Emojis and Food

Chapter 3: Lattes

Katy Chen 💖

hey, are you there yet?

Almost.

You?

on my way

Soooo... I'm gonna ve honest...

*be

I didn't think you were a reader

yknow, shaun said that too

but i am, i really like books

especially fantasys

Ohhhh

Okay, cool.

I like fantasy too!

What's your favorite book?

i dont have a favorite. i could never choose

but i did just finish this one called the sparrow shack

I haven't read that one yet.

What's it about?

this girl travels to another universe that's magical

and ends up tearing down the government.

its a series thats not done but its really good

you should read it

Maybe I'll find it today!

what else do you like?

Dystopias.

I don't know there's something about them that I just ❤️ so

much

omg

we should do that thing where we buy each other a

couple of books we like

That. Is. Brilliant.

Let's do it!

•••

The bell above the bookstore rang as the girls exited through the glass doors. Katy walked towards her car and opened the back door, leaving the books in the back seat, Xialing following.

"So, where are we heading now?" Xialing asked as her eyes followed Katy, who began walking down the street.

"There's this cafe I like around here. Everytime I buy a new book, I like to go there and just read and sip on a chai latte- Which is-"

"Ah-mazing?" Xialing asked with a smirk, pronouncing the word just as Katy did, emphasizing the first syllable.

"Uh- huh!" The girls walked down the 3 blocks to the coffee shop, thankfully reaching their destination right as a drizzle of rain began to fall. The outside of the building was small. Tall glass windows, now beginning to become splattered with raindrops, were sandwiched between viridian pillars. A circular wooden sign with the words The Green Bean hung above the door. The inside was much bigger than the outside would lead you to believe. Every wall was covered with vines of greenery, as were the legs of stools and tables. The floor and furniture matched with tan wood. Laid atop each table was a small red clay cup with a different flower in it.

The girls walked up to the counter, which was a clear case of desserts that held a small register which stood underneath a plethora of flower vines tangled up with fairy lights. "I'll have a chai latte and whaddaya want?" Katy asked.

"Uh- I'll take a matcha latte with oat milk and one of those..?" Xialing pointing in the glass case at a raspberry and custard filled dessert topped with whipped cream and a square of chocolate.

"Wait, that looks really good- Can I get one of those?" Katy asked, pointing to what looked like a macaroon the size of a regular cookie. The macaroon was a peach pink with golden dust sprinkled on top, glittering to match the fairy lights above.

"Is that to stay or to go?" The barista asked.

"To stay," Xialing answered.

"Have a seat, we'll bring your order to you when it's ready." The girls said a thank you to the woman before sitting down at a table with a handful of red peonies that sat at the corner in a clay red vase.

"This place is adorable," Xialing commented as she played with the crimson petals with her finger, her black nail polish complimenting the red well.

"I know!" Katy exclaimed. "It's so relaxing here. I come here whenever I feel too stressed out," She stopped to look out the window. The rain fell outside, a relaxing shaaaaaaaa screamed outside, but it was soothing to all around. "It's nice."

The drinks and snacks came. The chai and matcha lattes swirled in green and yellow mugs respectively, and the girls' treats sat on glassy plates that matched their mugs.

"Can I try yours?" Katy asked.

"Depends, can I try yours?" Xialing answered with a smirk. The two swapped their plates and began munching on each other's food.

"Mmmff- Oh muy goodnessh," Katy remarked, her mouth half full with food. "Thish is shoooo good!"

"Ohmigosh- yours too!" Xialing said, covering her mouth despite it being empty. "Is this peach flavored?"

"I think so...?" Katy replied. "It doesn't matter, as long as it's good." Katy giggled at her own joke, the noise sounding perfect in Xialing's ears.