It’s just another day in my ordinary life. The aroma of the coffee fills the room. Chatters from each table are starting to get louder, and communication between the people behind me are starting to lengthen. I am now transferring the drink I made to it’s cup with full smiles to the costumers that pass by me.
“One Java Chip Frappucino for Janeah.” I called from the counter. A small teenager - fidgeting her hands in her her sling bag - probably her first time being alone, approached me. She resembled me on my first time on the city, fidgety, anxious, almost scared.
“Hi! You must be Janeah? Here’s your java chip. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” She smiled at me, there’s a hint of positivity in her eyes, and she mouthed “thanks” as she left.
It’s just so nice to work at the coffeeshop, you get to know other people from the coffee they want, and sometimes you get to hear their story. There are middle-aged women enjoying their tea while catching up with their lives, there’s a business man on his second Iced Americano who’s phone seems to not stop ringing, a young couple, I’d bet, are on their first date, and a couple of students who were here way before I clocked in. I stared at the students, it would have been nice to study out and continue school with the luxury of not thinking about the expenses. I just released a heavy sigh and put on my bright smile again.
I changed assignments from the counter to the tables, I am cleaning tables while greeting at costumers who just entered the shop.
“Good Evening! Welcome to Starbucks” I was taken aback to see five supermodel-looking people enter the coffeeshop. The first two, a male and a female that looked like twins, they had a very similar eye feature and face shape, the guy had a mullet with his right ear full of piercings and the girl had a coal black short hair, with pretty chains hanging on her neck. The other two behind them were like men you would see in magazine covers and billboards, one had a pretty arrow tattoo on his right neck , and the other one is strawberry blonde, he had very nice and soft facial features, he actually smiled and nodded at my greeting.
The last guy looked like a god, he is a wearing a poker face. He is tall and lean, and looks so elegant in his white long sleeved polo, folded to his forearms. He has beautiful eyelashes, and a sharp nose, his lips were thin and rosy, and his eyes - - - they were light grey, almost a hint of silver. He must have been the most beautiful man I have ever seen. He turned to my direction, and looked at me. I stumbled back with the intensity of his stare. He held my eyes as he continued behind his companions. It was like, he was analysing me and figuring out what kind of creature I am.
Shit! What do I do? “Good Evening! How may I help you?” I smiled the best that I could without breaking the eye contact, and he just raised his eyebrow at me and looked away. God! Luna?! Couldn’t you be more obvious? I looked down as I felt my cheeks burned, and hurried to the kitchen bringing the cups and plates I cleaned from the tables.
My quick trip to the kitchen was immediately halted after I heard a commotion in the front. I saw the 5 new costumers near the table of the students, and one male student is standing between the group and his friends. He is in eye level with the guy with the mullet.
“Um, excuse me, may I know the problem?” I interceded with a calm voice.
“We want this table.” a firm statement by the guy in the mullet said.
“We were here first, we don’t wanna move.” the student stated without dropping his stare
“You haven’t done anything here but study.”
“Okay, please calm down.” Please, Manager Joy hurry back from the comfort room, I though to myself while trying to figure out what to do.
“Sir” I looked at the guy with the mullet. I gulped as he stared at me intensely.
“Uh-um, they were actually here before you, and they have ordered almost every hour since they were here. So, I suggest we look for another table.” I smiled.
“How about there?” I gestured in an empty table just adjacent to the students.
I could see the irritated look of his companions, while the silver-eyed guy just looked bored.
Everyone started to murmur about the scenario, my workmates are also eyeing us nervously. I’m controlling my breath trying to not breathe hard and show that I’m handling this well just to ease my workmates, but my toes are already curled down trying to root on the floor, and my I could feel my back flooding with sweat.
“WE. WANT. IT. HERE.” the guy in mullet firmly said, emphasising every word.
I bit my lip to stop it from trembling, and showed a faint smile while looking at the students.
“Maybe you wanna change seats?” I tried to ask them, but they all shook their head no. I looked at the guy with a mullet, now with a raised eyebrow.
“I-i-i’m really sorry sir, but we really can’t give you the seats.”
“Tch.”
We all looked to the silver eyed guy, who just passed by his friends. He looks irritated, his poker face turned into a frown as he forwarded near me and the student. He fumbled in his pockets and reached for his wallet, “Here! Get them out from that spot.”
He forced to me a lot of bills. This is about 20 ? 30 thousand ? just for a spot in the coffee shop? What a weird fetish he had. I was looking at the students and at the group of ‘spot-stealers’. I could see some of the students continued to study glancing to their friend and to the other group, faces show nervousness as their hands and feet.
“I’m sorry sir, but I could not accept this.” I extended my hands full of cash and slightly bowed down.
