Somewhere Out There: Will You Punch My Coffee Card?
Two weeks had passed since my first day at "BISTO", but it seemed like hours. Dustin finally printed me a copy of all the shortcut keys, allowing me to memorize them to make my transactions a bit faster. I was eager for the chance at another "book learning" activity, one that I am sure Ron and Harry both would have groaned about at the earliest opportunity. Even Dustin lifted an eyebrow slightly at my enjoyment for the piece of paper I held in my hand.
"Slow down there, Nell. It's not that exciting."
Folding the piece of paper, I placed it my back pocket, mentally reminding myself not to wash it as I did the last piece of paper. I was so bloody forgetful sometimes that I felt like Neville. If I was back at Hogwarts, I would have sworn a Remembrall would have gone completely red when I touched it. Unlike Neville, though, I might have actually remembered what I had forgotten in the first place.
I looked at the daily cleaning list, grabbing a heavy-duty disposable towel and heading for the coffee station. I reached underneath, opening the cupboards to stock the flavored creamers. When I first arrived in the States, I added cream, sugar, and flavor to my coffees because I was so used to my tea being the same way, except for the flavoring. After a bit, I didn't have enough money to afford the extras, so I did away with the flavoring and sugar. Nowadays, I added milk when I felt I needed it, but the bitter taste of a dark roast drew me in somehow. I much preferred it to the heavily flavored coffee I used to drink. I would always prefer tea, but the dark mystery of coffee would satisfy me for now. I seemed to like different.
Grabbing the little cups by color, I hastily threw some blue, green, and pink into the rainbow mix of assorted creamers next to the lids. I shrugged, placing the boxes back under the counter and moving to stocking the cups. One time, I had gotten my hand stuck in one of the holes, unable to get it unwrapped from around the cup I had been grasping. Both Sadie and Dustin had a wonderful laugh over it, eventually extracting me from the rubber contraption after their sides had nearly burst. I had given them a Snape-worthy glare to which Dustin shrank minutely and Sadie smiled at in an odd way. I was beginning to think that anyone who would work at "BISTO" had to be a little mental, having a strange feeling that I was extremely accurate with that assumption.
When I reached for the cleaner bottle, I was duly surprised when my hands met air. Looking up quickly and pulling my hand sharply away from the cups, I smacked my fingers against the edge of the counter. Wincing a bit at the pain, I stopped and gazed at the blue towel in my other hand and the long fingers that still held it. My gaze followed the arm those long fingers were connected to and my eyes met dark glasses. A small smile broke out on my face and my eyes lit up quickly.
Taking the towel from him, I spoke. "I didn't think you were going to show up today. It is getting rather late." At this, I gestured to the heavily darkening sky outside, making reference to the fact that he usually showed up in the mornings.
"I was occupied. Even though you seem to live here, I have a life outside of this place."
Puffing up slightly, I remarked back, "I work a lot. It is a very boring place without our regulars. This fact makes the conversations a bit more boring and day-to-day, I think. Half of them don't even know proper English and they ask the most irritating questions!" I remarked as I threw the rag back down on the counter.
"I am quite sure that the taller young man that works here, Dustin, would say that about you as well. Although I must say, he must have fun riling you up. It is entertaining." He replied, flashing me a quick smirk. "Give me that," he said, pointing at the towel.
I realized that I hadn't even cleaned the counter yet, but with his hand held out, it was rather hard to resist the man. I put it in my mind as Sadie making me lazy with her constant "smoke breaks", something I never found the need to do. As I passed him the towel, our hands touched for a moment, the warmth of his seeping into my chilled one. A slight frown crossed his features, but then he took the cleaner from the table and sprayed the counter down, effectively turning from me and ending all conversation. I moped back to the register, thoroughly annoyed that I was unable to get a full conversation out of him.
"Will you punch my coffee card?" he pointed as he came up to the register with exact change.
"Of course. Have a nice night, Sullivan."
