July 25th.

"Welcome to Starbucks, how can I help you?" a peppy barista asks.

"I'll have a cake pop, thanks."

"Sounds good! Flavor?"

"...birthday cake."

"Is is someone's birthday?"

"Mine."

"Happy birthday!" she exclaims. She pulls the cake pop out and hands it to you, along with another chocolate one. "Birthday girls get two, right?"

You half smile, then half laugh. "Yeah, thanks."

She nods, and waves. You pay and head out the door.

"Back again! Want another cake pop?" Day two of Starbucks.

"No, I'll have an americano."

"Sounds good! Any accommodations?"

"No."

You sit at the table, in your day old clothes, reading your last text to your parents. "I'm gay." Short and simple.

Your parents leave you on read.

"You gonna be a regular now?" You look up. Same barista.

"Sure. Whatever. A frappe, please."

"Flavor?"

"Surprise me."

You walk to the table. You haven't been home since Monday- two whole days. You're staying at your friends. And at Starbucks for most of the day.

You pull up the text to your parents as the barista walks up and brings you your drink. You fumble and try to hide it, but she seems not to notice, a smile growing on her face.

"You're supposed to call my name."

"I figured I'd bring it to you."

You take it and leave.

Every day, the same routine. You've started staying with your aunt, and it's been a couple weeks since you've come out.

A text message pops up.

"Not in our lives, you aren't."

You don't know how to respond.

The barista does, though. She glances at your screen as she's bringing you your drink, like she now does every day, and glares. "Give me the phone."

"What?"

"Give me the phone." She takes it and types.

She hands it back to you, with your drink, waves, and leaves.

You walk to the car.

F*ck off, uneducated imbeciles, she wrote.

You smile.

Two months after you've come out. Living in your car now. Peppy barista comes up to you with your drink. Wearing a rainbow pin.

She hands you your frappe. "Have a great day!" she says.

She walks off, and you notice the way her dark brown cheerleader pony swings. The way her hands fidget while walking back behind the counter. The way her lips full into a toothless smile when she meets a nice customer. The way you smile fully when you see her, despite not wanting to.

Summer now. Living in an apartment with your friend. Taking a gap year in the fall. You still come to Starbucks.

Peppy barista wears the pin every day now. She serves you daily.

One day she walks up to you. "How did you become brave enough to come out?"

You respond, for some reason.

"I hated the BS my parents said."

"...I hate it too."

July 25th. You're parked by Starbucks early in the morning when you see peppy barista. Jamie. Her name is Jamie, you remember. She sees you and comes to knock on the window.

"You good?" Her hair is dyed at the tips- rainbow. You smile.

"Yeah, just waiting to order from my favorite barista."

She laughs, a pretty sound. You wonder if it's flirting, or just friendship. But she opens the door. "Come on, I'll let you in early. You and your caffeine addiction."

She opens the door to Starbucks and lets you in, pulling out a blueberry muffin for herself from the shelf. She pulls one out for you too, and you take it. "On the house. Let's eat outside."

You nod and walk out to one of the metal tables outside.

She sits across from you and bites into her muffin. "Delish."

You nod and smile and make small talk.

As you're getting up, before you can say a word, she kisses you.

September 1st. You've been dating her for a month. Best feeling in the world.

She lets you in early every morning, and lets you stay late every night. You love her. It's simple as that.

She pulls you in close, puts two straws in the drink, and takes a picture of the two of you drinking Starbucks together. The classic Instagram pic. But then she takes your phone and sends it to your parents.

#LesbianLove

She hands you your phone and smiles. "I love you," she says.

It's like the stars shine brighter in that moment.

October 31st. Halloween, and you're loving it. She's already taken you all around the neighborhood to get treats, even though you claim you're too old for it. Now, you're heading to a haunted house, and she's holding your hand tightly, scared of what might come out of the shadows.

She jumps when a clown comes around the corner, and you squeeze her hand and laugh. She laughs too, the perfect sound.

"I want you to meet my parents."

It's Christmastime, and you've been dating for nearly 5 months now. Her parents know about you, but meeting them seems extreme.

"Um...."

"Please? We can decorate my family's tree, and open presents, and you can celebrate Christmas with us!"

You can't say no to her, so on Christmas Eve, you step out of her old Toyota and onto the sidewalk in front of a medium sized suburban house, decked out with lights and reindeer on the roof.

"Jamie! You're home!" a man on a ladder shouts, attaching more lights to the roof. He climbs down and envelopes her in a bear hug. "I haven't seen you in a week!"

She laughs and hugs him too. "Hi, Dad. I missed you!"

He lets go and looks at me. "And you must be her girlfriend!" he says, hugging you too. You're surprised, but you nod and hug him back. "Nice to meet you."

He leads you inside and you greet her mom, who hugs you too. Then you eat a huge feast, and head to the living room to decorate a huge green tree. By the time you finish, it's midnight, and you head upstairs to go to sleep. With her by your side.

Christmas, and it's snowing. You creep out of bed, but she's awake and follows you out to the kitchen. "Let's go check for gifts!" she exclaims, and the childish tradition makes you love her even more. You follow her into the living room, where under the tree, ten perfectly wrapped gifts lay. Her parents are already sipping coffee and smiling. "Let's open gifts, shall we?" they ask.

Jamie opens hers first. A stack of books, from her parents, and a Starbucks keychain. A guava soap and a set of colorful markers. A blanket. And a charm bracelet from you- with a locket, a picture of the two of you. Drinking from those Starbucks cups.

And then there's one for you, that she hands you. A small box. When you open it up, you're surprised to see a frame, with a photo of you and her, backs towards the camera, holding hands in front of the Starbucks. You don't even remember this picture being taken, but you love it instantly. You kiss her, even with her parents in the room, and just then, everything feels right.

You two head to Starbucks, your daily tradition. Unlock the door and take some muffins. Sit outside and eat, and talk.

"I love you," you whisper.

And then it's February 25th again, your birthday. You're 19 now, and it's been a year since you met her.

Now, you walk into Starbucks hand in hand, a letter to her manager clutched tightly in her other fist. She smiles at you and unfolds the letter, carefully taping it to her locker.

I regret to inform you that I will no longer be working here. I apologize for the late notice, and I'm sorry for your loss. I'm following my dreams by moving across the country to go to college with my girlfriend, whom most of you have met.

I encourage you to give out cake pops on cute girl's birthdays. Little hint there.

Sincerely,

Jamie+Maya

And then you're off. Bags packed, you head to the airport, board your plane, fly with her.

Prepare to hopefully spend your life with her.

Wednesday, February 26th, 2019

James Michael Grant has sent you a new message.

I'm sorry. You're my daughter. I love you. I don't have to support you, but I love you.

Delete contact?

YES NO

You click yes.