Chapter 1
Andrew works in a coffee shop in a small town, serving people their coffee and the occasional baked good. Like any other day of the week, he was at work, apron and nametag on display to let everyone know his name. He didn't dislike the job. Maybe it was the opposite, actually. Either way, Andrew came back every day to do his job. He didn't complain. Well, unless Kevin called him back from his smoke break early.
"Andrew, would you come back in early? The shop's getting busy." he rolled his eyes, stubbing the cigarette out and throwing the end in the bin. The shop was indeed getting busy, and he didn't maim Kevin for interrupting his break. "Thanks. That guy there."
"Hi, I'm Andrew. What can I do for you?" he spoke in his usual monotone voice, and the man stared into his soul for a second too long. "Are you going to stand there and stare at me or are you going to order?"
"Well I was going to stare for a little longer, but just to help out. I'll have a regular coffee, black with two sugars if you don't mind." Andrew gave a minute nod, going to make the man's drink.
"Got a name or am I going to telepathically call out to you when your coffee is done?" He lifted an eyebrow and Andrew couldn't help the glare that slipped onto his face. Usually, he was able to keep his expressions neutral, but there was something about this guy.
"Neil. How much?"
"One-seventy." Neil nodded, picking a note from his pocket. Luckily, at this coffee shop, Andrew didn't have to rely on tips to make a living. Wymack, the owner and Kevin's Dad made sure that his workers were paid fairly. Still, he didn't mind the odd tip.
"Keep the change for yourself."
Andrew stayed in the shop for a little while after his shift ended, just as he always did. He found that if he started driving Kevin's car(Kevin was a terrible driver and Andrew doesn't know how he ever got his license) right after their shifts ended, his leg and knee would seize up and he would struggle to get back out of the car when they got back to the apartment. It had become a habit for them to have a coffee and something sweet for Andrew, and occasionally have conversations with Allison and Matt whilst they worked, before leaving. It gave him a little time to work on essays too, so he didn't mind too much.
"Hey isn't that guy from earlier? The one you kept having back and forth with?" Kevin asked him, yawning over his espresso. Andrew looked over to where he was looking, spotting the same man who had tipped him at least twenty pounds that day. He was hunched over a laptop, typing away. Andrew nodded, mouth full of just-baked brownies. "He tipped you like twenty or thirty pounds!"
Andrew shrugged, simply intrigued each time the man got up to get another coffee, earphones in and an empty coffee cup in his hand. It must have been his tenth coffee by now, his hands must have been shaking. Somebody had to stop him at some point before his heart jumped out of his chest.
"Hey, you're the guy who served me earlier. Right?"
"Unless my dumb brother started working here behind my back, I was that guy." Neil nodded, taking an uninvited spot at the table. He fetched his laptop before sitting with both him and Kevin.
"You do realise you're talking about my boyfriend every time you call him dumb, right?" Andrew looked at Kevin, and stared for a minute, before raising a pierced eyebrow.
"I realise you're dumber for dating him." Neil overheard, laughing at their conversation. Andrew was, for lack of a better term, mesmerised. Kevin looked at his phone and couldn't stop the grin on his face. Andrew caught it, shoving him off of the seat. Neil laughed harder. "What do you study?"
"Oh, literature and creative writing. Do you study?"
"Language and History. Isn't literature meant to be boring as shit, and like, loads of work?" Neil nodded, at loads of work comment, but flipped Andrew off about the first one. Andrew rolled his eyes, watching Neil's eyes widen as Aaron climbed over Andrew and sat next to Kevin.
"You're a twin?"