And again, with a curt nod, he was off into the night. I glanced up at the register, punching another coffee out, realizing there were three coffee spaces yet. I didn't notice that the last one was free or that Sadie was glancing at me, puzzled at the interaction Sullivan and I just had.
Monday came round the next day, and once again, I was working. Finally, the bill on the apartment was paid and I was able to worry a little bit less about being so conservative with my funds. It was getting difficult to add up my grocery bill every time I wanted something a little different, but adding to that fact, the town still saw me as an outsider. Debating over spaghetti or rigatoni had turned into a freak show for me, being at the awkward end of anyone's stare. Two weeks had obviously not been enough time for the world to realize that Nell Johnson was going to be a semi-permanent fixture to this town. If not, she was about to scream at them to get used to the idea of her being in Deer Creek. Glaring at me as if I would Disapparate was getting to be a little old.
Stocking bananas this time, my lower lip was bitten in concentration as I placed the fresh bananas on the bottom and the ripe ones on the top, a precarious balance at which I was not being very successful. I had managed to bang my knees at least twice against the wire baskets attached to the banana cart, resulting in what would become painful bruises over the next few days. Cursing Dustin under my breath while I painstaking moved and shifted the contents of two boxes of fresh bananas, I was too absorbed to notice Sullivan's entrance.
I bent down a few more times to fix the last few bunches of bananas and arrange them on the rolling cart. Proudly, I stood back and admired my hard half hour of work, strutting back to the register much like a peacock would. With my hands on my hips, I smiled my largest grin at Dustin, who merely smiled back and leaned back on one arm. Soon after, I heard the sound of a mountain of bananas hitting the floor with rapid speed. Turning my head from Dustin's gaze to the mess now on the floor, I met the gaze of the person who had ruined all my work. A slightly guilty Sullivan stared at me with a large coffee in his left hand, pointing at Dustin with his right.
"Guess ya'd better get back to work, huh, Nell?" Dustin said with a smug grin now plastered on his face.
"And I thought you weren't capable of being an ass, Dustin. Guess I was very wrong." I glared with my hands still placed on my hips, a frown now on my face.
A rich, deep laugh came from the area of the banana stand, startling me. I gazed in shock at Sullivan, who had placed his coffee on the now-empty banana rack, and was currently having a wonderful laugh at my expense. My mouth dropped open in shock as I watched his slight body shake with laughter, and as I reset it back into a thin line, my eyes shot liquid fire. I stomped from my register all the way to the banana stand, grabbing his coffee and pushing it towards his face.
"I am glad you find it so hilarious at the amount of work I now have to redo because of your little stunt. You should be ashamed of yourself." Defeated, I placed the coffee into his hands, brushing my fingertips with his on accident. I colored a bit at the contact and warmth, stating, "Take your coffee and go. I'm sure you have better things to do then watch me redo this," with an emphatic gesture towards the pile of bananas now on the floor.
Nodding, he made to leave, but spoke again. "Miss Johnson, make sure your hands stay warm. I think they are getting a bit stiff. Oh, and the bananas? They were his idea." Turning again, he left, sticking his head back in to say, "Will you punch my coffee card?"
My eyes lit up again, turning towards Dustin with an evil grin on my face. "You wait. I will get my revenge eventually," I all but screamed at him in a shrill tone. I did not see Sullivan's wide smirk as I punched his coffee card and neither did I register that my chances to have a full conversation went down by one until later.
I worked with Sadie the next day, her black glasses sitting askew on her face when she walked in. I lifted an eyebrow in question, but she refused to give me an answer, merely readjusting them on her face until I nodded. The gold eyeliner and deep pink shadow across her eye glittered towards me, but I'd gotten used to the makeup by now. It was who she was.
She had been rather quiet around me lately, ever since Sullivan started to come in more during the afternoons which we worked together. I had the odd feeling she was watching me rather closely, but I made no mention of it. My safe drops were exact, I wasn't stealing from the register, and I was quick and efficient in my cleaning. Even though my transactions were still a little slow, it did not result in any lost customers. I was happy that I learned so quickly, especially since Amber trusted me with more hours which in turn equaled a larger paycheck. As much as I hated to admit it, living paycheck to paycheck was stressful, especially since I was setting a little bit aside for Felicia on each one.
