Trope Bingo: AU - coffee shop

I had no idea that this was a thing, but it came up on my bingo board and my brain apparently decided it liked it.

This feels like the first chapter of about a three-chapter story. It also feels like it's the pilot episode of a sitcom. These things may be related.

Thanks to PianoMan5 for catching an unclear line; it's now fixed.

Isabella sighed and looked out the window at the snow blowing outside. The apartment she shared with Gretchen was close enough that they could walk to work - handy for picking up extra shifts in weather like this, but that meant they had to walk through weather like this. The Fireside Café was one of the most popular coffee shops in downtown Danville, but with this much snow, there weren't many customers - mostly just the plow drivers who wanted a warm drink and a few minutes in front of the fireplace that was the café's focal point.

"Worst Valentine's Day ever," she said to Gretchen, who sat behind the cash register reading a book.

Ginger commented from her table by the fireplace, "What, you don't think that boy you like will go through a foot of snow for a cup of coffee from you? I saw that the antique shop is closed today due to weather."

"He's not a boy, Ginger," Isabella replied testily.

"He lives in his parents' basement with his green-haired freak of a brother," Ginger said snidely, causing Gretchen to bristle. Ginger continued, "And all they do is play with their silly inventions that will never work, and work at their parents' antique shop."

"And I've still got a better shot with him than you do with Doctor Tjinder, Ginger," Isabella stated. "Anyway, what are you doing here? You aren't even scheduled to work today."

Ginger glared at Isabella and took a sip of her coffee. "I lost power at my apartment, and didn't have anywhere else to go."

The front door opened, letting in a blast of cold air, and two young men walked in, stomping snow off their boots onto the welcome mat. The shorter one pulled off his hat, revealing a shock of short red hair, while the taller had long green hair peeking out from inside his hood.

Isabella smiled at them. "Hi Phineas, hi Ferb. Whatcha doin'?"

Phineas smiled back. "We lost power at the house, so we figured we'd come here to warm up. I'll have my usual. You too, Ferb?"

Ferb nodded.

Isabella grabbed two cups and marked them. "Large cappuccino, two extra shots," she marked Phineas's drink and put a heart around the spot for his name, "and a medium mint mocha," she said as she marked Ferb's drink with an F. She turned to the espresso machine and started prepping shots as Phineas and Ferb paid Gretchen for their drinks.

Phineas sat by the fireplace, looking at his cup. "Huh, she marked it with a heart. Must be because it's Valentine's Day."

Ferb turned his cup to show Phineas the F mark.

"Weird, I wonder why she did that?"

Ferb shook his head and sighed. He still doesn't get it, he thought. Two tables over, another barista - he thought her name was Ginger - put her head in her hands.

"What? Look, I know you think she likes me, Ferb. But...really. She's the most beautiful barista in the most popular coffee shop in town. I'm sure she has guys asking her out all the time. The last thing she needs is some guy who can't even get an invention to last the whole day hitting on her. Maybe once we hit it big, I'll ask her out." He gazed at her wistfully, not noticing her looking away from him quickly.

"I beg to differ," Ferb said quietly. "She's certainly attractive, but I don't know that I'd consider her the most beautiful of the baristas." He looked in the direction of Gretchen, who quickly looked down at her book. Ginger was making gagging noises, which Ferb ignored.

"So why don't you ask Gretchen out?"

Ferb sighed and nodded, acknowledging Phineas's point. Because I'm just as terrified of rejection as you are?

Ginger sat and nursed her coffee. So, Isabella and Gretchen's freaky inventors are interested in them right back, she thought. I could probably tell them, but they'd never believe me.

The door opened again, and Ginger's heart skipped a beat. It's him. Doctor Baljeet Tjinder. She ran the name around her head a few times, sighing at the sound of it. The short Indian man looked to be in a hurry as he asked Gretchen for a chai latte, which Isabella started preparing for him.

"Hey, Baljeet!" Phineas said from the table he shared with his brother. "What brings you here in this weather?"

"Oh, the clinic that I volunteer at was closed today, so I decided to go for a brisk walk. Exercise is good for you!"

Phineas looked out the window. "It's a blizzard out there, Baljeet."

"That shouldn't stop you," Baljeet said.

