Coffee & Nerves (boyxboy)

[4] It Was Inevitable

I shut my eyes tight. I keep thinking that maybe if I shut them tight enough, time will fast forward or bend to my will somehow so that I can avoid the inevitable. I'm hoping that maybe if I keep them closed, I'll look asleep and the inevitable won't happen.

The inevitable: 6:45 am

Dun Dun Dunnnnn

...But here I am, apron-clad standing behind the register, tapping the pads of my fingertips on the faded laminate counter expectantly, completely unable to control time.

It's too bad that I can't because when I slowly open my eyes and spare a quick glance over at the clock just above the door to the left, there it is. My anxious wishful thinking kicks in as the seconds countdown

8 seconds

...maybe he hates coffee now

7 seconds

...maybe he'd just rather have some tea

6 seconds

...maybe he's on some sort of caffeine cleanse?

5 seconds

...ooo! maybe he's detoxing!

4 seconds

...I mean, that would explain his foul mood

3 seconds

...or maybe he slept in really late

2 seconds

...oh god I hope he hates coffee now

1 seconds

...please let him hate coffee

The bell rigged to the door goes off. I can feel the dread deep in the pit of my stomach grow.

My eyes shift down from the clock and are met with shockingly hazel ones that almost seem to sparkle in the early sunlight. That soft, small sparkle does not apply anywhere else, everything about him is jagged and sharp; whatever the opposite of soft is. He looks me up and down, assessing me, taking in every detail.

And I hate it. I hate him.

"Someone's grouchy" Jack concludes, mumbling under his breath and shifting his eyes sideways in an irritated manner.

I resist to urge to scoff and I attempt to stay calm. I'm finding this difficult though, he's standing in front of the counter now, his face a lot closer to mine than I would prefer.

I suck in a breath.

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" I say slowly with venom in my voice, straightening my posture to appear as intimidating as possible.

I present my question confidently, but that confidence falters.

In fact, I lose it all entirely when he simply turns his body and stares at me straight on, raising his eyebrow with a smug look on his face as he gives me a once-over, lowering his lids in a dramatic way as if to say

"Really?" "You know exactly what I said."

How. Annoying. I clench my jaw; I'm angry but also completely determined to not let this stupid boy affect me. I mentally encourage myself and put on my fakest smile.

"What can I get for you today?"

I try to say it in a sickeningly sweet manner to get on his nerves.

Too bad I forgot.

Nothing gets on his nerves.

He crosses his arms. Every movement he makes is calculated. He is always one step ahead. I hate it. Jack has this magic ability to appear so distant that nothing can touch him. Even in anger, he appears cool and collected.