Opening a bank account at the small centralized bank hadn't been very difficult. It had been much like filling out an application with a few more additions. Of course, there had been the stares and whispers, but like always, one good glare effectively silenced them. I was beginning to understand why Snape said so little. Truthfully, he never really had to since the glare had worked. That is, except when Harry was being incredibly thick, although neither Harry nor Snape would ever admit it. I was inwardly thankful that I had a lot of practice being on the receiving end of the "glare", since I seemed to have copied it rather well. I smiled a bit at that.
We had a routine; Sadie and I did. Usually, I would work the main register since it made it easier for her to take her "smoke breaks" while she cleaned outside, gossiped a little with the old birds, and did most everything. She claimed it was better training for me, since she was only a microphone call away, but I highly doubted that was the reason. As much as I got along with her, she was a terrible flirt, an experienced liar, and a bit flighty. I didn't mind one bit that she was different than I, but after a while, the lines got a bit long and I was testy. Her assistance was always needed when she was "occupied," so I dealt on my own. Always the independent little Gryffindor, I told myself from time to time.
I was stocking cigarettes when I heard the door open. I welcomed the customer, but I got no response, which wasn't terribly unusual. Opening another carton of Marlboro Mediums, I kept working, humming a lullaby tune I learned from Lavender Brown years ago. It was a lovely little tune, easy to remember, and it reminded me of Hogwarts every time I sang it. The little reminder of happier times always brought a sad smile to my face, and my hands slowed down a bit in their actions. I blinked a few times to clear the unexpected tears that thought brought to my face, the melody faltering for just a moment in my mind.
"Are you feeling well, Miss Johnson?" a deep voice with a faint British accent sounded out.
Turning quickly, my head spun a bit and my hands flung outward for balance. Sullivan's brow creased, as if in worry, but his eyes were hidden behind the large sunglasses and therefore, unreadable. His steaming coffee sat on the counter near my register, uncapped as of yet, the intoxicating smell of freshly brewed coffee drawing me closer.
"I am quite fine," I said, a bit perturbed.
"I was merely asking…" he said, his tone softer than usual. "The melody, it seems…familiar."
Blushing, I stammered, "I wasn't aware I was humming that loudly. It is a little child's lullaby…I learned it from a friend a few years ago."
"It is very…beautiful," he said, bending his head down as a light flush came into his cheeks, standing out against his pale skin in a bright tinge of pink.
I was confused at his gestures, but I made no comment, ringing him out in the uncomfortable silence that followed. After the cup stayed at my register for a moment afterwards, I grabbed the lid, snapping it closed over the cup and closing the coffee's warmth and smell inside, resting my hands on the lid for a moment. Unexpected, his hands shot up, covering mine completely and startling me. I felt the small calluses on the tips of his fingers as they ran down my hands in a slight caress. Gazing up at him suddenly, I felt a slight jolt run through me and mixed emotions fill me.
"Nell, your hands are still cold," he mentioned with a small smile, but a harsh tone. "I told you to keep them warm…it prevents the joints from swelling too soon. Arthritic hands are not the most beautiful in the world." At that, he abruptly dropped my hands onto the counter, lifted his coffee and walked outside, saying, "Will you punch my card?" as he turned.
I did so, but not before looking at my hands and realizing truly how cold they actually were before rubbing them together a few times to keep the chill away. I wondered why Sullivan even cared or why I felt something every time he touched me. Putting my hands to my aching temples, I shivered at the cold touch. He was absolutely right, but all this thinking gave me a headache. I shook my head to clean out the thoughts and ring up the next person. It was going to be a long day.
It was then that I noticed I'd punched his next-to-last coffee space. The one left was free and I bit my lip in concentration. I only had one more chance.
