To the Coffee House

Five years ago, Grandma Audrey discovered the world of social media and posted her birthday picture on Instagram. It was a Victorian-styled Lilac gown, a gift from her husband to recreate the beautiful memories of their youth. The picture went viral, and instantly, people were obsessed with her chic and timeless style. Grandma Audrey, now affectionately known as Badassdinkle, became a red-carpet sensation in no time, gracing the covers of numerous magazines, and serving as a brand ambassador for several clothing brands, turning the hobby into a profession.

"Clary, you came!" Grandam Audrey chirped in excitement, grabbed her mobile from the maid, and rushed towards her granddaughter, her hair tendrils on each side of her face dancing in harmony. "Right time you came. Theida has taken my pictures in this beautiful Kafka suit. Pick the best among them, and edit them with a nice background." She can't wait to read the comments from the jealous old ladies, puffing about how bad her outfit is but secretly searching the clothing stores to find it for themselves.

Clary inspected her grandma's outfit and then looked at her own. She was dressed in a jumpsuit which nowhere gave the appearance of a little girl. "Grannypie. First, tell me, how do I look?"

"Eh?" Grandma Audrey was momentarily puzzled for a second before she unlocked her phone and started looking through the photos while speaking. "Thank my genes, your beauty can give even Goddess Aphrodite a run for her money."

Clary nodded with a thoughtful look, satisfied with her reply, and turned to the woman standing a step behind her Grandmother. "Aunt Theida? What do you think of me?"

"Modern-day Cinderella, Clary baby." She chirped.

She has only one praise to describe me all the time, Clary thought.

"Then why did he call me, little girl?" Clary mumbled. Little Giraffe must be lacking in vocabulary and couldn't come up with better adjectives, she concluded.

"What did you say?" Grandma Audrey tilted her head in confusion, struggling to hear her granddaughter's hushed voice. "Speak loudly. I'm not as young as you are with 20-year-old hearing." She shouted at her.

"Nothing, Grannypie. It's not a big deal." Clary sighed, shrugging the matter off. "And regarding your photo and video editing, let's discuss my payment beforehand so that you will not create drama at the last minute like you did last time. One picture charge will be 30 euros from now, and video editing will be hourly based, which is 200 euros per hour. I need half of my pay before I start work. No bargains."

"30 euros is too expensive for a picture. You are exploiting me." Grandma Audrey's lips were down with disappointment. To retouch the picture, her granddaughter charges so much. Keeping the charges in mind, which Clary increases each time, grandma Audrey attempted to learn editing, but even turning on the laptop was a big hurdle for her.

"From milk to essential oils, prices have increased, Grannypie. I am giving you a fair deal since you are my sweet Grandmother." Clary sugar-coated her words, making her Grandmother believe in her. "Outsiders will charge more than 300 euros. You should be glad I am doing it for half the price with better quality. You can enquire the other editors if you don't trust me." Clary tested the waters.

"A_ alright! I will stick with you." Grandma Audrey reluctantly agreed. "I will transfer the half now."

"That's my granny pie." Clary giggled in excitement. "I will make sure those old ladies get jealous of your Kafka suit."

Grandma Audrey sheepishly smiled, nodding in agreement. "I love that."

Clary returned to her room, arranged the plants on her balcony, and went to have a refreshing shower. She later had a nourishing lunch before settling into bed to focus on completing her assignment. Due to her suspension on the first day of college, Clary had no knowledge about the professors teaching this semester's subjects. Upon returning to college and interacting with her classmates, she learned bald baby had taken up a subject called Kinetic and Reactor designs. "It would be weird to hear his lectures after all the enmity we have developed in three years," Clary bitterly talked with herself.

An hour later, she completed the assignment and placed it carefully in her bag to ensure she wouldn't forget it in the morning amidst her rush to get ready. The least she wanted was to get thrown out by Bald baby out of class for not doing the assignment.

Clary checked the time. It was still 4 ' O clock. "Dad must still be in the lab." She texted him, asking if he was busy, and she received a 'no' reply within a minute. She smiled, thinking about how her dad always makes her the top priority out of everything.

