Chapter Text
“I thought you said the weather would be colder here,” I tugged at the collar of my turtleneck, pouting at my dad.
“I said it’d be colder in winter. It’s still very early autumn here, kiddo,” He sighed, setting down another cardboard box onto the floor of the living room. “Why don’t you go see if your mom still needs help with any boxes in the truck?”
I nod, shuffling out the open front door and standing out on the porch. It wasn’t warm, but it definitely wasn’t cold enough for the amount of layers I had piled on. I stared at the moving truck parked out front, an eyesore against the scenery of mountains and forest behind it.
I knew my parents’ jobs would make us move sooner or later, but it never struck me that we would be moving to the middle of nowhere in Colorado. It was beautiful, yes, but South Park was covered entirely in snow. It wasn’t something that I’d never seen before, it just wasn’t something people saw often in Seattle. Hail in winter, sure, but snow was uncommon. At least, it wouldn’t be anymore.
When my parents told me that we were moving to South Park of all places, it was a bit of a surprise, but it didn’t upset me, per se. If anything, it was more of a shock that my dad agreed to move across the country. He always said that moving was impractical, but his thought process was something I never really got a grasp on.
I sigh and adjust the strap on my backpack, making my way over to the back of the truck and peeking inside, seeing my mother picking up some more small boxes to bring inside. She glances at me, smiling as I reach out just in case she dropped the boxes in her arms.
“Hey, sweetie!” She chirped, leaning over to kiss the top of my head.
“Hi, mom. Dad wanted me to help with the last of the boxes,” I say as I hold my hands against the sides of the cardboard, making sure they don’t fall from her arms.
“You’re such a sweetheart, but I’ve got it,” she smiles, hoisting the boxes in her arms again and strolling down the ramp and into the house as I follow behind. She sets them down on the carpet with a huff, looking back at me with a grin. “If you really wanna do something for me, could you see if there’s any coffee places around here?”
“Ah, yes, your legal addiction,” I joke, earning a laugh from the woman in front of me. “I can go out and see if there’s any nearby, but don’t get your hopes up for Starbucks or anything like that.”
I step out onto the porch again, my father managing to yell out a quick “be safe!” before I shut the door behind me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, the chill air stinging my lungs in an oddly comforting way. After a few seconds, my eyes fluttered open, my body now struck with the feeling of being watched.
My eyes darted over to my side, spying a boy staring out of the upstairs window of the house next door. On his head sat a mop of fiery, curly red hair, possibly the most outstanding and gorgeous things I had seen on anyone in a long time. I wondered briefly if it was natural. We stared for a few more seconds before he turned his head, seemingly talking to somebody nearby.
I took that as my cue to hop off my porch and into the crunchy snow piling up on the ground. It wasn't enough to do anything with, but it would definitely be a pain if it stayed year-round. Skating would suck if it did. I kicked some of the snow up from under my feet as I dragged along the sidewalk, passing by a few different storefronts and housing areas for what seemed like forever in my dramatic little brain before stopping dead in my tracks.
It was nearby. I could smell it.
Coffee.
I grin as I pick up my pace and begin to run towards a small shop on the end of another storefront, the open windows of the building letting out the heavenly scent of roasted coffee beans.
The bell chimes as I open the door, kicking the toes of my boots against the edge of the door frame before taking in the ethereal sight of a shelf jam packed full of bags of coffee beans.
“Mom’s gonna love this place,” I think to myself, grinning at the sight.
I adjust the straps of my backpack and walk up to the counter, peering over the edge as I try to spot anyone working behind the door to what I assumed was the kitchen. A tuft of blond hair appears through the small window of the door, then followed by a pair of big, honey-brown eyes staring right back at me. They disappeared as soon as they appeared and I stood for a moment, turning my attention back to the shelf behind the counter as I tried to spot what flavored roasts the shop carried.
The door swings open suddenly, the lanky figure of the blond-haired boy that peeked through the window now standing in front of me, shaking as he tapped his fingers on the counter.
“AGH! Welcome to Tweek Bros.,” he yells, making me want to flinch, but it was obvious the poor kid was trying his best, so I refrain. “What can I get you?”
“Oh, uh…” I pause, glancing behind him and scanning the menu. “A number 3?”
He nods curtly and directs me to sit at one of the tables nearby. I smile as my eyes wander around the cafe, taking in the warm sunlight streaming through the large windows, bathing the store in a soft light and complimenting the wooden features.
The blond comes around the counter a few minutes later, gently setting down the cup in his hands onto the table. He fiddles with the hem of his shirt for a moment, before taking a deep breath and speaking up. “You’re new, right?”
“Yep!” I say, popping the ‘p’ on the end. “How’d you guess?”
“It’s a small town,” he smiles, repressing another twitch as he clenches one of his eyes tightly. “Everyone knows everyone, so it’s only normal that I’d recognize a new face. TOO MUCH PRESSURE!”
My mouth forms an ‘o’ shape as he flinches, clenching his eye shut again. Poor guy looked anxious as hell. He seemed to be around my age, maybe a little older due to his height, but hell knows what kids these days were on to get so tall. His hair was a fluffy mess of blond locks, sticking out in every direction, his brown eyes darting around the cafe non-stop and his fingers tapping away endlessly against the table.
“What’s your name?” I ask, trying to find a way to alleviate the tension in the aura surrounding the two of us.
“It’s Tweek,” he twitches. He tugs at the ends of his sleeves, clearing his throat with a small cough.
“My name is Y/n,” I smile at him, watching as his eyes stop darting around the store and rest, staring down at his hands. “Can I ask how old you are, Tweek?”
His lips pressed into a thin line as he swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “I’m 17.” He glances at me, a nervous look on his face. “And you?”
A wide grin spread across my lips. “I’m 17 too!” I cheered, the boy letting out what seemed to be a sigh of relief. “I guess that means we’ll be in school together, huh?”
“I guess so,” he gave me a soft smile, no longer tapping his fingers against the wooden table. I take a sip from the cup in my hands, letting the warmth from the liquid envelop my very heart and soul. God, coffee is amazing. Especially when it's drunk with a cute boy nearby.
I smile gently as I bring the cup down from my lips, staring into the swirling caramel-colored liquid. My eyes make their way back up to Tweek’s, who stares expectantly at where assumed my eyes would be behind my bangs.
“Is it good?” He asks, crumpling the sides of his apron in his hands.
“It’s fantastic.” Tweek releases a sigh of relief at my response, making me chuckle under my breath. “In fact,” I smile at him playfully, happy to see him not as spazzy as when I first walked in, “I might have to take another one to go.”
“Really?!” He exclaims, his eyes sparkling at my words. I jump a little in my seat from his volume, but can’t be upset with how happy he looks. I nod, Tweek bounding off over behind the counter and hurriedly making another cup.
I laugh, standing from the table and walking over to the register, watching with an amused look as he grins and hands me a to-go cup. I pull around my backpack and fish out my wallet, setting the cash in his hands and telling him to keep the change before turning to walk out the door,
“AH! Wait-” he stops me, reaching over the counter and setting his hand on my shoulder. I freeze in my tracks, turning to look at him again.
“Ah, erm…” he looks down, cheeks flushed pink as I stare back at him. He clears his throat, glancing up from the ground to look at me. “Come back soon, okay?”
My lips spread into a cheerful grin, grabbing his hand on my shoulder and bringing it down with my own. “Of course, Tweek.” He visibly relaxes, showing me a softened expression that makes me nearly swoon.
“Just don’t get tired of seeing me every morning before school,” I joke, playfully swatting the top of his hand. He chuckles, pulling it out of mine and tilting his head cutely.
“I don’t think I will.”