From the counter, Isabella said, "Chai latte for Doctor Tjinder."

"Ah, that's mine. Have a good day, you two." He picked up his drink and, waving to Phineas and Ferb, headed out the door into the snow.

Ginger sighed. He didn't even notice me. Maybe Isabella's right. Why would a doctor want to pay any attention to a lowly barista? He's totally out of my league. Maybe when I finish my degree.

She looked up and saw Isabella gazing at Phineas again. The brothers were making plans for their next invention, the one that would hit it big for sure. On the other hand, maybe I have some leverage.

Before she could convince herself not to, she stood up and went over to Phineas and Ferb's table. "May I join you?" she asked, noticing Isabella and Gretchen both suddenly giving her their undivided attention.

Ferb gestured toward an empty seat, which she took.

"You're...Ginger, right? I've seen you around here." Phineas asked. "What's up?"

"Have you two known Doctor Tjinder for a while?" she asked.

"Doctor Tjinder...oh, Baljeet? Yeah, we went to school with him for years, until he graduated early so he could go to medical school. Youngest person to become a doctor in the Tri-State Area. Why?" Phineas answered.

"Is he...seeing anyone?" she asked quietly.

Phineas looked at Ferb, who shook his head. "Not that I know of," Phineas replied. "He broke up with Mishti years ago, and..."

"Could you introduce me to him?" Lowering her voice to make sure Isabella and Gretchen couldn't hear, she continued, "I have...information you may be interested in that I'd be willing to trade."

"Information...? About?" Phineas responded, intrigued. He saw her glance up at Isabella and Gretchen at the counter, and said, "Oh."

Ferb spoke up, quietly. "Actually, by just making the offer, I suspect you've told us everything we need to know. As a coworker, you would know if our interests are reciprocated, and you wouldn't be offering to tell us about it if they weren't."

Ginger looked at him, shocked. "But..."

Phineas nodded his head at Ferb. "He's the brains. I'm the mouth. You can see why."

Ginger started to tear up. So close...there goes my leverage.

Phineas smiled. "Hey, don't cry. We didn't say we wouldn't help. Ferb...what do you think? Party plan M-5?"

"M-6a, I think," Ferb said quietly.

"Oh, right. Dubstep, not polka. Ginger, here's our address - we'll throw a party Friday night. We'll invite Baljeet, and you. We'll arrange for an introduction - anything else is up to you. Deal?"

Ginger nodded, unable to speak.

"Okay. Now I need to go invite Isabella and Gretchen, too." Phineas got up and walked to the counter. He took a deep breath, and said with forced casualness, "Hey, we're throwing a party on Friday night. You're both invited, if you'd like to come."

Gretchen smiled broadly, and said, "I'll definitely be there!"

Isabella sighed. "Sorry. I'm working that night."

Phineas's shoulders slumped. "Oh. Okay. How late? We probably won't get seriously started until 8 or so, and I didn't think you were open much later than that."

She perked up again. "Oh! We close at 9, so I could come over then, if that's okay..."

"That'd be great. I'm really looking forward to seeing you there."

Ferb looked down at his phone, and said, "Looks like power's back at home."

Phineas smiled at Isabella, making Ginger want to gag again at the starstruck look on Isabella's face, and said, "Guess we need to go start preparing, then. See you around?"

Phineas and Ferb headed out the door into the snow. Isabella and Gretchen looked at each other and squealed.

"Ginger, what did you say to them? How did you get us invited to their party?" Isabella asked.

"I asked them to find a way to introduce me to Doctor Tjinder. They...um...decided to invite all three of us so it didn't look quite so obvious that they were inviting me to set me up with him." That sounds good, and lets the boys surprise them on Friday night.

"Oh," Gretchen said. She looked a little crestfallen that she was being invited as cover, but Isabella shook her a little bit.

"Doesn't matter, Gretchen. We're going to a party with Phineas and Ferb," Isabella said. "Best Valentine's Day ever."

I may continue this if there's interest, or if I get au-coffee shop on my next bingo board.

Worth noting: I don't drink coffee, although I have been known to enjoy the (very) occasional mocha. (They're bad for my diet, and I have odd reactions to caffeine due to ADHD.) If I messed up my coffee terminology or coffee shop etiquette, that's why.