Plan(et) B [Short Story]

The Café

Avery stared at the poster to her left. The advertisement declared that the coffee beans used in this café were now being sourced from one of those far-off rainforests that had been singlehandedly regrown by that new Super Fertiliser, Verdant Dune Dirt, or VDD as it was commonly known. This was the new way to showcase just how hipster a place was. Organic, vegan, local and all those old words weren't enough anymore. It was all about this new, rainforest-saving fertiliser.

The small café was warm and wrapped in a blanket of rich, dark, sultry and sweet scents from the coffee beans that were being roasted at the back of house, as well as the grounds being brewed at the counter. The hiss of steam wands and light banter blended in well with the soft instrumental music playing in the background.

"Hi," said the barista.

Avery looked away from the pretentious poster and to the girl at the counter. The girl had shoulder length black hair, held up in a neat ponytail. A bandana with the company's logo and colours held back any hairs at the front that might think of escaping the ponytail. Her uniform was a fitting black t-shirt with short sleeves that she'd folded even shorter, revealing part of a tattoo on her right shoulder. The fitted tee beautifully framed her torso, with a V-neck that stopped just shy of being inappropriate work wear. She never wore a name tag. Avery quickly raised her eyes back up to the girl's face.

"Hi," Avery replied, swinging her backpack over her shoulder so she could fish out her wallet.

"The usual?"

Avery smiled, nodded, and handed the girl her card.

About a month ago, Avery had woken up wrecked from a party and in desperate need of a cup of coffee to function. Unfortunately, the apartment was out of instant and even if they had any, her roommate had been using the coffee maker to make grilled cheese sandwiches the previous night and there was a mess of cold, crusty cheese on the heat plate. Avery didn't particularly like coffee, but she occasionally used it like human fuel on days when her body felt the need to remind her that she wasn't completely invincible. That was the first time she'd ever visited this café.

Normally, Avery absolutely hated buying the uber expensive stuff from a café. Yet, here she was, having her "usual".

"Have a nice day," the girl said, handing Avery's card back.

"Thank you," Avery replied, walking away.

Avery smiled sympathetically when she turned and saw the dreamy eyed look on the face of the guy who'd been lining up behind her as he approached the gorgeous barista. Another casualty of the war of unrequited adoration. Avery hated crushing on the unfathomably gorgeous ones. It was less painful crushing headfirst into a brick wall.

Avery had to stop coming into the café just to see her.

*

Loud clanging and buzzing woke Avery up with a jolt. That day at the café seemed like a lifetime ago, even if it had only been a few months since then. The dream had been so vivid this time that she could still smell that warm coffee scent for a few seconds after waking up. It was only a few seconds of reprieve before she was assaulted by the scents that made up the juvenile facility that was her current home. She breathed in the mix of body odour covered thinly by stale deodorant, unflushed toilets, laundry detergent, bleach, body oils and a faint whiff of cigarette smoke, even though cigarettes completely banned from the facility and not worth the punishment if discovered.

It was early, but she was used to the routine now. She got out of bed and made it in the military style that she'd learnt from one of her foster homes. She picked up after herself, making sure that her cell was neat. There were two bunks in her cell, but she was alone, a fact that she was eternally grateful for.