Chapter Text
Saturday 8th November, 2014.
“How much caffeine does that guy drink?” One of the other baristas, Sasha, whispers as she recalls the man who walked into the shop earlier that day.
“Who? The black haired guy?” You enquire, curious about who she was talking about. Though it was easy to guess as the amount of caffeine the ‘black haired guy’ consumes is genuinely getting concerning. It’s every single day. Every shift you’re on (which is weekends) and according to the other workers; every other day. You reflect on Sasha’s question, she does have a point.
Sasha is the only reason you actually come into work (minus getting paid). She’s funny, witty, and has one hell of an appetite. Ironic how she works in a coffee shop. She’s a bit younger than you, a teenager and still in high school. But she shows up and works on the weekends, and make it a damn slight better after a stressful week at university—drowning in assignments and student debt already. You’re only two years in, and it’s piling up already.
You remember when Sasha first started working a few months ago, she needed a summer job because she was so incredibly bored, she lives with her parents somewhere near the woods. And honestly, you’re happy that she can get out and do something other than shoot arrows at trees. She’s really good at archery.
Her best friends Jean and Connie come to visit her at work often, though that means she doesn’t really get much work done and stands chatting to them instead. That forces you to take double the workload but it’s fine with you (if you’re in a good mood), because you were a teenager once. A teenager without work ethic or even a will to actually go to school.
To answer her question, she is met with a shrug from you. “Not our business. I don’t care.” Though it truly was intriguing and slightly impressive how the ‘black haired guy’ always came in smelling of an assortment of different herbs and teas. He really does drink a shit ton of tea.
The shift flies by, which is nice for a saturday. And by the time the clock hits 5, both you and Sasha rip off your aprons and race to the back room to grab your bags to rush home.
“Get home safe!” Sasha always tells you.
You always reply. “You too.”
And with that, the two of you part.
It’s a nice routine you both have. Unless somebody doesn’t show up.