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Bradley was fairly certain God hated him. That had to be it, there was simply no other explanation for the hell he had been through the last few days. First, he had gotten kicked out of the Gamma Moo Moos and had to move into some shitty apartment right off campus. Then came the court-ordered therapy sessions he was forced to attend at the threat of being expelled from school. And if all that wasn't enough, he was forced to do something he never would have thought he would have to, get a part-time job. It was part of a deal made between him and his parents, they agreed to cover the damages to the school as long as Bradley didn't ask them for another dollar. Bradley guessed it could have been worse; he was already a senior, meaning he wouldn't have to try to save up enough money for a year of tuition with a minimum-wage job. Plus his dad's friend owned the apartment complex he was staying in and he had given him a pretty significant discount on rent, but still, he had to pay rent. Uppercrusts didn't pay rent. The thought had made his skin crawl when his father had first brought up the arrangement and still did if he focused on it too much.
Bradley finished sending what felt like his hundredth job application of the day, closing his laptop and leaning back against his bed. He scanned his apartment , it was a studio and rather sparse. He hadn't had much in his room in the Gamma house and as it turned out decorations weren't within his current budget.
Bradley sighed before reopening his laptop to obsessively refresh his email until he got a response about his job applications.
Bradley took a deep breath before opening the door and walking in. Exactly one place had responded to his application and had hired him with just a phone interview, so it was safe to say that this job was going to suck. But Bradley was desperate, so here he was, at a small coffee shop in a part of campus he had never seen, for his first day of new-hire training.
A surly looking sophomore greeted him with a half-hearted smile when he entered the shop.
“Hi, I'm Bradley and I uh, work here. I guess.”
“Fuuuuuuck. Of course, that bitch Becky had me cover her shift when we have a new-hire . She always does this shit. I swear to god one day I am going to burn this place down with everyone inside.”
Bradley didn't say anything.
“Ahem, I mean hi welcome to The Blue Coffee Cup. You are going to love working here!”
Bradley seriously considered running out the front door. “Thank you?”
“Alright then, let's get started.”
As it turned out, Bradley was not good at making coffee , like alarmingly bad at it. This, somehow, wasn't an issue. The woman that had apparently been tricked into teaching him showed him how to do everything exactly once and then left him to fend for himself while she smoked out back. Bradley stared at the front door, praying that it wouldn't open and he could just go home without ever having to make a cup of coffee.
The bell above the door rang.
God fucking hated him so goddamn much.
Bradley plastered a all too fake smile on his face. “Hi, welcome in.” The words sounded unnatrual and forced.
“Brad?!?”
Bradley was going to hunt down God and fight them personally for the torment he was being put through.
“Max.”
“Since when do you work here?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Oh. Explains why I haven't seen you here before, I guess.”
Bradley's heart sank. “Exactly how often are you here?”
“Almost every day.”
“Manager lady! Hello? I quit! I’m not doing this!” Bradley yelled through the cracked back door.
“No the fuck you're not. You're on the schedule for three more days this week and we are already understaffed!” The woman called back.
Max stifled a laugh. “You can't seriously hate me that much.”
Bradley frowned. “Absolutely I can. You ruined my life! I have to pay rent because of you, rent Max. It's humiliating.”
“You tried to kill me, my friends, my dad, and most of your friends?”
“That isn't the point here!” The point is now I'm living in a shit hole and I'm probably going to smell like coffee forever.”
“Most people like the smell of coffee,” Max offered.
Bradley sincerely considered throwing a cup at him.
“So, uh, can I order now? I have a class in like fifteen minutes.”
Bradley gritted his teeth. “Fine.”
“Just a medium coffee with milk and sugar.”
Somehow, despite the incredibly simplistic order Bradley almost broke the machine twice and completely soaked his shirt.
Max eyed him up and down when Bradley finally handed over his order. “So training is going really well, huh?”
“Shut up,” Bradley huffed.
Max chuckled, tossing a few dollars in the tip jar before leaving. Bradley considered drowning himself and or Max in the dish sink.
“Was that Max?” The manager asked, joining Bradley behind the counter.
Bradley let his forehead hit the counter. “Yeah.”
“Get used to him, he's around here all the time.”
Bradley groaned.
“Hey, he's one of our better regulars, he has a simple order and always tips. Plus he's pretty cute too, right?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
Bradley pressed his head harder against the counter.
Bradley stared at the stove. He turned a dial on the front. A flame shot up from one of the burners. Bradley recoiled with a yelp.
Yeah, never mind. Cooking was impossible. Anyone who had ever cooked anything was clearly a magician and couldn't be trusted.
