audacity // kryoz

twenty-nine

I lift my phone to look at it and see a text from my mother. It said that my brother's wedding was an event I could not skip and if I tried to she would find me and bring me there herself.

I huff loudly. Oh boy.

John notices my huff and stops his story to ask me if something's wrong.

"It's nothing," I say while tossing him a weak smile hoping he would believe me.

It was quite clear that he thought I was lying but thankfully he didn't push it. I would probably end up telling him but I wasn't ready to talk about it yet, I still haven't even processed it. 

I look back at my phone to see the time. There are only 5 more minutes until my shift starts so I leave John's side to go to the back. 

Like always, I drop my bag and pull the apron over my head before tying it it around my waist. I clock in and walk out into the front to join Melody and the new girl named Jess.

Jess was nice but she kept to herself, none of us minded that though. 

"You need any help over here?" I ask Jess. She seemed to be struggling with a drink.

"Yes please, I'm trying to do a latte and this is the second one I've made because I messed up the first," she says stepping back from the counter top.

I take the place where she once stood and nod while smiling, "It's ok, you're not going to learn how to make everything on our menu in a week,"

Working on muscle memory, I tilt the coffee cup and pour the steamed milk onto it, making a little design. I smile at her, "What table is this? I'll walk it over,"

"6," she says greatfully.

I quickly walk over to the table and set it down with a smile. They returned my smile and quickly thanked me. When I returned, Jess pulling off her apron. Melody was working a double shift and I was taking the place of Jess. She smiled at me before disappearing in the back. I was working on an expresso when she walked back out with her bag in tow. She waved to the two of us before walking out.

"John's regular," Melody calls out to me.

John was here so often most of my co-workers knew both him and his order. A black dark roast with a bit of cream in it and if he wanted to switch it up, he ordered a shot of expresso in it.

Even though I knew she woudn't see me, I nodded and my hands begin to move.

***

My shift was over and so was Melody's so we walked out from the back together. As per usual, John was asleep so I had to wake him up.

"Rise and shine," I say while pushing his shoulder lightly.

His head rises within moments and he squints at me. I stand next to him as he stretches, then stands. Together we walk out of the store and walk to his truck.

It was abnormally quiet between us but I wasn't concerned with it at all. As I climbed into the truck, I was stuck in my thoughts. Could I really skip Aaron's wedding? I didn't want to go and I couldn't use the excuse that I had class after I told him that I had graduated. I'm confident that he told my mother that too. He was never big on secrets.

Truth be told, I didn't want to face my family. I haven't seen them in person since I moved out. I made it my job to become a stranger to my family. That was what I wanted then so what do I want now? It would be easy to just not go and disappear for a few days but I would feel bad. It was my brother's wedding for god's sake. I think I can push the animosity I feel towards my family to the side for my sibling. Besides, he and I used to be close and I think it would mean a lot to him. I huff again. I guess my decision has been made, I'm going to my brother's wedding.

As I accepted the fact that I was going, I began to think of what it was going to be like. I was most likely going to be interrogated about every aspect of my life which didn't really bother me all too much. I knew how to dodge the questions I didn't want to answer. I know that I'm going to have to brush up on my Italian since most, if not all, of my Italian family spoke it. Knowing my mom, there are probably going to be weird family members she flew in from Italy. 

As my mind explored what was to come, John started to talk, "You sure you're ok?"

I sigh, "Yeah I'm fine, just thinking,"

As we slow to a red light, John looks at me and asks, "What about?"

"On my way here, I got a phone call from my brother,"

I hear John's lungs deflate as he knew the broad strokes of the rough history I had with my family, "Aaron or Alex?" he asks.

"Aaron, he called to invite me to his wedding next month,"

"Oh...are you going to go?"

I shrug, "I think so, besides my mom practically threatened me so I gotta show my face for at least an hour,"

He nods, "Where is it?"

I look down at my phone to read the information to him, "Uh, well the reception is in some event hall in L.A., but the ceremony is in a church, and the flights for all immediate family are paid for,"

He nodded but didn't ask anything else. He seemed to notice how I was stressing out slightly. We fell back into silence. I took a deep breath as I worked up the energy to ask John if he'd go with me. I feel like I'm about to ask someone to go to prom with me. The car stopped as John pulled it into park. 

He was about to pull his door handle when I spoke, "Wait,"

He stopped and turned to face me.

I squeeze my eyes closed before I open them and begin talking, "I need to ask you something,"

"What is it?"

"Can you go to the wedding with me? I have an extra ticket, and I know it's probably going to be awkward, but if you don't want to go that's fine I just thought," I rambled before John cut me off with a laugh.

"I already assumed I was going,"

"What? You did?"

"Yeah, when you mentioned a wedding I just assumed that I was going because I knew it was going to be bad with your family and I don't want you having a mental breakdown in another state,"

I smiled at him. At least I now know that I'm going to have fun."Now, when are going?" he asks.

I look down at my phone again to answer, "Well, the tickets are booked for like 2 days before the actual wedding, so August 20th,"

He furrows his brows at me slightly confused, so I quickly explain, "I am, unfortunately, immediate family, so we have to be at the rehearsal dinner the day before,"

He nods in understanding, "Sounds fun,"

"Oh, trust me, it's going to be," I mutter to myself. This is going to be an experience, one I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy.

A/N

lmao i've been so consistent with updating. trying to keep it up. hope u guys like it. stay safe. until next time. love u.