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All you need is a cup of coffee
Twinkle wondered why people were under the assumption that baristas got free coffee. She was a barista (or a coffee girl, as they sometimes referred to themselves as), and she had to pay for her own coffee. Although she did get a 10% employee discount...
Nonetheless, Twinkle was tired. But she refused to use her employee discount on coffee here. The Java Hut had expensive coffee, employee discount or no employee discount. So she settled for stifling her yawns instead. Late mornings at the Java Hut were usually inactive, and today was no different.
Twinkle was bored. And the music that her boss had selected for the day was really getting to her. She wasn't one for rock music. She gritted her teeth, digging under the counter for her iPod. She had figured out early on how to connect her iPod to the stereo, and she had decided to do just that. Boss or not, the in charge was happily inside the manager's room, oblivious to the music that was blaring behind her.
As she rummaged around in her bag, she heard someone come up to the counter.
"Hello?" a deep, masculine voice asked.
Twinkle began to straighten, forgetting that she was under the counter, which had the added effect of her bumping her head against the underside of the counter.
She cursed. (Unbeknownst to her, the man at the counter raised his eyebrows, hearing cursing coming from below the counter.) She emerged cautiously from under the counter, rubbing her head, surprised to find a rather attractive man peering at her curiously.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed in worry.
Twinkle simply stared at him, her pain forgotten, and one hand still on her head. In front of her stood what she thought was the most dashing man her eyes had ever seen. He was dressed rather casually in a blue button-down shirt and black pants, but there was something in the way his sleeves were partially rolled up that got to her. It was either that or the intensity of his concerned gaze. Or the chocolate colour of his eyes. Or the way some of his hair was gelled to perfection. Face it, Twinkle thought, you are absolutely smitten with him.
"Hello?" he waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you okay?"
Twinkle blinked. She realized her mouth was slightly agape, and closed it before she started drooling. She lowered her hand, suddenly feeling rather stupid. She knew she was starting to blush. "Um...I'm...um...I'm fine, thank you," she finally managed to stammer.
He smiled. (Twinkle felt herself melt just a little bit more.) "That's good. You sounded like you hit your head pretty bad."
Twinkle blushed harder. She gave a little laugh. "Happens all the time," she said lamely, waving it off.
"Oh, my god, did I just say that?" she thought to herself. Twinkle you are officially a dork. How could you just say that to him?
The man stared at her curiously. She was rather interesting, he thought. "You should be more careful then."
'You should be more careful then?' Geez, you really couldn't have come up with anything lamer, he chided himself. Kunj you are an idiot for saying that, he thought to himself.
She gave another little laugh, and the two of them lapsed into momentary silence. "So!" Twinkle finally said. "What can I get you?"
That reminded him of the reason he had come there in the first place. "Right! I'll have a double-shot espresso, please."
Twinkle smiled at him, feeling more comfortable now that she was going to make the coffee.
Of course, as she made the coffee, she realized that she probably wouldn't see him again once she had given him the coffee. She sighed. Well, that was one of the advantages of working in a coffee place, she supposed.
As she exchanged the coffee for his money, their hands brushed against each other. Twinkle looked up at him, wondering if she had imagined the electricity in his touch. The look he returned her made her sure she hadn't imagined it. He quickly moved his hand back, smiling sheepishly. He thanked her for the coffee and left.
Twinkle stared after him. She sighed despairingly. Why do I always crush on the guys I will never see again? She wondered.
As Kunj entered the Java Hut the next day, he knew he wasn't really there for another espresso. He didn't need the coffee. He was awake enough as it was, and he had been for the entire night, lying awake thinking about the barista who had bumped her head.
He was disappointed, however, to see a man there instead of her, his back to the door. He hesitated at the door, wondering if he should still get a coffee, or if he should leave.
As he stood there wondering, the man at the counter turned to face the door, a triumphant smile on his face as a band Kunj had heard but couldn't place began blasting through the stereo. He smiled at Kunj in anticipation, making his decision for him.
Kunj slowly made his way to the counter, forcing a smile. "Hi, one double-shot espresso, please."
He let his eyes wander as the man made his coffee, wondering where the girl could be. And as he wondered, a back door opened, and in she came, carrying a large packet of coffee powder that she promptly dropped on seeing him. It landed on her foot, causing her face to instantly turn bright red. She bit her lip, forcing herself not to curse, and quickly picked up the packet.
"Twinkle, I keep telling you to be more careful!" the man at the counter chided her, frowning. He took the packet from her, setting it down next to the cappuccino machine.
So her name is Twinkle, Kunj noticed.
"How many packets of coffee do we have left?" Counter-Guy asked Twinkle.
She continued to stare at Kunj, prompting Counter-Guy to repeat his question. She blinked, tearing her gaze away from Kunj to Counter-Guy.
"What?" she asked dazedly.
Counter-Guy rolled his eyes. "Forget it, I'll go do the inventory myself. Look after the espresso." With that, he withdrew, leaving by the same door Twinkle had entered from, leaving Kunj and Twinkle alone at the counter.
Twinkle immediately turned away from him, busying herself with the espresso.
"Hi, I'm Kunj," he offered.
She glanced at him, and Kunj thought he saw a smile. "Twinkle."
Kunj smiled at her back. "That's a really pretty name."
She turned back to him, coffee in hand, not meeting his eyes. "Thanks. I don't really like it too much sometimes," she said softly.
She handed him the coffee, and as he handed her the money, their hands brushed again. And just like yesterday he felt the sparks as their hands met.
She withdrew her hand rather quickly this time, taking an unusually long time sorting out the money. Kunj wasn't getting back any change (he preferred giving the exact value as much as he could), but he lingered there.
"Would you like to go out with me?" he finally blurted out.
Twinkle looked up sharply, dropping a couple of coins on the floor. She quickly picked those up, and looked up at him.
"What?" she finally asked.
Kunj smiled sheepishly, partially horrified at himself. "Um. Would you like to go out with me? For dinner?" he asked slowly, hesitating even as he spoke the words.
Twinkle stared at him, wondering if she was hearing right. Then she involuntarily began to giggle. She quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. Once she was convinced she wouldn't giggle anymore, she lowered her hand. "Okay."
It took Kunj a moment to comprehend that she had agreed. "Seriously?!"
Twinkle laughed. "Seriously. I get off work at 5."
Kunj grinned. "I'll pick you up at five then!"
Twinkle smiled. "I'll be waiting."
Twinkle watched Kunj leave, a giddy smile on her face. He asked me out, she thought happily.
Anupamaa
