Autumn Dreams

Someone was sitting in her chair. Sigh. She looked around trying not to get overwhelmed at now having to pick a different place to sit. She always sat there. It was this beaten up and torn vintage brown leather chair in the corner of the café with a window facing her favorite tree and near the bookshelf. Also it was perfect for people watching and she didn’t have to worry about anyone really disturbing her. Normally she came in the early mornings and would work on her writing or sketching and then read for a little bit while enjoying a couple cups of coffee. She wished they would put a reserve plaque for her reflecting: Ellie’s Corner. That shouldn’t be too much trouble since she came here so often! Right!? Right, Ellie. First world problems right here. Not getting to sit in your favorite corner of the world, because this person just had to sit here. How did they even get in here this early? 

“Hey do you want to sit here?”

She didn’t know what to do. She froze. Was she really just standing there staring at this girl angrily because she wanted her seat? What happened to sharing is caring? Now what was she supposed to do? If she said yes, would she be considered rude and snobbish. If she said no, would she just look like an idiot? Crap, Crap, Crap!!!

“It’s ok. I’m about to start my shift anyway. I know you normally sit here, I just wanted to see what was so great about this corner? I think I understand now.”

“Umm thank you.” She mumbled shyly gripping her notebooks tightly to her chest. She sat in the chair and set her books on the wooden round table underneath the window and groaned inwardly. That was embarrassing. Should she just leave now. Would she have to find herself a whole different Coffee Shop to go to from now on. She just wanted to curl into a ball and die. 

“Hey, sorry if I seemed so forward and startled you earlier. I know you normally enjoy drinking our Pumpkin Spice Latte but I thought you might enjoy trying this new drink I came up with called: The Pumpkin Surprise! I hope you like it!” She started walking away before she could say anything in response. Great now she had to try a new drink! Today was just not her day! She Always got the same drink! It was so scary trying something new! No, she was going to do it! The girl, the barista with the pretty green eyes, wow she didn’t even know her name. How self centered was she? No, She wasn’t self centered she just struggled with her mental health and that was ok. Just a year ago she wouldn’t even have let herself be out in public. So this was good! She just had to try not to be so hard on herself. Maybe she would even try to ask what the green eyed girls name was today before she walked home. Sniffing her pumpkin surprise she felt like she was being hugged and as she curled up into the giant comfy chair she looked outside at the oak tree with it’s changing autumn leaves falling to the ground. She smiled.

“Hi can I have a peppermint white chocolate mocha with skim milk and no whipped cream? Oh and I would also like an egg croissant sandwich please?”

“Sure, that will be $8.95. Cash or Card. What name would you like for the order? Thank you and have a nice day!” Turning from the customer Maddie sighed, blowing her bangs off her forehead. Today was busier than normal for a Tuesday morning. As she finished gathering her customers orders and finally the store came to a lull she had a moment to breathe. She supposed that was ok, that it was pretty busy. More money for the store and  it just meant she would be less distracted by. Shaking her head with a small smile she glanced over at Ellie in the corner looking out the window. She was so shy it was adorable. She had been coming in here for about a year now and the only reason she even knew her name was because she asked what name she wanted for her order. Ellie always came in at the same time, ordered the same drink, sat in the same seat and always did things in the same order every time she came to the café. Maddie was a patient person and thrived on chaos. She was always busy with working at the café, going to full time college, working out and volunteering at the animal shelter on Friday’s. She had a few couple close friends and would spend time with them when her schedule would permit. She always looked forward to seeing Ellie every time she came into work. Her friends had tried encouraging her or rather teasing her about when she was going to ask Ellie out. 

Maddie would always laugh it off. Her schedule was too busy for a relationship and she had a feeling Ellie had a lot going on emotionally and didn’t want to be another complication in her life. She always seemed to have this aura around her that was bittersweet. Like she was bearing the weight of the world on her shoulder and just needed someone to share the load with. Over the course of the year of serving her drinks and observing her. Ellie seemed to be improving. She was starting to look around the café more, sketch more and seemed to be blossoming into herself more and more. Ellie didn’t know it, but she secretly always made sure that that corner of the café was reserved for her and was her spot. She just didn’t want Ellie to feel self conscious. She hoped that her sitting in her spot and bringing her a new drink wasn’t too much for her. She was almost about to graduate college and apply for teacher positions but she still wanted to work here part time mainly so she could see Ellie. Pulling her shoulder length shiny wavy black hair into a messy ponytail she looked up to see Ellie staring at her from her chair. Cracking a smile at her and tilting her head. Ellie blushed and turned away. 

Yawning Ellie smiled with satisfaction. She got a lot of writing done today. She was going to try and submit some of her stories to a women’s magazine later this week and was trying not to be excited and nervous and trying her best not to talk herself out of it. She gathered her things and was about to head out the door when she took a deep breath and turned around walking back to the front counter. 

“Hi, I… uhh…” She stammered. This was a mistake. What was she thinking. She couldn’t..

“Hey Ellie! How did you like your coffee?”

“It was uhh..good. Thank you. How did you know my name?” Ellie asked nervously. Her brain thinks stalker, stalker, stalker...

Maddie pointed at her coffee mug with the sticker saying Ellie on it, smiling.

“Oh, right sorry about that.”

“It’s ok! You’ve also been coming in here for the past year and this is your favorite drink you always get right? How’s your writing been coming along?”

“Good, I..think I’m going to try and get some of it published this week!”

“Congratulations! I’m graduating college this week!”

“Oh wow! Congratulations! That’s great!”

“I’m Maddie by the way.”

“Sorry a year of coming here I should know your name by now, I’m so selfish!”

“You aren’t selfish for not knowing my name! Don’t worry about it!”

“Thanks.”

“Umm do you think you would be up for..”

“Well I have to get goi...Sorry what were you going to say?”

“Oh, nothing, don't worry about it! Have a good rest of your day Ellie!”

“MMmm ok, You too!” Ellie stammered walking out of the cafe mentally hitting herself in the head.

Maddie sighed. She finished closing up shop, locked the door and dropped her keys. Bending down to pick up her keys someone was bending down to pick up her keys with her. Ellie? 

“Hey Ellie, thanks! Didn’t you go home earlier?”

“Yeah, I just...I just..I wanted to say thank you for always being so nice to me! I tried baking some pumpkin bread since you always seem to have that when you work..And was wondering if you would want to hang out sometime after you get off work?” Handing Maddie a box with a piece of paper on it with a phone number. Maddie and Ellie stared at each other for a while.

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to..” Ellie said, embarrassed starting to shift away.

“I would love to.” Maddie said smiling. 

“Ok great, see you tomorrow then.” Ellie said. Maddie smiled to herself, shaking her head in awe. Ellie was so lovely. Looking at the autumn leaves starting to appear on the trees next to the cafe Maddie was filled with a sense of excitement and happily headed home. She couldn’t wait for this new chapter in both her and Ellie’s Journey.