Parallel Love (ErrInk)

Chapter 2 - Artistic Barista

Ink's POV

  The alarm on my phone woke me up. My eyes slowly opened. The morning orange light seeped through my pink curtains.

  I pushed myself up, the fluffy sheets sliding off my body. I yawned before admiring my bedroom.

  My pillows were pink which matched my curtains. The walls were colored with a comforting shade of light brown. Lights hung from the ceiling.

Bookshelves sheltered my drawing supplies and small trinkets that I have collected over the years. In the corner, was a stack of used sketchbooks and cups with paintbrushes. Papers and clothes were scattered across the floor, showing that I wasn't the most organized.

  I looked to my right and saw my cat sleeping under the sun rays. My hand gently rubbed his ear.

Me: Good morning, Bean.

  I said before checking my phone. My eyes widened when I saw that I had slept in. I had less than an hour to get ready for work.

  I got out of bed and went around my bedroom, gathering my things for the day. Opening my dresser, I noticed that it was mostly empty. I haven't had the time to do laundry as I had been busy with work and night school.

  Quickly grabbing a pair of pants and a shirt, I slid them over my body. Once I was ready, I grabbed my shoes and my apron and ran out of the front door. I still made time to make sure that it was locked before leaving.

  I ran down the street, shoes in hand, and a worried expression on my face. People looked at me strangely as I passed them down the sidewalk.

  After a few minutes of endless running, I finally made it to my work. I pulled open the door and ran to the back of the café. I put on my shoes, clocked in, and tied the apron around my waist. The piece of clothing had a tag with my name on it.

'Ink Comyet'

  There was a minute for me to catch my breath. I turned to suddenly see my friend, Skylar, leaning against the wall. He was gay like me but wore makeup, which I didn't.

Sky: Sleep in again, Ink?

Me: I-

  He cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

Sky: It's okay. I understand. Now let's get to work. The café is fixing to open.

  I nodded, grabbing cleaning supplies to wipe down the tables. There was a lot to be done before we open the doors to the public.

  After all the tables had been cleaned and the machines were turned on, people began to walk in. I stood behind the counter while taking coffee orders.

  Even though I was clumsy and forgetful, I loved my job. There was always something new but there was also a sense of familiarity in some aspects.

(Time Skip)

  I walked down the asiles of the grocery store. My fridge was baron and I needed to refill it. All the necessary items were in my basket but I also picked a few extra things just for myself.

  The store was quiet with only the sounds being the beeps of the cash registers. The air was cold, making me want to finish shopping as fast as possible.

   An hour later, I arrived home. I struggled to pull my keys from my pocket as the bags were tangled between my fingers. Eventually, I was able to unlock the entrance of my apartment.

  I closed the door with my foot as my hands were full of groceries. I heard the sound of a bell and then saw a brown cat. A smile appeared of my face when I saw him. Setting the bags on the counter, I picked up my cat and put him on my shoulder.

  Bean rubbed his head against my ink stained cheek. I gently sat him on the floor before emptying the bags. The brown cat jumped onto his cat tree and watched me.

  I wanted to relax but I needed to clean the apartment first. I began with gathering my scattered clothes and placing them in a hamper. Next, I stacked the papers and placed them on my desk for later use. Finally, I cleaned my living room.

  A satisfied exhale showed that I was content with the new state of my apartment. I turned on the kettle to make myself a cup of coffee. While waiting, I grabbed my computer, sketchbook, and headphones. When I got back, my coffee was ready to be drank.

  I walked over to the glass doors that led to my balcony. I pulled open the curtains, letting in the setting sunlight. Sliding open the doors, I walked out to the table that I had next to the fencing.

  I placed my computer on the table before sitting in my chair. Bean came outside and sat on the table and rested his head on the fence.

  Classical music played through my headphones as I drew for art school. This also allowed my thoughts to flow freely...

Today was a good day