Clary decided to go to the lab to discuss Chemotherapy for drug dosing she recently started working on. She told her dad about the lack of progress in Chemotherapy compared to cancer drugs. Eugene was immensely happy with Clary's idea, and he has been helping her with the research paper that has the potential to give her a breakthrough.

Clary changed her dress into a simple yet elegant white sleeveless dress that ended just above her knees. She added a touch of colour by draping a multi-coloured scarf which she artfully styled as a vest over her shoulder, and cinching it at her waist. She left her long hair flowing freely and stepped out of her room. Upon entering the living room, Clary was surprised to see Rick in the living room, speaking with her Grandmother. "Oye, What are you doing here?"

"Hey, RiRi." Rick turned to her and smiled, waving at her.

"You got ready?" Grandmother frowned. "Are you going somewhere again?"

"To the lab, granny pie," Clary said and looked at Rick, whose face filled with disappointment upon hearing her reply. "Is everything alright?" She asked, searching his eyes.

"Not alright," Rick pouted. "Candy is out of town. Ariel went to movie with her ass boyfriend. So, I need your two hours of time for important work." He got up and dragged her out of the house before saying bye to Grandma Audrey.

"Where?"

"Please don't say no, Clary. I promise I will drop you at the lab while returning."

"At least tell me where you are taking," Clary asked, fastening her seatbelt after jumping into the passenger seat.

"To the coffee house." He winked, speeding the car. "I heard the coffee there is very good."

"I don't drink coffee." She retorted.

"You can accompany your friend, RiRi."

Half an hour later, Rick pulled the car to a cafe and led Clary inside, not disclosing the actual purpose of bringing her there. Clary, feeling confused, followed him, marvelling at the cafe's picturesque ambience and wondering why she had never encountered such a place. "This place is beautiful," Clary looked around the cafe as she sat at the table.

"Hmmm...very beautiful." He muttered, wearing a foolish smile on his face, but Clary felt his words and gaze didnot match. She followed his eyes and found Rick staring at a woman in an apron attending to a customer at the counter. "Seriously? I should have known you better." Clary kicked his legs under the table, bringing his attention back to the present.

"Ouch! Clary." Rick cried, rubbing his knee as he glared at her. "That hurts."

"Have you exhausted your options of flirting with our college girls and now looking outside as well? Is this why you brought me here?" She yelled, losing patience. She has such important work to discuss with her father, and this idiot dragged her to sight a girl?

"You figured it out?" Rick laughed in embarrassment. "I thought you would not come with me if I told the truth. By the way, how does she look_"

"Sorry for the inconvenience, gentleman. Our coffee house is tightly packed up today, tending to customers. Can we have your order, please?"

Rick and Clary snapped at the interruption. It was the same woman. Seeing Rick drooling at the woman instantly, Clary wanted to bang her head on the wall. It was not only Rick; every man entering the cafe was checking on her. She didn't want to admit it, but the woman was oozing with sexiness with her ample breasts and wide hips. The boss surely knows how to attract customers to this cafe, Clary thought.

After Rick ordered the Iced Americano, Clary studied the menu and finally found something she could taste. "I will try dragon drink?"

"You are the second customer to try dragon drink in our coffee house," The woman chuckled. "You must have a unique taste."

"I, too, have a unique taste." Rick chirped in, which made Clary roll her eyes.

Clary could hear the sarcasm in the woman's tone. She wanted to ask who was the first customer, but she dismissed the idea, not in the mood to prolong the conversation and give more time for Rick to flirt. Instead, Clary smiled, thanking her.

As the woman left to leave, Rick also followed behind her with an excuse for the bathroom.

"She is not even giving a damn about you!" Clary mumbled. As she waited for her order, Clary heard a disturbance at the entrance, drawing her gaze. She looked over with a casual tilt of her head, and her heart leapt into her throat as she saw a tall figure entering the cafe as if searching for someone. Clary swallowed nervously.

"Why is he here?" The morning's events flashed before her eyes. "Did he track my location?" Clary frantically searched for an escape route. The board 'restroom' at the corner end was suddenly brimming in colours to her eyes. She got up and impulsively headed that way, only to bump into a woman who was holding a coffee cup.

"I am so sorry!" Clary cursed at herself for being clumsy seeing the coffee spilt on the woman's wrist, burning the spot of a wing-shaped tattoo.