He made himself a bowl of cereal and got to work on his homework.
The next day was a little better, he managed to turn the stove on without fearing for his life. He met ‘that bitch Becky’ who wasn't able to teach him to make better coffee, but did teach him how to fix the machine after he broke it.
Bradley was cleaning a table when Max walked in. Max smiled at him. Bradley glared before turning away from the door.
“Hey, Max.” Becky greeted from behind the counter.
“Hey Becky. How's it going?”
“You know, unfucking up how Chloe fucked up the new-hire.”
Huh, apparently manager lady's name was Chloe.
“Brad made my drink yesterday and I think he did a great job.”
Bradley rolled his eyes.
“Sure he did,” Becky said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“No, really. It was the best coffee I've ever had.”
Ok, now Bradley knew for a fact that Max was full of shit. He had made a terrible cup of coffee and they both knew it. He must have quite a thing for that manager lady if he was defending her subpar training so hard.
“Then he can make your coffee again today. Bradley get over here!’
Bradley sighed and walked behind the counter. “A medium coffee with milk and sugar, right?”
“Aww, you remembered.” Max smiled.
“Don’t flatter yourself. It's just easy to remember.”
Bradley managed to make Max's order without spilling it on himself or the ground.
“Thanks, Brad.” Max smiled and Bradley had to stop himself from smiling back.
“Yeah, whatever.”
Becky looked between the two of them before muttering something under her breath and walking to the back.
“What was that about?” Max asked, sipping his coffee.
Bradley leaned across the counter. “These people are insane.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I understand why they hired you then.” Max smirked
Bradley rolled his eyes and started wiping down the counter, ignoring Max's goodbye.
A week or so went by and Max hadn't come into the coffee shop. Bradley tried not to think about it. In reality, Bradley shouldn't care, he should be happy even. Max was a nuisance. Even the thought of him made Bradley's pulse quicken with anger. But a part of him couldn't help but wonder why. He knew his coffee wasn't good, but he was getting better. The last few days he had been able to make orders with minimal fuck ups and he was even on the schedule alone today. So his managers couldn't think he was too bad, or, more likely, they didn't really care either way. But still, it was something. Besides, was his shitty coffee really enough for Max to stop coming to his favorite coffee place? Maybe that wasn't it at all. Maybe Max had figured out when he was working and was purposely avoiding him. The thought made something in his chest ache that he couldn't quite understand.
Bradley filled a tray from the dish sink and sent it through the industrial dishwasher that sat alongside it. It smelled like floral soap and coffee, an unpleasant combination in his opinion . It had been slow today, only a handful of people filtering in and out, meaning there weren't many dishes to wash. He only had an hour until close and with any luck he wouldn't get another customer and could close up early. He was fairly certain he wasn't actually allowed to close by himself but Chloe or Becky or someone had left him a list of what to do, so he kinda got the gist.
The bell above the door chimed.
Bradley cursed under his breath and walked to the front of the shop.
“Hey, Brad! Miss me?”
Bradley paused. Max was standing in the shop, hands resting on the counter. He looked tired and Bradley had to stop himself from asking what was wrong.
“I thought you finally got the hint that you aren't welcome here and found somewhere else to get your coffee.” Bradley got to work making his order.
“Nah, sorry. You aren't that lucky. I just had to go home for a few days. Family stuff.”
Bradley raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything . He pushed the cup into Max's hand . Max accepted it and took a sip.
“Hey, this isn't half bad. You're getting better!”
“Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said I made ‘the best cup of coffee you have ever had’.”
“What? Can't blame a guy for exaggerating to make a point.” Max shrugged.
“So you really do have a thing for her, huh?” Bradley's voice sounded just a little too hurt for his own liking.
Max tilted his head slightly. “Who?”
“Chloe, the lady that trained me.”
Max choked on a laugh. “Chloe? God no, she’s a level of crazy even I wouldn't mess with. I prefer the more evil leader type, not the demon summoning type.”
Bradley tried not to laugh, an unsuccessful attempt considering Max's reaction.
“Did the Bradley Uppercrust the Third just laugh at one of my jokes? Is that even possible?”
“Don't flatter yourself. It's been a long day.”
“It's only noon.”
“Yeah, well, I woke up at five.”
“Oh god, why?”
“I have a job, freshman. Unlike some people.”
“I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about that. Don't you have like a trust fund or something? What's with the whole pretending to be working class shtick?”
“I was cut off…” Bradley mumbled.
Max started laughing. It was an obnoxious sound and if Bradley didn't know any better he would have thought the other man was choking.
