Every Tuesday since Jada had woken up from her Tartaros-induced coma, the young woman had gone to a small bakery that wasn't far from her home in the morning. It was a strange presence in such an upscale neighborhood, small and homey. They did, however, make the best strawberry cheesecake that she had ever had the fortune (or misfortune, for her hips) of coming across in the entire city. Cheesecake for breakfast might be unusual, but she certainly liked it. Her weekly presence, however, might also have had something to do with the handsome college student behind the counter. That had been labeled by the young woman as a perk, not a priority.
"Miss Chamberlyn." His voice was deep, a heady bass that sent chills running down her spine. "Are you here for a slice of that cheesecake again?" the young man smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes. It never did. He had what she had dubbed a 'professional' smile, one that he used to make sure that everyone kept their distance. It still pleased her that he'd learned her name, as though the fact she always paid with her card had nothing to do with it at all.
She beamed at him, pulling out her credit card again. "You got me." Jada agreed easily. "And a bottle of water, if you would, please." She watched him pull the cake from the display case and neatly collect it, sliding it onto a chilled plate. The nametagless male rang up her order and she signed the receipt, providing him his normal tip. What could she say? She liked his face. "Thank you." She told him, accepting the plate and fork, lifting up the bottle in her other hand after she tucked away her card.
He blinked at her, almost startled for a moment. When the left corner of his mouth tilted upwards, she felt almost triumphant. This was not his 'customer' smile. This was a 'person' smile. She thought. Honestly, she'd never seen a smile this unguarded from him before. "You're welcome." he said finally. "I hope you like it."
"I always do." Jada said the words cheerfully, if ruefully; it was her 'regular'- though her beverages varied- and she moved over to her customary seat in the corner of the small cafe. Her back went to the wall and her face towards the window so she could watch people go by. Her book (one for her Humanities class this semester) was propped up so that she could read, leaning haphazardly against a container of sugar.
When she finished her cheesecake, one small bite devoured at a time, she closed her book and neatly wiped her mouth. The waiter was already moving across the room to collect the plate. "Was it good?" he asked her, his voice stopping her as she was about to leave. How unusual.
"Yes." she told him, and smiled.
"See you next week." he said, and carried her dishes off with him.
"Miss Chamberlyn." His voice was deep, a heady bass that sent chills running down her spine. "Are you here for a slice of that cheesecake again?" the young man smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes. It never did. He had what she had dubbed a 'professional' smile, one that he used to make sure that everyone kept their distance. It still pleased her that he'd learned her name, as though the fact she always paid with her card had nothing to do with it at all.
She beamed at him, pulling out her credit card again. "You got me." Jada agreed easily. "And a bottle of water, if you would, please." She watched him pull the cake from the display case and neatly collect it, sliding it onto a chilled plate. The nametagless male rang up her order and she signed the receipt, providing him his normal tip. What could she say? She liked his face. "Thank you." She told him, accepting the plate and fork, lifting up the bottle in her other hand after she tucked away her card.
He blinked at her, almost startled for a moment. When the left corner of his mouth tilted upwards, she felt almost triumphant. This was not his 'customer' smile. This was a 'person' smile. She thought. Honestly, she'd never seen a smile this unguarded from him before. "You're welcome." he said finally. "I hope you like it."
"I always do." Jada said the words cheerfully, if ruefully; it was her 'regular'- though her beverages varied- and she moved over to her customary seat in the corner of the small cafe. Her back went to the wall and her face towards the window so she could watch people go by. Her book (one for her Humanities class this semester) was propped up so that she could read, leaning haphazardly against a container of sugar.
When she finished her cheesecake, one small bite devoured at a time, she closed her book and neatly wiped her mouth. The waiter was already moving across the room to collect the plate. "Was it good?" he asked her, his voice stopping her as she was about to leave. How unusual.
"Yes." she told him, and smiled.
"See you next week." he said, and carried her dishes off with him.
