barely unrequited • lesy

forgetting

memory reset #3
Leigh-Anne works what her boss calls the “graveyard shift.” Really, Leigh doesn’t mind the graveyard shift all that much. It’s an easy shift which is why she doesn’t quite understand why the other employees always cringe at the thought of working it. She can play her own music over the speakers without receiving any complaints, gets free coffee, and rarely has to deal with anybody but herself. The café closes at midnight, but the black haired girl is often there until one a.m. cleaning up. On the plus side, the coffee keeps her awake long enough to go practice in the empty dance studios after her shifts. It’s the perfect job for her. Since Leigh-Anne's shift started she’s only had three customers, all of which received their coffee and left promptly. She’s pretty sure that there’s a sleeping student the next floor up, surrounded by books, who she’ll be forced to talk to in order to kick him out before she closes up. The beep of the espresso machine pulls Leigh out of her trance. It’s eleven-thirty and she was thinking up choreography for a song she was working on in her free time. Leigh-Anne pours the shot of espresso into a small paper cup, and nearly burns her fingers in the process. You’d think after working with hot liquid for over a year she would have entirely avoided the situation. Thankfully this time she comes out unscathed. The smell of coffee still fills the air, it’s ever prominent at all hours of the day. Leigh-Anne  leaves her coffee to cool behind the counter. Her small feet carry her swiftly up the stairs leading to the bookstore of the café, she turns the corner and sighs in relief when there’s no one there. One less person to interact with. The third floor is just as empty, and Leigh takes it upon herself to shut off the lights upstairs on her trip back down before she forgets and ends up chastised because of it..

Her shot has cooled now, and Leigh-Anne quickly downs it before it gets lukewarm. The bitter espresso glides down her throat, instantly warming the girl up. Leigh never liked espresso before being hired here. The soft ticking of the clock catches her attention over the music, and she realizes it’s eleven-fifty-five. If she closes up now, she figures she can be out of here earlier than usual, giving her more time to practice her dance. Leigh-Anne trots over to the main door, fingers wrapping around the cold lock and turning it to the right. Seconds after a shivering figure runs directly into the door, wiggling the handle trying to get in.

Sigh. They just closed.

Leigh-Anne flipped the sign over, indicating that the shop was closed.

"The shop hasn't closed just yet, has it?" The figure said, her breath hitting the pane of the window. It was cold out. 

Leigh-Anne had everything in her screaming to leave the girl out in the cold but she was right, it wasn't midnight yet and Leigh-Anne knew she'd get in trouble for turning down a customer. She turned the lock and opened the door, allowing the woman to rush inside.

"Thank you! I really just need some coffee to put me to sleep."

"To sleep?" That's a new one. 

"Yeah, to sleep." The woman repeated.

"What do you want?"

"Flat white, if you will please."

Leigh-Anne shrugged. She could do that.

"It's cold out, huh?" Leigh-Anne walked behind the counter and turned on the machine.

"Yeah, it's warmer in here." The woman took off her hood and straightened out her hair.

Leigh-Anne had her back turned, still waiting for the machine to finish. She hummed as they waited. Jesy awkwardly tapped her feet to the music. When the machine had stopped Leigh-Anne turned back around.

"One or t-" She stopped to look at the profile of the customer.

"Two shots of espresso, please."

Leigh stopped in her tracks, a sudden memory & urge coming back to her.

"Jesy?"

"How did you know my name?" Jesy's eyes shifted to the left.

"Babe, it's me! Leigh-Anne."

"We've met?"

Leigh-Anne flinched. What did she mean? Of course they met.

"At.The.Club..?"

"I don't go clubbing."

When Leigh-Anne thought about it, neither did she. She still had memories attached there.

"Jesy, we kissed. And other things." Her voice softened at the end of her sentence.

"You're mistaking me for the wrong person, honey."

Leigh-Anne shook her head. Why was Jesy acting like this? Was she really just a one night stand?

"No, Jesy. It was you. You said you liked my music and then I spent the whole night with you. I left my best friend at the club for you."

"You're creepy, man. Maybe I should go."

"Jes, are you serious right now? You're just going to pretend we didnt have something?" Leigh was angry. Jesy was already half out the door.

"I don't know who you are but I truly hope to never see you again."

"Jesy!" The door slammed on her way out. Leigh-Anne held her face, body shaking slightly.

This was confusing. Jesy promised she'd never forget her. Did she really forget her? Maybe she was that drunk.

Leigh-Anne forgot about dancing, she forgot to turn the coffee machine off, and she locked the store door without making another mutter. She felt sick to her stomach and walked out into the could with a sad glare, tears freezing outside. Her heart just shattered and she felt like so did her whole personality.

When she reached home, her house was empty and dark. Has it always been this way?

Leigh didn't know. She felt different walking into her home. Like a new person. A new, heartbroken person.

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