She came into Legal Grounds every morning at exactly 11:03.
And I don't even know why.
I mean, we're the shittiest coffee shop around!
She didn't seem to think so, though.
11:03, 18 Jan, 2019
The door banged open. "Hi!" I said brightly. "Usual?"
"Any almond milk?" Astrid asked cheekily, her blue eyes twinkling.
I shook my head. "Nu-uh. Lactose free instead?"
"Sure!"
Astrid had asked the same question for the past year, and the answer had always been the same.
She exited the café five minutes later, grimacing as she sipped her coffee. Lactose free milk is horrible.
I'm gonna get that girl some almond milk, whatever it takes.
10:59, Jan 25, 2019
"Henry! What, is this?!" demanded the tight-lipped voice of my boss, Alita DeStrauss.
I rolled my eyes. "That seems to be a coffee machine, ma'am," I told her, a little bored.
"No, THAT!" she shouted, pointing at a brown mark on the side.
I grabbed a sponge and wiped it off. "That was coffee."
Ms DeStrauss growled. "I paid you to work, Henry. To clean, to serve, and to please. So why don't you?"
I didn't know. Maybe it was because I hadn't been working here the past few days because of my father's death. But then again, maybe I was just a lazy employee who couldn't give a shit about his work, let alone his income for him and his cat to stay alive.
To be honest with you, I thought I would have been the former, but who knows?
I really wanted to call her an impolite name. But that would probably get me fired, and then where would I be? No, instead, I just said, "I'm sorry, Ms DeStrauss. I'll try not to slack in future."
She turned her nose up, sniffed, and walked out of the coffee shop.
My phone suddenly buzzed several times, sending vibrations down my jeans from the pocket where it was positioned. I groaned and took it out.
10:59, Fri, 25 Jan, 2019
From: Snotlout
hey hiccup! hows it going? the twins and fishlegs are being rlly annoying. cant deal with it much longer. r u still comin over l8r? be killed, egg offspring without a chicken to fertilise it. PEACE
11:00, Fri, 25 Jan, 2019
From: Ruffnut
u r made of asparagus. r u still coming later or has tuff scared u away already? be like water. be like the nut. AaAaAAAa
11:00, 25 Jan, 2019
From: Tuffnut
hey h! whats up? ruff is a poo. do u wanna kill her l8r? be like water. be like the nut. POOF. Squeeeee
11:00, Fri, Jan 25, 2019
From: Fishlegs
Hi, Hiccup. Just wanted to make sure you're coming over later? If not, we understand. The twins and Snotlout are pissing me off, as usual, but I can manage. Are you alright? You haven't been yourself lately. We can talk anytime if you need... we know this has been hard for you.
-Fishlegs :)
I sighed, and went to our group chat.
11:01, Fri, 25 Jan, 2019
From: Hiccup
Hi guys! Yeah, I am still coming over. Jeez, did you PLAN to all message me at exactly the same time? Fishlegs, I think I'm okay, but I'll let you know if I need anything. Ruffnut, I wasn't aware I was made of asparagus, thanks for letting me know?... Tuffnut, for the last time, NO. I DO NOT WANT TO KILL YOUR SISTER. Snotlout... just... what?
-Hiccup :D
They all replied back with messages of "haha lol ok" and "Okay, just let us know if you need anything". I smiled. My friends are certainly something else.
The bell on the doorknob jingled noisily, making me look up from what I was doing on my phone. My smile instantly reappeared. "Astrid! Hey. Usual?"
The girl that had come in grinned back. "Okay. Thanks."
She didn't ask the question! Weird. Maybe she gave up.
Well, she was going to get a big surprise.
I made Astrid's coffee and handed it to her. She smiled gratefully. "Thanks."
I grinned. "No problem. See you around."
"Bye!"
And she walked out of Legal Grounds.
Had she noticed? What if she did? What would she say? What if she didn't? What would happen then? Had I wasted my money?
"Excuse me?"
I hadn't even noticed the door banging open.
"Uh, yeah? Is everything okay? Is there a problem, I mean, do you want a refund-"
"What? No. It just... it tastes really nice. Did you... get almond milk?"
I smiled at Astrid sheepishly. "Well, you were always asking for it, so I went out and got some."
She stared at me.
"I- you did?"
I nodded.
"Oh, thank you so much! You bought it? I mean, with your own money?"
I nodded again.
Astrid smiled. "Thank you so, so much. You're great."
And with that, she flounced out of Legal Grounds looking happier than I had ever seen her before.
My car pulled up in Fishlegs' driveway six hours later. I was exhausted, but I'd promised them I'd come.
"Hiccup!"
Snotlout came running toward me at full speed. "Guppylegs has another friend over, and she's hot AF. She has a, y'know," he clicked his fingers, "thing for me."
I chuckled. I really doubted it. "You shouldn't judge somebody by their looks, Snotlout," I told him. His response was "blah blah blah".
But then I walked in the door.
It was her.
"Oh! Hi, Hiccup!" Astrid said. "How was the rest of your day?"
Fishlegs looked surprised. "Oh, you two know each other?"
We nodded.
"B- but- how?" Snotlout wondered.
"Yeah, how?" said Ruff, coming out from behind the lounge for some reason.
"TELL ME HOW!" Tuff demanded, practically jumping on me.
Astrid and I looked at each other.
"Well, Astrid usually comes into the coffee shop-" "and you're usually there-" "and she always gets the same thing-" "and then you weren't there for a few days," Astrid finished. "Yeah... sorry. I'll explain later," I told her. Tuffnut was slitting his throat with his finger.
"Okay," Astrid said.
Later that night, we were all squished on the lounge with the TV playing Star Wars- most of us asleep and two of us awake.
"So... why weren't you there?" Astrid asked me.
I looked down at the ground. "My... dad died."
"Oh."
The two of us sat there awkwardly for a couple of moments, and then,
"I'm sorry. You didn't have to buy the almond milk, and you probably have enough stress on your shoulders without worrying about that. I'm so sorry about your father! If you ever need anything, please, please call me. I don't know how it feels to lose a parent, but... I'm your friend, so I'll try anyway."
I looked up at her.
And I said six words.
"Almond milk from now on, then?"