Matthew turned the corner and walked hurriedly down the dirty sidewalk, hands in his pockets. He pushed up his sunglasses on to the top of his head as he reached his destination, pulling open the door and getting hit with a wave of vanilla scented heat.
The bakery wasn't very busy today, there were only about three people in line and a set of teenagers in the back on laptops, so he sighed a breath of relief and hurried over to the back of the line, his foot tapping impatiently as he watched the customer at the front order his coffee and the line shifted forward. His palm was itching and he twined his fingers together, twisting till his fingers turned white and then shoving them back into his pockets.
Why is it taking so long? It doesn't take this much time to order some damn brownies, lady.
Okay, so maybe he was being a little irrational. Matthew just really, really wanted his cookies. He wanted his usual, a dozen with a quart of chocolate milk, and to head back to his apartment and snarf them down during a game of Call of Duty.
Matthew finally reached the counter after what felt like years and he faced the barista behind the counter.
"Oh hey, it's you again," the man said, smiling at Matthew in recognition.
Matthew sighed. "Yeah yeah, hi whatever your name is. I need a-"
The barista cut him off. "It's Gilbert."
Matthew rolled his eyes. "Okay, Gilbert, I need a dozen peanut butter drop cookies and-"
Gilbert cut him off again while scribbling on his notepad. "A quart of chocolate milk. Your total is $7.19." He tore off Matthew's order and stuck it on the counter behind him.
One of Matthew's eyebrows quirked up. "How do you know my order?"
"You've come here at least two times this week and I've always served you. You don't recognize me?"
"Kind of. You might've been wearing your hat last time or something. Anyway, thanks," Matthew said and turned to leave but was stopped by pale fingers wrapping around his wrist. He groaned and turned back around.
"What do you want now?"
Gilbert smirked. "Well, I was gonna ask you to dinner."
Matthew furrows his eyebrows. "Me? Why?" The order bell dinged at the end of the counter and Matthew stared longingly at the paper bag that held the key to his addiction. He thought distantly that he came here for cookies, not for a date with some pushy barista.
"Well, I've seen you and I'm interested if that's okay with you." Gilbert's hands slid down the counter as he walked down and grabbed his order. Matthew couldn't think of anything to do except blush as he walked down to meet Gilbert, so he did, furiously. Gilbert picked up a pen and scribbled something on the side of the bag before handing it over to Matthew. Matthew grabbed it and pulled but Gilbert didn't let go.
Gilbert smiled. "Have a nice day, sir."