walk up to her with her coffee, then ask how’s she been, then try to ask her out?
Emily: Kinda moving fast r we? :3
Ari: IDK how long she’s gonna be here!!!! She culd leave any minute!
Emily: only ok calm down just write yur number on top of the coffee foam ez
Ari: That’s not Latte art works! Plus I can’t write that small!
Emily: Fine, just lik put a big heart on it
Ari: OK, but what if she doesn’t see it?
Emily: Just point it out 2 her, lik hold it in front of her face or something she can’t ignore yu then
Ari: Got it! Tysm Emily!
Emily: NP
Emily: BTW yu owe me 3 macaroons <333
Ari: fiiiine -_-
Emily: yaaaaaay :DDDDD
Ok, Ari had the plan now. Make the coffee, write the message in the foam, then deliver it to Nicole with the message in front of her face. Ari brewed a fresh cup while also heating up the milk, getting the frother ready once the milk was hot enough. Once the milk and coffee were ready, she poured the coffee in then poured the milk on top as best as she could. The cup was ready for delivery.
And then Ari dropped it on the floor.
Crash!
Ari panicked while cleaning up the mess. Luckily Nicole didn’t budge from her position so all Ari had to do was whip up another cup and -
Crash.
Oops, there went another cup.
Ok, she just had to stop shaking her hands and calmly make another one. Simple. She did it once, she could do it again!
Whoops, hold on she messed up the foam heart this time. Now it just looked like a weird five-sided blob.
“Ari, what’s taking so long?” Nicole called out as she looked up from her notes.
“Uh, nothing! Your coffee will be out right away!”
Ari slapped herself in the face, focusing herself on the task. She stopped jittering after a few seconds and finally recrafted the coffee, foam heart and all. Perfect! Now to just give it to Nicole. Ari placed the cup on a plate and walked towards her, who in turn broke away from her book to look at Ari.
“Sorry for the wait! Here is your coffee ma’am!” Ari placed it down on Nicole’s table, waiting to see a response. But Nicole didn’t immediately say anything, just staring at the coffee mug bewildered. Ari wondered if she did something wrong when making the image. Was it not heart-shaped enough? Did she forget to make it a cold brew instead?
Oh wait, Nicole had ordered it Americano. That meant no milk.
Ari wanted to pile-drive her face into the nearest wall. This was on a whole new level of stupid. Not only was she trying to flirt with Nicole during the first time that they have met in forever, but she did it in the stupidest way possible. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Umm you know what, I-I-I t-think I got you the wrong one! Let me just take that away and I c-can swap that real quick!”
Nicole let out a long deep sigh, keeping Ari from taking the cup away. “Ari, what in the world are you doing here?”
“I’m fixing the order?”
“I mean with this lovey dovey bullshit in my cup?”
Ari turned red, realizing that Nicole caught on. “N-n-n-no! I just -”
“ - just stop.” Nicole stated. She placed her forehead into her head and sighed again. “Please, I don’t need this right now. I got a big exam coming up and I can’t risk having all of this to worry about,” Nicole said as she twirled her pencil towards Ari. “Also I’m pretty sure this can technically count as sexual harassment since you’re trying to hit on me during work hours.”
“Wait! Please don’t call my boss about this. I'm sorry!” Ari pleaded. “I just really surprised and excited to see you again since it’s so long and I kinda just went a little carried away with trying to be subtle and well, um, it kinda got out of hand…”
“I could hear it. It sounded like you were trying to break eggs back there.”
“Yea, I panic when I get nervous and one thing kinda led to another.” Ari said as she placed her hands behind her back. It didn’t help hide her face which was probably bright red, but at least she could twiddle her fingers without facing further judgment.
“It’s been 3 years, Ari.” Nicole said as her pupils blurred into foggy circles, her gaze on Ari dissipating.
“About so, more or less.”
“And you’re still an emotional train wreck talking to girls.”
“Well, not girls specifically. Just you.”
Nicole grunted. She was definitely peeved off about this. “Look, just pretend I wasn’t here. Sorry for bothering you.” With that, Nicole began packing up her stuff and was walking towards the exit. But before she could reach the handle on the door she heard Ari yell with a startling amount of confidence.
“Wait! Hear me out Nicole!” Nicole slowly turned her neck and saw Ari doing her best to stand up despite her jittery legs.
“Ok, what?”
“Would you, if you’re free after your exam, want to go get a cup of coffee?”
“I just got one.”
“I meant like at another place! When I’m not working! Maybe go to the arcade afterwards?”
“The arcade.”
Ah, that tone from Nicole did not sound like she liked that option. In hindsight Ari should have named another place but she had said it in the spur of the moment.
“The place where greasy babies and overgrown children waste their pocket money on video games to win overpriced plushies or whatever they have at the prize booths now?”
Ari couldn’t respond. Her mind was still boggled with how dumb the first place was and how awkward this situation was. She opened her mouth but she might as well have been mute because nothing came out of it when she tried to say something. To be fair, it didn’t matter. Ari knew what Nicole was going to respond with. It was going to be a big fat -
“- Yeah sure, why not?”
What?
“But the uh, arcade what, how why but - but why?”
“You are clearly not ok. And if this stupid date helps me stop having to feel guilty about it in any way then I’m all up for it. But no arcade, pick an actual place or I’m gonna say no.”
“Y-yeah sure! No problem!”
“Oh yeah, here’s my phone number.” Nicole revealed her phone with her contacts on the screen. Ari, in her frantic state, almost dropped her phone but juggled it back into her hands just in time. She tried clicking her contacts, but her nerves were still a mess as she kept jumping on and out of random apps. Eventually Nicole groaned and grabbed it out of her hands. “Jesus Christ, just let me do it.” She quickly typed it down then handed it back to Ari, who was partially panicking and partially thinking about how their hands just touched. “Well, see you around. I’ll text you when I remember.”
“Ok!”
After that, Ari finally collapsed to the ground. She couldn’t believe it. Somehow through all of those fuck ups she had actually asked Nicole out! She giggled as she slowly crawled up from the floor and texted back Emily. She had to tell her the good news!
Ari: it worked!!! :D
Emily: what worked?
Ari: The plan!!!!
Emily: oh wow
Emily: how did it go?
Ari: why r yu surprised You made it
Emily: oh
Emily: ummmmm I thot yu wouldn’t actually doo it
Ari:WhAT?!?!?
Emily: hehehe sorry :3
Emily: But hey it worked so it’s alll good! ^_^
Ari: ……-_-
Ari groaned. Ok, self reminder; don’t ask Emily for dating tips.