StarStruck Coffee

Instant Coffee in a Reusable Travel Mug

"How DARE you!" one of the girl's shrieked.

"Do you KNOW how expensive these coffees are!" another one hollered at Zach.

"I wasn't the one that threw the fucking things!" He yelled back. "You're the ones that were walking slower than Shawn the fucking Sheep!" the girls all exchanged weird looks at that. Apparently, Shaun the Sheep isn't popular here Zach thought.

"Listen, just give us let's say.... £15 and we'll be on our way." The only girl out of the three that didn't yell at Zach replied. "Listen. We're all going to the same place aren't we. Let's let this all go because we're-" Zach checked his watch. Great, he thought. They'd made him late now.

There was no way he was going to make it to his class in time, "Fucking hell! Look how late we are!" I showed them my watch and the colour drained from their faces. "Shit!" one of them said,

"Where's Layla?!" another one replied,

"If she's late again-"

Zach butted in, trying to calm their freakout, "Wait." the girls all paused as Zach continued, "That girl with the gorgeous eyes, her name's Layla?" he asked.

The girl who asked him for money rolled her eyes, "Yes. Layla Moon. She does Sociology with us and she's in the creative writing course."

They were still talking to him, but Zach had zoned out. "Layla, what a beautiful name." He started walking while still in his own world, much to the annoyance of the girls. He thought he heard one of them shout, "What about our coffees?" but he ignored them.

He didn't even care that he was late anymore, the rest of his walk was slow and whimsical. There were no bad thoughts in his mind at all, just the image of her eyes and her name spun around and around.

He didn't know how long it took but still dazed, he made it to class and took his seat. After a minute or two Zach felt a sharp pain in his ribs someone had elbowed him.
Nate.

Nate was your average football player. He had short, cropped hair that was naturally perfect, his green eyes darkened almost predatorial whenever a pretty girl walked past. In every way, he was the complete opposite of Zach. Even their coffee tastes were different, Zach always went for sweet lattes, but Nate. Nate went for dark instant coffee in his own reusable travel mug.

A few months ago, after God knows how long Nate pestered him, Zach gave in and tried Nate's black coffee.

Never again.

Zach refused since then to ever try anything Nate offered. It was so bitter he had to run and get 3 lattes from Beth before he could even talk again. Both Nate and Beth took the piss out of him for weeks. But today, today Nate just looked worried. "Bud, you okay?" Nate finally broke the silence, "You're never late".

"Huh-" Zach's trance fell, he was disappointed, but he knew it was for the best. "Yeah, Nate I'm fine." An idea dawned on Zach right there. Nate knew everybody he'd definitely know Layla Moon. That absolute beauty. "Nate......" Zach drew out the 'e' sound to show Nate he wanted something, "What now?" Nate sighed. Zach didn't ask for a lot but when he did it was always something irritating. "SO, there's this girl..." Zach looked at Nate expectantly.

Just as Nate was about to reply a loud commotion came through the door. For fucks sake Zach thought. It was them, the three stooges- wait! Layla was there. "We're so so sorry sir" one of the girls pleaded with our professor, "Some moron" she shot a look at Zach "barged into us on our walk we had to get new coffees". Zach couldn't help himself but let out a quiet laugh.

At least he thought it was quiet, the entire lecture hall turned to face him. Even Layla. God those eyes mesmerised him.

All three of the girls rolled her eyes at him, almost mimicking the professor's expression at them. Before they could say anything, the professor spoke up, "Girls sit down and stop interrupting my class." He almost growled at them. They instantly shut up and ran over to the only free seats behind Zach and Nate.

Zach was silently hoping Layla would sit behind him, but she didn't, one of the other bitches did. As the professor started his lecture back up the three stooges all leaned over to look at him, "Didn't bother to change your shirt then. Tramp." the first one mocked,

"Guys-" Layla was cut off,

"Where's our money" the second girl said,

"Yeah!" the third one said a little too loudly, earning herself a glare from the professor. Nate was staring at him confused, "What are they on about?" he whispered to Zach.

"Nothing. I was the one that barged into them because they were being slow, so they threw their coffee on me and expected me to buy them a new one." Zach summed up. Nate looked pissed, and looked straight at Layla, "Come on sis, you actually let them do this? You know he's my best mate." Now it was Zach's turn to be confused, "SIS?!" he questioned, he was shell shocked. How was this beauty related to the twat sitting next to him. "Yeah." Nate rolled his eyes, "Different mums, same dad." That made sense, he'd met Nate's mum and Layla looked nothing like her. No offence to Nate's mum but she looked like a witch. "Quiet over there!" the professor shouted up at them, "Or else you'll all be staying behind." That's the end of that Zach thought.

After the class, Zach basically ran out. He didn't want to leave without asking Layla for her number, but he was covered in Pumpkin Spice Latte, and it was starting to smell. Before he could get very far though a large hand grabbed him. It was Nate, he held out his other hand, in it his hoodie. "Here, wear this until you get home. I know you go to Beth's coffee shop, and I don't want you turning up looking like you came out of the dump." Nate was never this nice; he was confused. "I saw the way you looked at Layla by the way. Be careful with her because she looks and sounds like an angel, but she can be a real piece of work." Zach went redder than the jumper Nate held in front of him. "Her numbers also there too," Nate let go of Zach and pointed at the piece of paper on top of the folded hoodie. "She asked me to give it to you," he shrugged.

Zach didn't know what to say to that, he just stood there. "Oh, for god's sake just take it already." Nate was annoyed now. "Right, thanks." Zach rubbed his neck. He always did it when he was embarrassed now. "Good." Nate smiled. "Look I gotta run, mum wants me to do something at home, just give that hoodie to me..." He thought for a sec until a lightbulb practically appeared over his head, "next Sociology class okay." he smiled and ran off before Zach could say anything else.

Beth, Nate, Layla, even those girls, this day was just getting weirder and weirder. He shook his head to clear his mind. "None of that matters now," He spoke aloud to himself, putting on Nate's hoodie and putting Layla's number in his pocket, he said to nobody in particular, "Let's go get a latte I can actually enjoy this time."