hello reader
I am infinitely sorry for this shameful delay.
I've been having a hard time balancing my schedule what with graduation and adult life ambushing me. Shit just got really real in my life.
I hope none of you have been disheartened by my delays; I am not a writer who gives up on her stories and leaves them unfinished. Not any story, either my bleach ones, or teen titans ones. Take my word for that. I may be slow in delivering, but i will deliver.
Hope you enjoy this.
PS: can anyone teach me how to put a line break that is actually visible when you read the story?
Chapter 3
Garfield Logan walked through the lustrous grasslands that was the university campus, its green carpet occupied by students of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. There was a group of musicians, plucking blindly at their guitars as tried composing a half-finished piece; there was a troop of dancers practicing in the middle of the field, doing a series of synchronized movement that just looked so damn beautiful; there was a couple sitting under the shade of a tree, the guy leaning down as he whispered – ok, that was not whispering. Garfield walked faster, averting his eyes to give them some privacy.
Striding through the lawn, Gar hiked his bag up higher up his shoulder, eager to reach the small university café where he was working. Bells chimed when he pushed the door open, rushing inside to put on his uniform before stepping behind the counter.
"Hey, glad you could make it."
A sharp jab to his side caused Gar to turn, although he already knew who did it without having to. Terra gave him a mischievous smile, tying her bright blonde hair into a ponytail as she took her place beside him. "We have new blood," she said, pointing towards a table in the corner.
Gar was greeted with the sight of one of the tallest human beings he's ever seen in his life. He was unnaturally tall; he couldn't have been a college student. As if being tall wasn't enough, the guy also had to have the most impressive built a male specimen could hope to have. Looking at the guy's arms made Garfield feel like his own were a couple of toothpicks. He was, without a doubt, a rather fierce looking fella, but his predatory image was broken by the constant fidgeting of his hands – he was nervous.
"What's he here for?" Gar whispered, not taking his eyes off the guy.
"Chef, apparently," Terra replied, scrunching her nose. "I know he doesn't look like it, but the guy can cook. And with Kevin moving away, the café's in desperate need of a chef. Or at least, a guy who knows how to flip a decent burger."
Gar whipped around and faced Terra this time, an almost comical look of disbelief in his face. "I don't get it, shouldn't we be flipping croissants and pastry stuff in this café?"
"I know!" Terra said, smiling wide and raising her hands in the air. "We might as well have turned this into a fast food joint."
"We have excellent coffee, though."
"True that."
Gar turned back towards the guy, taking his apron off and running a hand through his hair. "Do I look okay?"
"It's an interview, not a date," Terra murmured, not bothering to look away from the chalkboard she was now filling in with today's specials.
Slowly walking towards the guy's table, Garfield had time to notice a few other things about the fascinating applicant. One, he had a varsity jacket. He was most likely a football player. Two, he had one helluva big bag. It most probably contained heavy work out stuff. Three, the guy was nodding his head to the beat "Can't touch this" the café speakers were blaring out. 'If he found MC Hammer appealing even in this era, then surely, he was a guy worth hanging out with', Garfield thought.
"Hey," Gar said casually – or as casually as he could without seeming too excited – as he took a seat across the guy, who raised his head towards him instantly. "Garfield Logan." Gar extended his hand.
"Victor. Stone. Victor Stone," the guy replied, taking Gar's hand and shaking it. He gave a low chuckle and shook his head. "I'm sorry, man. I'm just a little nervous."
"Nervous? You've never been to a job interview before?" Garfield winced slightly at how demeaning that sounded. Victor just laughed it off though, much to his relief.
"I have, but not this kind of job interview."
Gar raised a confused brow. "What do you mean?"
Victor shrugged his shoulders, grinning nervously. "I mean…well...I've never applied to be a cook before. I guess I'm pretty confident about my skills in the kitchen, but who am I kidding? All my customers narrow down to just my dad, and even he can't finish a plate of whatever I cook."
"Dude, you don't have to be nervous about anything," Gar laughed. "We serve college students – they'll eat anything that costs them less than anything in McDonald's. As long as you know how to flip a burger or make spaghetti, you'll be fine."
At this, Victor scoffed rather smugly and folded his arms. "You ain't tasted my pasta yet, man. I can make Carbonara to save your soul." And this exchange started a series of teases and banters that made an interview that was supposed to last for five minutes extend to almost half an hour. It wasn't until Terra finally approached their table that Gar realized how fast time had slipped by.
"I gotta go, man," he said hurriedly, putting on the apron that Terra had grumpily thrown at him before walking back to the counter. "If I lose this job, you might end up replacing two people."
Victor stood up to thank him, rising to his full height and towering over Gar, who suddenly felt like a child under the shadow of the ridiculously tall man. As the two were shaking hands, Victor furrowed his brows and said, "I'm sorry, but you seem really familiar. Have I met you somewhere?"
"Not that I can recall," Gar replied, squinting his eyes.
It took a few seconds before Victor asked hesitantly, "Are you in professor Watson's class? That's the last class I took today."
Garfield's eyes went comically wide and a huge grin split across his face. "I do! Sociology?" he cried out, raising his hands in a who-would-have-thought manner.
Victor snapped his fingers and pointed at Gar, realization dawning upon him. "You were behind the girl with the earphones."
"Now, that girl was a character."
"I couldn't tell. Not that I could see much past that redheaded chick. She was literally shining, man – I was blinded."
"Now, that girl was tall. Why are so many people here so tall?"
"It think it's the water, man. Jump City's got some funky water."
"Yeah, maybe. It does taste a bit mur-"
"Gar!"
Garfield wined at Terra's shrill scream, turning to look back for a second, only to be met by her glaring blue eyes. "Look, I really gotta go," Gar whispered. Victor nodded in understanding, hiking his backpack over his shoulder and headed for the door the same time Gar headed for the counter. Just as Victor turned the knob ad opened the café door, Gar called out to him. "Hey!"
Victor looked towards the counter.
"Be here by 5pm tomorrow, man!" Gar shouted, grinning like a maniac. Hearing those words, Victor couldn't stop grinning himself. "Will do," he called back, giving a quick salute before heading out.
Garfield smiled to himself, eyes following Victor as he gradually disappeared into the crowd outside.
"Well, that was a quick one," Terra murmured sarcastically beside him.
"I like the guy," Gar said, eyes still transfixed at the spot where Victor had been a few seconds ago.
"I did not know you steered that way."
"Not that way, Terra."