Bradley scowled and began to turn away.
“Wait, no, Brad. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It's just, I dunno, it’s kinda funny I guess , imagining you being just like the rest of us.”
“Yeah, well, get used to it I guess.”
Max smiled.
“Don’t you have other things to do that aren't standing here annoying me?”
Max checked the time. “FUCK! Bye Brad!” He called out as he ran towards to door.
Bradley chuckled to himself as he went back to washing dishes.
Bradley had made a routine for himself. He got up, made breakfast, usually cereal or something equally as simplistic, he went to work, made customers coffee, put up with Max's bullshit, he went to classes, came home, made dinner, usually something microwavable, he did his homework, and he went to sleep. Sometimes he would try to figure out the stove again or go to therapy or do laundry, but that was pretty much as exciting as it got. He guessed it was some kind of universal payback, his boredom. While probably deserved, he was tired of it. It had gotten to the point that seeing Max had become the highlight of his day, a thought that caused him to want to scream into the abyss. He hated Max, of course, but the small arguments and sarcastic conversations were a break from the doldrums of everyday life.
God, he needed to get out more.
It was finals midterms and the coffee shop was busier than usual and, of course, Bradley was the only one scheduled. He had already dealt with three customer complaints that day about the wait and lack of seating, and he had a line of about ten more people, new ones replacing the ones that left.
This whole ‘God-hating him’ thing was really starting to get on his nerves.
Bradley worked his way through the line. All pleasantries had been dropped , if someone took too long to order he moved onto the next. He gave a woman with a fourteen part goddamn coffee order hot black coffee and threatened to throw it in her face when she complained. He was certain he wouldn't have a job in the morning and frankly he didn't care. The line had died down with thirty minutes to close. He finished serving the last person before getting to work cleaning.
The door opened.
Bradley crushed an empty coffee cup in his hand.
“Brad!”
Bradley let out a sigh. “Hi Max.” He started on Max's order.
“You look like shit.”
“Ok well you can go fuck yourself,” Bradley snapped.
“Sorry, sorry. It's just, dude. You look like you've been through battle.”
“I have been.” Bradley handed Max his drink.
“Huh, alright then. Did you win?”
“I don't know.”
Max smirked. “Want to talk about it?’
“Not at all.”
“C'mon, sit with me, I'm sure you could use a break.” Max took a seat at the closest table, motioning for Bradley to follow.
Bradley felt his pulse quicken. Max really was insufferable. But he was tired, and sitting down did sound nice, so he accepted Max’s offer. He took a seat across from Max, resting his arms on the table.
“ So, how is the working class life, Mr. Uppercrust the Third?”
“It could be going better.”
“I can see that.”
“If you're just going to be a dick I'm going to go back to cleaning.”
“Right, right. Sorry. But you have to admit it's a little funny.”
“Yeah, well.” Bradley shrugged.
Max took a sip from his drink. “Hey, well, at least your coffee is getting better.”
“Well, I'm definitely getting fired today, so it hardly matters.”
Max leaned forward, eyes sparkling. “What did you do?”
“I survived,” Bradley said solemnly.
“That bad of a day?”
“It was terrible. One woman complained that her coffee was too hot. It’s fucking coffee it's supposed to be hot. If it's too hot just wait five goddamn minutes and it'll be cool enough.”
Max laughed and much to Bradley's dismay, it didn't sound half bad.
He really was tired.
“So, uh, how has your life been?”
“Busy, did you know college is hard?’
Bradley chuckled, “So I've been told.”
“I swear one of my professors hates me and I don't even know why.”
“Which one?”
“Professor Simmons.”
“Calculus?”
“Yeah.”
Bradley nodded. “I had him freshman year. He hates everyone, don't take it personally.”
“Did you end up passing? Because I'm pretty sure I'm going to fail.”
“Yeah, at the end of the semester, he curves everyone's grades. He just likes to make you sweat, root out the ones that aren't really committed and all that .”
“Oh thank God,” Max sighed.
Bradley smiled for a split second before regaining his composure.
“Sooo, if you're getting fired does that mean I won't be seeing you as much?” Max asked.
“One can only hope.”
“Heh, yeah.” Max toyed with his coffee cup.
Bradley swallowed the lump in his throat. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
“Ahem, well, I better get cleaning. We close in a few minutes.”
“Yeah, well, uh, I'll see you around.” Max put a few dollars on the table and left.
Bradley felt his heart sink in a way he wasn't quite sure how to make of.
