Chapter 40 HOW TO FIGHT
LIlian pov
The bell above the café door chimed the moment I stepped inside, and the familiar smell of roasted coffee beans wrapped around me like a badly needed hug.
For one second just one actually, I felt my shoulders relaxed.
Then reality kicked in, “Evening, sunshine.”
Mr. Rouke stood behind the counter with that ever-present smile of his, the one that made you wonder whether he was genuinely that nice or secretly judging you for every bad decision you’d ever made. His silver hair was neatly combed back, sleeves already rolled up like he’d been fighting espresso machines since dawn.
“Please don’t call me that,” I muttered, tying my apron around my waist.
He chuckled. “Didn’t sleep well?”
“I slept,” I said. “Just not peacefully and class was stress full as hell.”
“Teenage thing?”
“Existential dread thing.”i said with a shrug.
He nodded like that answered everything. “Well that's Fair.”
I glanced around the café. It wasn’t too busy yet just a few early regulars scattered around, laptops open, soft jazz playing in the background. The kind of calm that could almost trick you into believing life wasn’t constantly plotting your downfall.
Mr. Rouke leaned an elbow on the counter. “You’re early today, you're sure classes are over ?.”
“Didn’t feel like going home contemplating my choices, I decided to come here first.”
“That bad, huh?”
I shook my head and said “You have no idea.”
He eyed me for a second, then smiled again. “Where’s Jonah, The kid you come with that serves?”
I stiffened just a little.
“Oh,” I said casually, slipping behind the counter. “He’s… at home.”
He smiled and nodded, “ is everything alright with him ?”
I sighed. “yeah, Mostly. He’s alive, just painfully weak.”
Mr. Rouke laughed. “What do you mean weak?”
“Emotionally,” I clarified. “Physically. Spiritually. He struggled to stand upright after school kind of had a stomach ache.”
“Too much partying and drinki?”
“Too much of sugary shit… its his fault though.”
He shook his head fondly. “Tell him I’ll dock his pay.”
I snorted and said, “Please do. He fears you.”
I reached for the espresso machine, letting the familiar motions ground me as usual grind, tamp, lock, brew. The hiss and hum filled the space, steady and predictable. I liked that. Machines didn’t have heartbeats. They didn’t bleed.
The door chimed again.
Time for the First customer to get served.
Mrs. Halloway an old lady in her mid-forties, sharp bob, judgment in her eyes sharper than the knives in her kitchen. She ordered the same thing every single time.
“One oat milk latte,” she said, already pulling out her card.
“Extra foam?” I asked.
She narrowed her eyes. “Of course.”
“Thought so,” I replied, already making it.
She watched my every movement like she was waiting for me to mess up. People like her loved control, it was obvious.
When I slid the cup over, she inspected it, took one sip, then finally nodded. “Acceptable.”
I smiled sweetly. “thanks a lot. My day is complete.”
She didn’t laugh just paid and left, well I did laugh internally.
Next was a guy in a wrinkled suit who smelled like stress and poor financial decisions.
“Triple espresso,” he said. “No sugar.”
“You sure?” I asked. “You look like you could use a little joy.”
He sighed and said. “Just the coffee.”
I shrugged and said “Suit yourself.”
Behind him came a college girl with pink headphones and dead eyes.
“Vanilla iced latte,” she muttered.
“Name?”
She blinked like she’d forgotten those existed. “…Emma?”
“Congrats, Emma… i would get your order ready in no time.”
She looked surprised when I handed her the drink but she smiled anyways.
Small victoriesare meant to be celebrated, The line grew while I took orders back to back
Cappuccinos…. Americanos….Cold brews with absurd instructions.
“Half-caf, half-decaf, almond milk, no foam.”
“So… disappointment in a cup?” I asked.
The man frownedand I smiled wider.
People thought baristas were harmless. They forgot we held caffeine humanity’s last thread of sanity in our hands.
By nine, the café buzzed with noise. Chairs scraped. Cups clinked. Conversations overlapped.
I moved fast, sharper than usual, but controlled.
Until…I heard a vioce call to me, “Hey.”
I looked up.
A man stood at the counter who looked in his late twenties, with a broad shoulders, with eyes that lingered a second too long.
“What can I get you?” I asked flatly.
He smiled slightly. “Whatever you recommend.”
I hate that question, “Do you drink coffee?”
“Yes.”
I scoffed and decided to tease, “Do you have a personality?”
His smile twitched. “Sometimes.”
“Bold claim.” I turned to the machine. “You’re getting a black coffee.”
“No sugar?”
“You seem like you need to feel something and you said I should make whatever so...”
I slid it across.
He didn’t take it immediately. Just studied me. “You’re… intense.”
I met his gaze. “You’re lingering.”
He chuckled and finally picked up the cup. “Fair enough.”
As he walked away, something prickled at the back of my neck.
Not hunger though just awareness.
I shook it off and turned back to the register.
Another customer stepped up, a middle-aged man with kind eye.
“My wife loves this place,” he said. “What do you recommend for someone who hates bitterness?”
“Tea,” I replied instantly.
He laughed while I smiled.
For a moment, just a moment, things felt normal.
But even as I poured milk and wiped counters, I felt like someone was staring holes at me but ignored it.
I then finally looked up to see the next customer and I rolled my eyes when I swear who it was.
“ Hi…” Seraphine said with a smirk, “ you seem to be happy now huh”
“ You know I could have been traumatized when I saw you, I could remember how you came here for the first time and ordered blood…”
She burst out in a low laugh, “ yeah I wanted to scare you then … you should have seen your innocent face when I said that”
“Can you move aside I've got customers to attend to”
She rolled her eyes and said, “ remember when I told you … that I have to train you?”
I nodded, “ yeah you've said that couple of times … what do you mean”
“ Am gonna teach you how to fight…since we're going on a Christmas break”
I shook my head, “ that's not happening… if you could fight then those idots could have not hurt you..”
She gave me a glare and said, “ wait till a silver bullet penetrates into your skin …”
I waved my hands yeah whatever then I passed her a cappuccino so she could leave the counter ‘cause she was being scary now, “ here's some cappuccino we can talk after my shift”
She nodded and took it then sat down while I smiled at the new customer, “ What can I get for you ?.”
.