Baker Boy

Chapter Fifteen

The chimes at the café door announced the entrance of a potential customer and Andy shot right to her feet. Unfortunately, that meant bumping her head against the underside of the counter.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked with the brightest smile she could manage at nine in the morning.

"I need a latte with more coffee," said the customer as he adjusted the straps of his tote bag.

Andy frowned. "Isn't that like, a regular coffee?"

The boy leant over the counter, his loose khaki shirt brushing against the basket of sugar cookies. Stepping back on instinct, Andy tensed.

"I'm sorry; do I pay you to have an opinion?"

In disbelief, Andy shook her head. "I was just about to tell you that upsizing is cheaper than getting extra coffee."

That set him off.

"Look," he fixed his irritated gaze on her. "I didn't pay you to have an opinion."

"Yeah, but you aren't paying me not to be human either," she retorted.

That confused him.

Andy sighed and let her guard down, leaning her weight onto the countertop. "I'm human, alright? Even though I'm supposed to allow you to waste your money on some Starbucks hack, I'm on your side in this one, okay?"

"Ever heard the phrase, 'the customer is always right'?" he snapped. "If I want a latte with extra coffee why can't you just get it for me?"

"Because I'm bloody watching out for you, why can't you understand?"

Something shifted in his gaze and he grabbed Andy by the collar of her shirt, almost hauling her over the counter.

"Listen, I want my drink the way I've ordered it and I don't know what your problem is, but if you wanted to pick a fight with me, then it's too late to regret it now."

The chimes on the door rang out as Eli stepped in.

"Andy, you forgot to unlock the back door, next time-" Eli finally noticed the situation. He narrowed his eyes. "Don't do that," he said to the irritated customer.

"And what will you do, you emo freak?"

"Alright, that's it." Eli threw his helmet and haversack aside. He stalked up to the student and that scared him sufficiently enough for him to release Andy.

Grabbing him like how he had seized Andy, Eli slammed the customer into the wall by the cashier.

"You do not do this to others," he gritted out. "Especially not to Adrianne."

The boy's chest moved up and down rapidly. "Look man, I'm sorry, I didn't know she was yours-"

Aellius threw him to the ground hard, but refrained from kicking him.

"Take your stupid tote and get the fuck out," he muttered, walking back to get his stuff before making his way into the kitchen.

It took Andy about half an hour to get over the shock and process the whole situation. She was dazed as she served the morning rush hour, leading to her first mistake in a very long time.

"Alright, here's your coffee," she said, placing the cup on the pick-up counter."

Rachel grudgingly looked up from her phone and checked the cup. "I'm sorry, I asked for a mocha," she said with a sympathetic smile.

Apologising, Andy went to correct her mistake. Since Rachel was the last customer, she took some time to catch up with Andy.

"Having a tough morning?" asked Rachel.