Another week passed by, the stress getting easier, allowing Sadie and I to start relaxing a little more around each other. Truly, Sadie was my only friend in this god-forsaken town. At times, I felt like a transplant of some unwanted disease that infested the entire town, the whispers and such followed me all the way home and beyond. Even though my Gryffindor bravery had allowed me to ignore most of them, some cut deep beyond the skin. I felt unwanted and alone, one of the few things I never seemed to be able to get away from after the war. Even as a Muggle, something I used to be, I couldn't find a proper home. A light push startled me out of my thoughts.
"Nell, I've been calling you for at least a minute! What the hell are you doing?"
Looking down into my hands, I saw two sleeves of Polar Pop cups. Lifting them up to her face, I gave a small, fake smile to her. Throwing up her hands, she left me to my work, flashing a huge grin at me to which I responded with a raised eyebrow. That made her laugh and I smiled back. I was beginning to trust her just a little. I stocked the soda station and as I was going to stock the coffee station, I thought about Sullivan.
He was an enigma to me still. It had been at least three weeks since I'd initially met him, but I still knew nothing about him except what Sadie had told me. Considering Sadie knew very little about him, this alone meant I knew very little as well. I had found out for myself that he had a wonderful, heartfelt laugh, but his face was always tinged with a hint of fatigue, as if he never slept well. It must just be this town, I smiled, that made the people not sleep well at night.
I'd noticed over time that there was a sense of unease that nearly every person brought in to "BISTO" when they came in. Eyes were always watching the others, intent on constant vigilance, as if a turned back could cost much more than a life. Even Sadie, as young and innocent as she was, watched everyone with a wary eye. It was a silent war going on not through physical means, but by emotional ones. There was a constant need of acceptance in this small town life. Friends watched their friends closer than their enemies. Overall, it was unnerving, making me realize Sullivan was more to me than just a customer. He was the bit of normalcy in this town, the loner that searched for the other loner not through physical means, but a meeting of minds and familiarity.
"I think he likes you," Sadie said from the counter.
"Who likes me?"
"Sullivan."
I was startled at her revelation, considering I felt it to be completely wrong.
"Sadie, he's a customer!"
"That doesn't make any difference. He's a man."
"Oh, bloody hell, I know he's a man! I just don't think he particularly cares too much for me." I blushed, remembering the jolt that our touching hands had produced a week earlier.
Sadie's hazel eyes glittered beneath the dark blue shadow, noticing my deep blush. "That's where I think you're wrong. He likes you," she stated, crossing her arms and staring at me with a knowing glance.
I realized at that point she wanted me to admit it. This was a game to her, a juicy piece of gossip that she would not be able to keep a secret. I thought about the rumors such an infatuation could start and I shivered involuntarily. I would rather keep my personal secrets to myself, but as I looked at her, I saw a glimpse of what Sadie was behind the hard façade she showed to customers. She was a young, innocent girl who wanted any answer, insignificant or not. Instead of answering her, however, I asked a question.
"Why do you think he likes me? I am nothing special."
She pondered over this a minute before responding, "He talks to you. You are the only one around here who he talks to each and every time he comes in. With Lynn, he gets his coffee, pays and walks out, smiling at her before he leaves. It's the same with me, although he talks to me sometimes, never like he talks to you, though." With a grin, she continued. "He also has never touched anyone besides you." At my shocked gaze, she stopped for a moment. "I think you might be something special to him."
I thought about that briefly, playing the images in my mind of the interactions Sullivan and I had over the past few weeks. There was something familiar to me in his gait, his speech, and his actions. As I stood there for a longer time, my thoughts finally meshed and my eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be. It was too much like fate, both of us meeting here in the small town of Deer Creek in the States. The word impossible shouted itself through my brain before all the color drained from my face. He'd been flirting with me this entire time and I had never figured it out! I let out a sharp gasp of surprise when I thought about it.
My gaze turned sharply to the left when I heard the bells on the door signal and met a pair of dark sunglasses.
"Nell, are you feeling well?" Sadie said urgently from the counter.
"Why, hello, Professor Snape," I whispered before I promptly passed out cold on the tile floor beneath me.