I looked down on the floor still waiting for him to get his money back and just leave the students alone. Manager Joy, pleaseee, do you really have to be late at times like this? My right foot was tapping nervously, scared that things might go out of control.
I heard people gasp as I felt a cold drink at the back of my head. You are not gonna cry, you are not gonna cry, you are not gonna cry.
I repeated those words like a mantra, as I stood back up again and faced the one who threw the drink on me. I braved myself and showed a smile.
“Look at you trying to be a hero eh? Do you not know me?” he is stepping closer to me as I stood firm and meet his eyes. He was inches away from me. I could smell peppermint from his breath and a very strong perfume exuding from him.
“Well this will ought to make you remember, to not mess with me and the things I want” and he grabbed the drink of the guy with mullet. He was about to protest but her i-don’t-know sister perhaps, stopped him. He removed the cap and I closed my eyes waiting for him to pour the drink from right above me.
Two drinks? He wasted two drinks!! This is about 10 dollars. I repeated the mantra I was chanting earlier as I wiped my face with my arm.
“and you” he turned to the students
“Stop dreaming, at the end of the day, you’ll work your ass off and still not get what you want.” and he walked away. I was infuriated with what he said. How dare he stop people dreaming. Just because he looked so elegant with his look, and his expensive watch, and his tons of cash, doesn’t mean he could boss around anyone.
Luna calm down, calm down girl.
NO, I cannot calm down now!
I took the drink from the strawberry blonde guy and threw it at the jerk who is trying to walk away. His companions were too shocked to react. He looked back furious, but I was more angry. I stormed towards him and shoved his money to his chest.
“You jerk! Not all of us lived with a silver spoon on his mouth! I don’t care who you are or what you are, you don’t have the right to boss people to stop dreaming. You may have all the riches in the world but people like them, people like me, only have our dreams to get by.” I couldn’t help the tears flowing from my eyes. It was frustration, anger and sadness that were bottled up. I took my beret and my apron, I need to leave this place quick before he can do more. I wiped off the liquid on my cheeks and looked at him the last time and smirked.
“Hmm! What do you know? You’re just a spoiled little jerk!” and I threw my apron and beret on his face and walked away leaving him confused and angry.
I was walking fast to the point that I am now running.
“I’m dead!” “I’m very very dead!”
I’d be lucky enough to get a broken arm and leg. Than guy seemed like who could take one’s life in a blink.
It would be a miracle if that man would not hunt me to death.
I spotted at bench, then I realised my feet brought me to the park. I tried to wipe away the sticky drinks spilled on my head. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sure that I will get fired, maybe if I find that man, and ask for his forgiveness, I’d be able to secure the job back.
Ugh! As if! I rested my head and closed my eyes.
That guy was right! Dreaming will get us nowhere, that after the end of the day, we still work just to get by. I even have 3 jobs, and I’m barely getting by. Lucky for people like them who would get anything in just a clap.
But I’m content, at least I believe I am. I have work, a I was able to somehow rent a house, and Grandma’s doing well in the province.
I let out a heavy sigh.
It was a long walk home, I should have run towards home and not the opposite direction.
I live in an apartment in the B District of City L with my friend Willow. It’s 15 minutes away from the City Circle, it’s actually a lofty district, aesthetic even, with condominiums, parks, a few restaurants, and some clothing stores. Our place is also pretty, but Willow has carried more than half of the expenses in our place.
“Luna!!” I heard a squeal as I entered our apartment.
“Where on Earth have you been!? Are you hurt?!” She ran and checked on me, circled me looking for I don’t know what she’s looking for.
“LUNAA! Answer me?!”
“I’m fine.” I walked toward our my room and looked for clothes.
“Rigel told me about the ruckus at the coffeeshop earlier, there is nothing fine about that.”
“Let me change first, okay Willa? I’m sticky and stinky.”
She nodded and I went to the bathroom.
Willa has been my friend for 8 years now. She’s actually a rich however, she is trying to be an independent woman, working and not relying on her parents fortune. I met her when I was once a freshman in college, thankfully she still my friend even though I dropped out. Thanks to her I was able to survive a lot of shit in my life, she even allowed me to live with her, though I try best to at least give enough to pay for the rest of the bills in the apartment.
After the bath, I told Willa about the whole Starbucks story, and the night ended with her falling asleep in my room.
I looked at Willa who is sleeping soundly in my bed.
Good thing that not all privileged people act so high and mighty, thankfully there are people like Willa and Rigel, who despite their riches, are down to earth and kind. But, I can’t really blame them for being high and mighty right?
After all it’s their life, they can live the way they want to be. But for people like, I simply can’t.