Chocolate Apple Waffle

“Eric, can you also draw me something cute on the waffle?”

“Something cute? Lots of things are cute, you’re gonna have to...” But Sonny wasn’t listening. Hey, at least he was thinking about it.

“What would she like...?” I heard him mutter, as he stared at the green cafe walls. So it’s for that girl he mentioned a while back?

“Alight, I’ll keep it simple and draw her a cute penguin or something. How does that sound?”

“Hey, isn’t that just what you like?” Sonny said. He sighed soon after though, admitting his own defeat, “Yeah, a penguin’s alright. I really don’t know what she likes...not yet...”

“Alight, I’ll be right back.” With that, I turned back to the cafe counter and drew my best rendition of a penguin on his waffle with chocolate syrup. When it was over, I placed it into a clear plastic to-go case, and put it into a paper bag.

“Here you go. Don’t you have finals this week? Shouldn’t you be studying?”

“Hehe, thanks Eric! And hey, I’m going to the study session right now! Anyway, I’ll catch you later!” Sonny beamed, taking the paper bag. He skipped right through the cafe’s glass door, his smile brightening the room for a brief moment. With him gone now, only the partly cloudy sky sporadically poured sunlight into this quiet, simple cafe. The faint classical music I was listening to became audible again, and I took a seat behind the register. 

But it’s Sunday afternoon, and right on time, she’s here.

With someone else. That’s new.

“Welcome to Breezy Street,” I waved, getting up from my seat. The cafe was so small, there wasn’t a need to project my voice, but the faint classical was tuned out again.

“Hey Eric,” Katie waved.

“Matcha cream latte?”

“Yeah. You’re always so sweet Eric, remembering my regular orders,” she said, giving a small smile. A smaller smile than usual, though.

“We have like, four regulars, Katie. But you’re also my favorite one,” I said, putting in her order and adding in a discount.

“Breezy Street is like... my happy place.” She glanced over at her friend, before turning to hand me her credit card. “Can you also add a chocolate apple waffle?”

“Oh right,” she added, gesturing to the guy next to her. “This is my boyfriend, Steven. Steven, this is Eric. He goes to my university too. I go here so often, we’re basically friends now. You were supposed to meet him yesterday.”

“Ah, sorry about that. I had plans already. Anyway, nice to meet you Steven. Katie’s mentioned you a few times.”

Steven nodded at me. “Can I just get a cup of water?”

“Ice or no ice?”

He blinked. “No ice... I don’t think we’ll be here long.”

I did so, and watched briefly as he followed Katie to one of the only two tables in our cafe. As soon as they sat down, they both collectively sighed; the bright green-white walls of the cafe dulled instantaneously. 

Matcha cream latte and waffle, coming right up.

Neither Katie nor Steven said anything, and they weren’t making eye contact. They just sat there.

“So how do you like SoCal so far? Different from the NorCal vibe, isn’t it?” Katie broke the silence, startling him. “Yeah, yeah. It’s nice. Sunny. Warm, even though it’s December,” he responded simply.

“Hey, NorCal was sunny too. We had a lot of sunny days in high school, didn’t we?” She was staring out the window, at the partly cloudy sky. There was no sunlight at this moment in time. 

“Yeah, we did,” he said. A silence fell over them, and the only sounds were of me making their order. This is kind of awkward for me, isn’t it...

Steven sighed, and finally looked at his girlfriend. “Katie.”

Her gaze shifted from the outside to Steven, and I finally saw her expression. Fearful.

“You and I... are different now. I know you know that too.”

Katie’s eyes widened, and she held her breath. In the stillness of the cafe, even I could tell she was trembling.

“I think we should break up.”

I stopped mixing the matcha, and dumped it down the sink. I got out the brown sugar and rose syrups and started another drink. 

Steven kept talking, while Katie had a resigned, melancholic look on her face, and her trembling hadn’t stopped.

“Steven, I—” Katie interjected, cutting him off in the middle of a monologue about his reasoning. “These past few days...I thought you were coming down to reconnect, because we haven’t been close lately.”

Steven didn’t say anything, so Katie took that as a sign to continue.

“You met my friends, we went to the local holiday festival together, and I took you here, my favorite cafe. But this was your plan...all along? This whole trip?”

“...Yeah.”

Katie let out a deep sigh, and closed her eyes. “Can you just...leave, then? You can drive back to campus and ask Kenna to let you into our room so you can get your stuff. Today’s your last day, anyway.” 

He didn’t move. “What about your ride—” 

“I’ll find a way back. So please leave, Steven. Don’t ruin Breezy Street for me. It’s my favorite place in SoCal.” Katie persisted. 

“...Okay. I’ll talk to you later,” Steven said quietly, standing up from his chair, and walking out, his face darkening the cafe as he left. The sound of stifled tears started, mixing into the faint classical cafe music. 

I had just finished her order, and set her tray on the counter when she finally said something to me.

“Hey Eric— sorry you had to be here for that...” 

“No, it’s...okay,” I walked over to her table and retrieved Steven’s empty water cup to throw away. For him at least, he was not here for long indeed.

“I’m sorry you had to make that matcha drink. Can I get—”

“A tiger rose latte?”

She smiled despite the tears trickling down her face, and nodded. “You always know.”

“Don’t apologize. I made it already. Here’s your order, Katie.” I placed the tray at her table, and sat across from her, taking Steven’s place. Katie kept her head down. 

 “You drew me a cute penguin,” she said, glancing at the waffle. 

“Speaking of penguins, you just missed Sonny. He left not long before you came in.” 

Katie didn’t say anything.

“Say Katie, I’m not done with my shift until—”

“I know when you’re done. I’m a regular, remember? I’ll wait.”

“Alight then. I need to get gas on the way back, is that okay?”

Katie nodded, still her head down. “Thanks for the help Eric. You make Breezy Street the most wonderful place.”

“Hah, I’m telling Carrie you said that when she gets on shift,” I laughed, giving her a comforting smile. “Here’s your fork. Let’s eat this waffle together.”

She took a deep breath and finally looked up at me. Through her pouring tears, she forced a smile, took the plastic fork I offered, and nodded. I cut out a piece of the chocolate apple waffle and took a bite, and she did the same.

Katie took one last look outside, at the partly cloudy sky that was beginning to spill sunlight again, and started crying. Like, really crying, this time without holding back. 

But we ate the waffle together, because it was the best thing I could do for her right now.