Chapter 2: The Coffee House
When Sam was finished with her shift, she grabbed her purse and headed for the coffee house across the street. She pushed opened the door and looked around. Half the place was full of people in French bureaus and sunglasses. Besides the Skulk and Lurk, this was the only pace Sam actually blended in.
Sam noticed most of the guys there already had girlfriends, or were at least sitting with a girl. She quietly walked to the counter and said: "Hi."
The cashier lowered his sunglasses, revealing his dark brown eyes. He smiled and brushed a few strands of dishwater blonde hair back. "Well, hello gorgeous. How may I help you?" he asked.
"Uh, could I get a…uh…" Sam wasn't sure what to order. She didn't drink coffee and had no idea if it tasted good.
"Um, I'll get a…uh…mocha latte-thingy," Sam said finally.
"Coming right up," the cashier said.
Sam watched him prepare the coffee, brewing and pouring who-knows-what in a cup.
"Oh, uh…for here or to go?" the cashier asked.
"For here," Sam answered. She needed an excuse to stay and look around.
"So, do you come here often? I haven't seen you around," the cashier asked.
"Uh, this is my first time here," Sam answered.
"Do you live close?" the man asked.
"Well, sort of," Sam said.
The man handed her a cup of 'mocha latte stuff'. "That'll be twenty-four fifty," he said.
Sam paid for the drink and took a huge swig. Suddenly, she practically spat it out. "Whoa! You alright there?" the man asked as everyone turned to face her.
"Gah! It's hot!" Sam spat more coffee out.
"Well, what did you expect? It's coffee!" the cashier said.
Sam wiped her mouth and set the coffee down on the table. "Right," she said. "I knew that."
"Heh, heh. Sure you did," the cashier laughed. As Sam sat down, he asked: "So, what's a pretty girl like you doing here?"
"Looking for a guy," Sam muttered, not expecting the cashier to hear her.
"Oh, really?" the cashier stepped out from behind the cash register.
He sat down in the seat across from Sam and held out his hand. "I'm Dylan."
"Sam," Sam said shaking Dylan's hand.
"Nice to meet you Sam," Dylan smiled.
Sam smiled back. He seemed nice.
"So, uh, Dylan. What are you into?" Sam asked.
"Well, I like jazz music…" Dylan began.
Sam nodded and blew on her coffee. Carefully, she took a sip and almost instantly put the cup back down. Even after blowing on it, the coffee still burned her lips.
"…is my favorite movie…" Dylan continued.
Sam's head perked up. The shock of heat had caused her to miss half of what Dylan had just said. "Uh, Dylan could you repeat…"
"…Carol Lewis is quite an interesting writer…" Dylan continued.
"Uh, Dylan. I didn't really catch some of what you just said…could you repeat…" Sam started.
"…and my favorite animals are dogs…" Dylan went on.
"Dylan?" Sam asked.
But Dylan kept talking. Sam was about to ask for him to repeat himself again when he suddenly said: "But enough about me, tell me about you."
Sam's lips created a thin line as she buckled her teeth together. Releasing the pressure on her teeth and lips, she said: "Okay. Well, I like the band Dumpty Humpty. I'm an ultra-recyclo-vegetarian…uh…"
"An ultra-what?" Dylan asked in shock.
"An ultra-recyclo-vegetarian," Sam repeated.
"What the heck is that?" Dylan asked in surprise.
"It's like an extreme vegetarian…" Sam explained.
"I thought that was a vegan..." Dylan said.
"Well…" Sam started.
"Dylan! What are you doing? People want coffee!" a bulky man with dark brown hair and dim blue eyes snapped.
"I'm talking to Sam," Dylan said motioning to the Goth girl.
"Oh, why hello there," the bulky man said. He smoothed out his tiny goatie and sat down. "Hey, my name's Craig. It's nice to meet ya."
"Nice to meet you too," Sam said shaking Craig's hand.
"So? You come here often? I haven't seen you around here before," Craig said.
"I already asked her that," Dylan said.
"So…does she come here often?" Craig asked.
"Uh, I should probably get going," Sam said pushing her cup aside. Two guys was going a little too far in her mind.
"Okay…do you want me to put that in a 'to-go' cup?" Dylan asked.
"No thanks," Sam said.
She shrugged on her purse and headed for the door.
"That girl's a little weird," Sam heard Dylan whisper.
"Dude! She's hot!" Craig said.
"Yeah, and I mean, she seems nice but I mean…come on…ultra-recyclo-vegetarian? What the heck?" Dylan asked.
"An ultra-what?!" Craig laughed.
Sam held her breath and pushed the door open. She was used to people talking badly about her, but when it was behind her back, and she actually heard it, it hurt. Trying to shake off the idea, Sam pressed on. She figured she might as well go home. It was getting close to nine o'clock.
Sam was about to turn the corner when someone rushed past her, causing her to fall over. Sam hit the ground with a thud and her water bottle rolled out of her purse. Groaning, Sam reached for her water bottle when suddenly, a pale hand picked it up for her.
"Here you go," the pale man said.
"Thanks," Sam said taking the water bottle and looking up to see who it was.
But no one was there. Whoever had picked up her water bottle had just vanished.
"Huh?" Sam wondered. She pushed herself up, stuffed her bottle away, brushed herself off, and walked on.
When Sam got home, her parents rushed to the door to greet her. "Oh, pumpkin! How was your first day at the jewelry store?" her mother asked brightly.
"Uh, great," Sam said.
Her mother was being unusually over perky.
Her parents exchanged giddy glances and ten turned to Sam with wide eyes and creepy smiles. Almost afraid to question, Sam asked: "did I miss something?"
Her parents suddenly burst into squeals of joy. "Oh, kitten! You're never going to believe it!" her father cried.
Sam arched an eyebrow in surprise.
"You have a secret admirer!" her mother cried.
"What?"
Sorry it's so short. The next chapter's kinda short too so…sorry about that…Well, I hope you like it so far 8D R&R w/NO FLAMES please.