Eggs, Sausages, and COFFEE

Clink clatter

That's the sound of my knife and my fork hurriedly scratching Kewl Beans Coffee's plates. Hunger raced through my whole body as I devoured the tray of hash browns, eggs, and sausages as soon as the server dropped it off at my table. I washed it down with another cup of hazelnut blend.

"ahhhh"

That was some good shit. Nothing beats coffee-egg-sausage breath every morning. Well … it's better than the garlic or onion-breath other people get. Or just plain "toast-breath", now THOSE people are boring.

I slumped back in my soft cushioned chair and the table gave a slight wobble. This was good. This was it. This was home. I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the moment. The smell of coffee beans in the air, my belly satisfyingly full, the gentle ramble of people talking in the background, my mental checklist for the day was nearly complete. Just the way I like it. Just the way my life is.

I heard a slight ruffle of cloth in front of me. I opened one eye slowly. I always sat at this spot, two comfy armchairs across a wobble circular table and I always stayed here alone. Then for the first time, I wasn't just looking at an empty chair that I almost forgot was there. I saw a navy blue shirt and a darker blue hoodie and those blazing tufts of smooth red hair.

Bang

A heartbeat

Stronger than before

"Hey there!"

He had this grin that just screamed "cute".

"I saw you were all alone, so I thought I should pop by and keep you company."

I did my best to keep calm.

"Oh … hello there professor."

"Oh psshh. I'm not a professor." His wide grin boiled down to a light smile. It brought out a dimple from the side of his lip.

"But … you took over my Rhetoric class?"

"HAH! About that. I'm just a philosophy major at the university."

"Which university?"

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Which one would ya reckon, smart boy?"

I flushed a deep red and then the greasy plate that sat in front of me seemed oddly entertaining.

"I'm part of Prof. Matthew's homeroom class. When he felt a bit under the weather he thought any philosophy major knows rhetoric well enough to teach it to Science students."

He popped that blinding grin again.

"I can't help but mention how good it'll look on my records."

"So that means I don't have to be super formal then."

I met his eyes and they just had a vibrancy to them. A sparkle of confidence.

"That's right smart boy."

He cocked his head to the side and his eyes caught my backpack that leaned on the side of my chair.

"So. You writing anything new?"

I thin smile spread on my lip almost involuntarily. I have a quick nod and I darted for my laptop.

________

"I didn't know you were into literature."

I showed him an entry I wrote for the University's Publication. It was a poem and a short story that spoke of the beauty of mortality through the journey of a man across the stars.

He was standing beside my chair now. The same way he did yesterday, just hovering there fully intent on the screen.

"Yeah, it's been one of the things I liked since I was young. I find reading more enjoyable however."

His eyes moved from the screen to look at me. I lifted my eyes and met his but I quickly lowered them while I fought off another flush. I felt a light pat on my shoulder and soon after I saw him take the seat in front of me again. His hands were like an interlocked net that held his chin, and his bright smile the valuable catch that they contained.

"I thought you were the back-and-white sciency dude."

A small chuckle left my lips, but in its passing it left a trail of warmth inside me. I shook my head.

"Apparently not."

Then his phone rang. His eyebrows knit together while he swiped it open and turned off the alarm. He flashed his smile for the last time before he got up from the chair and stuffed his hands into his hoodie.

"I guess I'll see you in class."

He gave me a wink and left. The Café's bell ringing as the door closed.