HI HI! Itās lady! Iām posting an original of mine today because thatās all I feel like writing due to how smooth it feels to write. Anyway enjoy!-š
Summary: Naomi goes to her usual safe haven, her neighborhood coffee shop, to find a new annoying worker there.
Part 1: The first meeting āļøš·
If you had told me five years ago that my own father would fly me out to the Netherlands to focus on my studies I wouldāve laughed in your face. Yet here I am standing in the frigid snow, outside my new found home, a simple yet cute cafĆ©, in a foreign land, google translate in hand and my tote that held my laptop in the other. Considering I didnāt know a lick of Dutch I had gotten pretty settled in here in the Netherlands. Of course it didnāt beat the hot Texas weather but I wasnāt going to complain. āThis was an opportunity!ā My father had said. Yeah an opportunity to freeze my ass off. Still I couldnāt deny he had a good reason to ship me off. With how badly I had screwed up during my first year of college he wasnāt going to risk me screwing up my second. So he sent me off to somewhere I didnāt have bad influences, where I couldnāt get in trouble and somewhere that Iām forced to get a grip and get my life together. I still think Cabo was a way better option but this works too.
I take a shaky breath, watching as it comes out in a plum of what looks a lot like smoke, I watch for a moment in childish amusement as it disappears before taking a step towards the old cafĆ©. My gloved hand grips the doorknob tightly as I turn and push against the old stubborn wooden door, a trick an old man had taught me once. āDonāt grip too tight and donāt grip too little,ā he had said. It was very broken English but I still understood it and I was extremely grateful for it. I sigh when I finally reach the inside of the building, its heat immediately wrapping around me like a warm familiar hug and the scent of tea and coffee filling my nose with itās familiar scent.
The cafƩ felt like stepping into another dimension. A sun drenched daydream was a better term actually. Small wooden tables, each covered with a delicate sandy pink cover, were scattered across the main area, their surfaces warmed by the soft glow the strung up fairy lights emitted, along with a few scattered lamps and windows that were covered with sheer creamy curtains. The walls were rustic old wooden ones that reminded me of home but what really drove it home was the old porcelain teacups on display that had all sorts of scenes painted on them. My favorite being of a cowgirl riding off into the sun on her palomino. Safe to say the place was warm and homey. A stark difference from the harsh weather outside.
As I push further into the room I take note of the tulips placed into a flowerpot at the front counter. I had almost forgotten that the Netherlands were known for their tulips. While I wait for the usual worker to come take my order I take a small sniff of the tulips. They had that weirdly subtle scent, clean yet sweet. It was a nice smell, a large difference from the permanent scent of black tea and coffee beans that would forever permeate the place.
I pull back from the tulips when I hear the sound of shoes hitting the hard wood floors, someone had approached the counter, but it wasnāt the regular 5ā3 blonde lady, no this was a much taller man with wavy black shoulder length hair- the type youād only see in fairytale books- striking green eyes and a frown that almost immediately killed my happy mood. I was starting to miss Leah. Maybe this guy spoke English though so Iād just order my coffee and go back to minding my happy business, hopefully.
I quickly clear my throat before speaking up.
āCan I have an apple cider, please?ā
Jesus when did I start sounding so unsure of myself? All this guy had to do was take my order and make my drink.
A voice, very much a teasing one comes from the guy, at which I almost drop my jaw to. No way he actually said that. I blink in silent shock for a few seconds that felt like years before finally finding my voice again and sputtering out a response.
āWhat? What do you mean no? Are you all out? Am I outright getting denied service? Do you-ā
Unfortunately I get cut off by him before I could ask another question.
āChill out Iām just joking. Jesus Christ donāt get your panties all in a twist-ā
okay now it was my turn to cut the asshole off.
āExcuse me? Donāt think you have any effect on my panties whatsoever. Also you canāt just talk to a customer like that. Youāll scare them away and that could lead to rumors which then leads to a bad reputation and that leads to no business.ā
As I go on my tangent I take notice of how the guy was just rolling his eyes. Oh heck no. I was giving him great business advice and he wasnāt listening? I feel myself get a little more frustrated the more I fuss but I quickly remind myself to take a breath and to calm down. Once I had counted to ten I reaproach the situation with a much more composed mindset.
āSo is that a yes on the apple cider?ā
āI donāt feel like making itā¦but fine whatever.ā
His voice sounded like a reluctant child who was upset that they were forced to clean their room and it only served to annoy me further.
Oh this little shit was going to get on my last nerve- deep breaths Naomi. I am a calm happy tree. Iām about to give him the calmest warning i could before a familiar voice breaks my concentration, Leah. God never before had i been so happy to hear that strong accent of hers.
āNaomi, i'm glad to see that youāve met our newest hire, Finn. I hope he's been treating you well but considering he's the old ladies evil grandkid i guess not.ā
Ding ding ding she guessed right!
Oh how I loved Leah. She was like the wake up call I needed after a long day of school, reading, and freaking out at everything. She is what I envisioned if a gentle wake up call was a person who happened to have a strong accent and a no nonsense attitude. Safe to say Iād rather have her make my apple cider rather than Finn.
āFinnā¦huh good to know.ā I murmur under my breath as if an evil plan had begun to brew in my head.
āLeah I think sheās going to curse me or something!ā I hear Finn whine to Leah before she shews him off to make my sacred drink. I canāt help but to grin as she leans against the counter in front of me.
āNew hires. They are such a pain.ā
āI couldnāt agree more.ā
I agree with a small nod of my head before pulling out my wallet and paying for my drink and a chocolate chip cookie because I deserved a damn chocolate chip cookie for dealing with this weather.
āWhat book have you brought today, Naomi?ā
Leah asks while grabbing the change Iād inevitably put into the donation jar. āItās this one where the main girl falls in love with a prince but sheās actually a bakers daughter and in order to save her fathers failing bakery she must either marry rich or give up entirely. Cliche I know but I love it.ā I begin to explain with the same old childlike excitement I got from reading those fantasy romance books. Leah of course smiles and nods in agreement before we hear a scoff from Finn.
āYou girls and your weird books.ā He remarks with yet another roll of his eyes. I wondered how many times he can roll them before they just get stuck.
āOh shut it mister sassy pants.ā I retort with a scoff and roll of my own eyes before gently taking the apple cider he had poured into a plain white porcelain tea cup. It smelled amazing as usual. āAnyway thanks for the drink.ā Leah nods before heading back towards the kitchen area. I hear Finn snort one last time as I sit down at a nearby table and open my book. Hopefully heād leave soon. I didnāt like my peaceful safe place to be disturbed.