The next day he came into work and to his surprise he seemingly still had a job. His conversation with Max was still stuck in his mind. He wasn't sure why but something in his voice had struck a chord with Bradley and he felt compelled to apologize, despite the fact that he didn't really know what he had done.
Max didn't come in that day, or the day after that, In fact over a week went by and Bradley didn't see him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Becky asked.
Bradley, who had been staring into space for an indescribable amount of time, snapped out of it, shaking his head slightly. “Nothing, just thinking, I guess.”
“Well, can you think and work at the same time?”
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” Bradley began wiping down the counter.
Becky rolled her eyes before going back to scrolling through her phone.
“Have you seen Max recently?” Bradley asked, trying just a little too hard to sound casual.
Becky looked up from her phone, eyes gleaming in a way that made Bradley regret ever saying anything. “Soooo, you have a thing for the X Games hot shot, huh?”
“God no, I just haven’t seen him recently and was wondering if you have.”
“Riiiight.”
“So, uh, have you?” Bradley felt his cheeks flush.
Becky smirked. “No, I haven't. If I do, I'll let him know you were asking about him.”
“Dear God, please don't.”
Bradley stared up at his ceiling. He couldn't shake Becky's words , as idiotic as they were, they were stuck in his head. Why did he care so much about Max? Sure, his life was pretty boring right now but that didn't explain the way his heart raced at even just the thought of Max. He had assumed it was hate, and maybe at first it was but it was different now . Lighter , somehow.
It was almost like he-
Oh.
Oh fuck.
His head was spinning.
He needed a fucking drink.
Bradley had a pit in his stomach. He was standing in front of Max’s dorm, coffee cup in hand. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A tall chubby guy answered the door. Bradley vaguely remembered that his name was ‘TJ’ or something.
“What do you want?”
“Is Max here?”
“Why?”
“Because I want to talk to him, jackass.”
“Who's at the door, PJ?” Max called from somewhere in the dorm.
“Bradley!” PJ called back.
“Tell him I'm not here!”
“I can hear you, asshole! I'm trying to do a not shitty thing, so could you just give me a minute?”
“Fine, let him in Peej.”
The man moved aside, giving Bradley a skeptical look as he walked in.
Max was sitting on his bed, he looked nervous? Bradley wasn't quite sure.
“Hey, PJ, can you give us a few minutes?” Max asked.
PJ narrowed his eyes. “Fine, but I'll be right outside if you need me.”
“I'm not going to fucking kill him, he doesn't need a bodyguard.” Bradley huffed.
“Sounds like something someone planning to murder someone else would say,” PJ retorted.
“I don't even know how to respond to that.”
“Ha! so you admit it!”
“PJ! Just like five minutes, dude,” Max interrupted.
“Fiiiiine.” PJ left, closing the door behind him.
“So, uh, why are you here, harassing me and my friend?”
“Oh, right. I uh, I brought you this.” Bradley handed the coffee cup to Max.
Max inspected it, pausing at the number written on the side.
Bradley sucked in a breath. “I, well, I also wanted to apologize.”
Max looked him in the eyes. “For?”
“Well, I guess for everything. For the X Games, for last week at the coffee shop, and I guess for just generally being a dick.”
“What's with the sudden change of heart?” Max asked.
“I, uh, well. I guess I've just been doing some thinking and I realized something, so I thought it would be best if I apologized, given the circumstances.”
Max raised an eyebrow. “That was incredibly cryptic. Can you please just actually say what you mean?”
Bradley fought the urge to run out of the room. “I guess what I'm saying is I liked seeing you, and well, when I didn't see you I kind of missed you. Sort of.”
Max smiled. Bradley's heart raced.
“I missed you too.”
Bradley couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “You did?”
“Yeah, I like being around you, Brad.”
“I like being around you too…I guess.”
Max chuckled. “So, I take it this is your number on this coffee cup?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Oh, well, I guess I'll just throw it out then, I don't want a random person's number, I want yours.”
Bradley thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest.
“Well, I guess it might be worth your time calling it then.”
“I guess I'll try it out sometime.”
Max moved ever so slightly closer, Bradley sucked in a breath.
“Max, are you ok in there?!?” PJ yelled through the door.
“We're fine, PJ!” Max called back.
And just like that, the moment was gone.
“Well, I better get going. I have a paper or something.”
“You working tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“See you then.”
Bradley smiled. “See you then.”
Bradley was sweeping when Max came in. Becky was behind the counter.
“Look who it is. You know I was supposed to tell you something, I just can't quite remember what. Do you know, Bradley?” Becky smirked.
“Feel free to take your break, Becky. I can take Max's order.”
“Oh, I'm sure you would just love that.”
