The Coffee Shop (Hamilton Lams Modern AU) **IN EDITING**

Chapter 11

Both POVs

I smiled as John skated ahead of me, rapidly talking about the Harry Potter movies. "Don't you think that the movies have too many plot holes? I mean, some things go unexplained, and they switch around the order of events, too." He'd been going on like this for the past fifteen minutes, explaining all the gaps in the storytelling of the movies (while skating backwards, very impressive and adorable), whilst I gave him a few that he'd missed. He bumped into someone and turned around to apologize when- "What do you think you're doing?" the lady he'd bumped into asked. She sounded annoyed that she even had to talk to him (which she didn't have to, she chose to). "S-sorry, ma'am. I was busy talking to my boyfriend-" he was cut off before he could finish. "You again?" (who I think is) her daughter asked. John rolled his eyes. "So you're this kid's mom? Shoulda known you'd be a karen.." he muttered. However, that was a bad move, as she slapped him in the face immediately after he'd said that. "Where are your manners, young man?" she snapped. "How dare you call me a 'karen'?!" She was screaming at him for absolutely nothing, and a crowd was starting to form. He didn't even have to speak (although it didn't appear that he wanted to, he was in tears). "Ma'am, you just hit him for no valid reason. Your daughter here was trying to force him onto a date with her, and when he refused, she got angry at him. Then, he just accidentally bumped into you, key word accidentally, and you go crazy at him for giving you a well-deserved insult. And also, I seriously think you should move on with your day, as I'm a lawyer, his lawyer, and I can sue you, so..." I smirked at her. "Touch him again, I dare you." She appeared stunned, and with that, she grabbed her brat of a daughter's hand and walked off. I turned back to John. "Are you okay?" I asked. He nodded, although I could tell he'd been hurt. "Let's just go get lunch."

Alex and I walked the rest of the way to the nearest fast food place (it's NYC, the nearest fast food place is always a McDonald's), and I'd stopped skating backwards. "John, are you sure you're okay?" Alex asked me for the millionth time. "Yes, Alex, I'm fine. Besides, I've felt worse," I told him. He just nodded a bit, looking kinda shocked (probably because I told him that I've felt worse, which I have).

~

As we were walking back to the shop after lunch, it'd started to rain. I'd pulled my hoodie up at the first drop, but Alex still had his down, even though it was basically pouring at this point. We were talking about how awful those Percy Jackson movies were (they are, if you don't think so that's because you've never read the books), when I noticed Alex start to get really sneezy. "Alex, I told you to put your hood up," I told him with a smile as he sneezed for about the hundredth time. "I'm fine, John. It's probably nothing," he replied, easily brushing it off. "Alright, but if you call me tonight to tell me you're sick, don't say I didn't warn you." He sniffled a bit and gave me that sweet smile of his (somehow always makes my heart melt), and I grinned back at him. We reached the shop about five minutes later, just ten minutes before my shift started again. "Where were you two? I thought you'd be back quicker," Martha asked us. "We got caught up with a karen," I explained. "And Alex looks like he just climbed out of a swimming pool because he refused to put his hood up." He rolled his eyes at me. "Yeah, because it's not even a lot of rain," he told me, sneezing immediately after saying that. "Sure, just don't tell me tomorrow that you're sick and can't go to class. Speaking of which, I think you guys should go now." Alex checked the time on his phone and nodded. "You're right, my next class starts in fifteen," he remarked, grabbing his backpack. "Anyways, bye John! See you later!" I waved them off as they left and went back to work.