Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I groaned as my little kitten, Max, crawled on my back to curl up and go back to sleep. This was the signal that I was sleeping too long and that he wanted me to get up, but was being nice about how he was going to get me to do so.
Anyway, my name is Jessica Marks and I am eighteen years old, short, with blonde hair and blue eyes and a style that is ever changing. I am living on my own with my roommate, Ann. We live in a small town in the US and go to the local community college up the street from us. Ann works as a secretary for some fashion company that I have never heard of nor care about, something from Japan, and I work as a server at a small French cafe called Un avant-goût de la France. It means 'a taste of France' and I have been working there since I turned sixteen and I love it. We are like one big happy family and some of the best friends I have ever had came out of the cafe. Oh! Also, about one week ago, my long time boyfriend and I broke up and I am still a bit upset, but I have not told anyone because it hurts too much. We were together for about three years and I truly thought he was the one, but when it came to spending time with me, he just never did and after three years I finally had enough. Anyway, I think that is all you need to know for now, lets get on with the story, shall we?
After Max woke my lazy butt up, I walked into the kitchen to make some breakfast before my shift at the cafe. Soon I had finished my breakfast and my morning shower and was back in my room trying to find my black dress pants for work. Then I was out the door with my bike, racing down the road. I love riding my bike to work because it is all down hill from my apartment to a small shopping center and I go down the back road that cars never go down. It feels so good and I always take my hands off the handles and feel like I am flying.
After I finished my morning fantasy about soaring like a bird, I arrive at the cafe and my friend Calvin is sitting out back smoking a cigarette before the shift. It was only nine and we opened at nine thirty, so anyone that opens usually comes early and has a pastry, coffee, and a cigarette. I join Cal and bum a smoke off him, he knows that I don't smoke, but he hands me one anyway and after a few moments of us smoking silently, he starts to talk: "Jess, whats wrong?" I sigh and stare at the cracks in the sidewalk below and start in on the story. "Alex and I...were over and I just feel so lost without him. I mean, I broke up with him, but I did it because I never see him and I still love him so much..." Cal looked at his watch and put out his cigarette, then took the one out of my hand and put that out as well. "You did the right thing. If your unhappy then you need to do what is best for you and I am sure you will find someone else who made you much happier then Alex ever did." I smiled and thanked him as we walked through the back door into the kitchen.
I love Cal, he always knows how to make me feel better, not because of what he says, but the fact that he actually says anything to me. You see, Calvin Jones is one of the quietest people you will ever meet and the only time he ever talks is when it involves work. Cal is a cute guy, fresh out of culinary school and bakes pastries at the cafe every day. I usually am the opening waitress Mondays through Thursdays and Cal is the opening cook, so we see a lot of each other. About a year after I started working at the cafe he came up to me and asked me what my favorite pastry was that we served and ever since then he makes me a pastry and a cup of coffee whenever I work and slowly we have been developing a friendship.
So, Cal and I start doing our chores before we open and the first thing that is done, is breakfast. Cal bakes me a chocolate croissant and a cup of black coffee as I wipe down tables and make sure everything is in order from the night before. At nine thirty I yell to Cal that I am unlocking the doors and go to open them wide, welcoming the cool summer breeze. And so the day begins...
About three hours later, after I have had a few of my regulars, and some newbies, wander in and out, my roommate shows up at the door. "Jess!" Ann says as she hurries over to give me a hug and to whisper something in my ear. "Please be nice to these boys, they are my boss' boss' sons and his friends from Japan" then she pulls away to introduce me to the group of boys standing in front of me. And what a gorgeous bunch of boys they are...I wonder why Ann is so worried about me not liking them! Then, one of them opened their mouths and I understood. "What is this-" says a twin with orange hair, "-run down place you brought us too?" says the other twin. Just by looking at the two of them, I knew they were going to be trouble.