“Goodbye, Becky!”
Becky smirked before disappearing into the back.
“She's pretty cheery today, huh?”
“Unfortunately.” Bradley deadpanned.
“So, uh, about yesterday.”
Becky let out a poorly muffled shriek.
“Yeah, can we talk about this anywhere else?”
Max smiled. “Sure, how about your place? Bobby and PJ will be around all afternoon.”
Fuck.
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
Max frowned. “We don't have to. I'm fine meeting anywhere.”
“No, it's fine. My apartment is just, um, not great.”
“Dude, I live in a dorm room with two other people.”
“Good point.”
“What's the address?”
Bradley wrote it on an order sheet. “My last class ends at five, so like five thirty?”
“See you then!” Max smiled and walked out the door.
“Hey wait, I didn't give you your coffee!” Bradley called after him.
Becky emerged from the back room, a too big smile on her face.
Bradley sighed, preparing for the next few hours of torment he was about to ensue.
Max would be arriving any minute and Bradley was mildly panicked. He had already swept twice and was now trying to make the cardboard box he was using as a dresser look less pathetic.
It wasn't working.
There was a knock on the door.
Bradley briefly considered staging a house fire.
“Hey, Max.” Bradley opened the door.
“Hey! I brought pizza!”
Bradley smiled. “Come in, and, uh, sorry.”
Max walked in, Bradley watched as he scanned the room.
“Y'know, I wasn't expecting it to be a studio.”
“Yeah, well. Money is kind of tight right now.” Bradley shrugged.
“You have a surprising amount of pillows on your bed.”
“Shut up.” Bradley huffed.
“But really, I like it,” Max said with a soft laugh.
“Thanks, I don't really have furniture, so sorry for the mess.”
“It's fine, Brad, I have two roommates, remember?”
“Yeah, right.” Bradley cleared his throat. “Here you can put the pizza on the counter.”
“Woah, you have a full kitchen?”
“Yeah, not that it's very useful.” Bradley scowled.
“Oh, the stove doesn’t work?”
“No, it does, cooking is just impossible.”
Max laughed, “You can't cook?”
“What? Like you can?”
“Sure I can. My dad taught me.”
“Magician,” Bradley muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I can teach you, y’know,” Max offered.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, dude. Everyone should know how to cook.”
“Thanks.” Bradley's voice was soft.
“No problem!”
Max took a slice of pizza. “Dude, you really need to get some furniture. There is nowhere to sit.”
“I looked into it, but everything is so expensive. Did you know that furniture was expensive?”
“I've heard stories,” Max chuckled. “I have a suggestion but you aren't going to like it.”
Bradley raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Thrift stores, they sell cheap furniture.”
Bradley felt his mouth fall open. “How could you even suggest such a thing? Uppercrusts do not shop second-hand.”
“Yeah, I know, I know, but you really can't keep living like this. It's depressing.”
“You're depressing.”
“Just try it.”
“No.”
“Dude.”
“...Maybe.”
“Thank you, Brad.”
“Shut up.”
“Ok , ok , your lack of things aside, I had something important to say.”
Bradley braced himself. “What was so important that you had to schedule an appointment?”
“Well, what you said yesterday about missing me and uh, liking being around me.”
Bradley groaned.
“Just let me finish! What I'm trying to say is that I was thinking and I think it would be nice to see you more, maybe during dinner or something?”
Bradley couldn't hear his own thoughts over the sound of his heartbeat. “What are you saying?”
Max looked nervous. “I'm saying I like you, Brad. I have for a while.”
“Oh.”
“Shit! Sorry, ignore that I said anything. I can leave. I can find a different coffee shop. You don't have to ever see me again.”
Bradley stepped towards the other man. “Max, calm down.”
“No. I ruined everything, I'm so sorry.” Max looked like he was about to cry.
Bradley moved closer. “Max!”
Max started towards the door.
“MAX!” Bradley grabbed his wrist.
Max froze, his eyes locked with Bradley's. They didn't move.
“Brad.” Max’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“You’re stupid,” Bradley said.
Max scowled.
“I like you too,” Bradley spoke, voice soft.
“Holy shit, really?” Max's face lit up like a neon sign.
Bradley couldn't help but start laughing. “Really.”
“Awesome.”
“I hate that word.” Bradley leaned in.
“Too bad.” Max leaned in as well.
Their lips connected. Bradley’s head spun in the best way.
It was the kind of thing that he didn’t know he had wanted, but now that he had it, he wanted it to last forever.
Maybe God didn't hate him quite as much as he thought.
Maybe.