I want to be a Reporter
WritersINK is now accepting submissions for this month's real life competition. So you like to report the cold hard facts? Then send us a report on a subject you feel needs to be brought to the public's attention. Do you feel global warming should get more attention or the fact that grandmas are terrible drivers? Let us know.
The winner will be published in our getPublished section next month and will also be getting a one on one tour of local 7 news station, and a $500 cash prize.
Deadline: 12/15/08
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Short Story - Your Story
Coffee House Living
Marcella Knight | Winchester, VA
We always sat in the same place, when we met, the small café on Williamson Avenue, Café Kona. It was known all around as having the best service on the north side of Washington D.C.
She came running up, obvious that she was terribly late. But I'm a dependable character and waited patiently, like she knew I would. The door threw open, the bell rang vigorously, and then there was a crash, a few choice words and papers flying everywhere, followed by the shattering of glass and a waitress screaming "WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING! Please."
"You know that you shouldn't wear high heels?" My voice carried over the booth that I was sitting at. She came stomping around the corner, her hands on her hips, ready for a battle.
"Shut your trap Mark! You know I had to today. It's not like I do it all the time." Even though she had crumbs of biscotti all over her, coffee spilled down her front, topped with whip cream sliding down her tousled honey hair, she still managed to look gorgeous. Her bright green eyes blazing with frustration.
"Yeah well at least we decided to meet after your interview, if you showed up looking like that I think they would assume you were too cheap to buy your own drink and had been rummaging through the garbage." The angry face I was staring at faded into a smirk as she plopped down into the on looking chair. I shoved a half eaten bagel in front of her, and she tiredly scooped it up and took a bite
"Let me get you a drink. Excuse me miss!" Waving my arm like I was a stranded prisoner on an island and was trying to attract the attraction of a passing cruise boat "Can I order a Chai Latté with a shot of Hazelnut flavor, extra milk with whip cream on top? Oh can you add a white mocha to that, mine has gotten cold."
"Of course it will be right out."
"Thanks." Scanning Heather's face I could tell that something hadn't gone according to plan. "So what happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it." She pouted and crossed her arms. I swear she has been doing this since she was 10 years old, only back then we pouted because some sibling had eaten all the candy.
"Heather, you told me to meet you here. You know this is a sacred place; we only meet here for life altering items. What happened? Did you get the job?"
"Yeah, I did."
"That's GREAT!!" I jumped up to give her a hug but there was that look again. Why wasn't she as excited as I was. She was getting her dream job. Vogue had set up and interview to see if she was qualified to run their marketing department. Fashion and marketing, plus vogue, all three her specialty. "Ok sweet cheeks, what's wrong?"
"Its nothing, I should be thrilled out of my mind. I just can't help but feel that something isn't right. That I'm going to be leaving so much behind."
"Well umm yeah you're going to be leaving your life here behind."
"Yeah well that's the thing; there isn't much of a life here. I don't have any friends, I don't go out, and I just work. I mean I don't even have a boyfriend! I dumped the only good decent two weeks ago to leave and head to New York."
"Well you know there is someone important here, someone that cares a lot about you, who thinks your gorgeous, and fantastically talented. That someone is going to miss you like crazy." I could feel my heart pulling at my chest, hoping that she would take the bait.
"OH! OMG," she jumped and her hand landed on mine, my heart froze. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. I just didn't even notice it!"
"I know this whole thing has been quiet, I mean I didn't want anyone to know."
"Josh! I can't believe you never told me!"
"What? Josh?"
"You seriously should have told me that he was crushing on me! Shame on you Mark. I mean come on I know we are all three best friends, but we wouldn't exclude you or anything. I just can't believe that I didn't see the signs before, the flowers, cute little notes all over the apartment, opening the door, going shopping with me. It all points to that. And with him avoiding me since he found out about my job offer, it all makes sense."
I felt my heart slice open. I know that we all live together but I sent her those flowers, to the apartment, Josh just found them and brought them to her room. Josh went shopping only because I needed to know what her size was and I had to work. I had a suit waiting at home as a going away present. And he hasn't been avoiding her, he has been avoiding me for the simple fact that I'm leaving for New York too. It didn't matter if Heather went or not. I had a job offer from the New York Times as the head editor I leave in three months. The fact that now she was going too was just an added bonus. I was hoping that she would notice how fate keeps shoving us together, since we were 5 years old.
"Oh my word, I need to find him, tell him that it's so cute that he has been crushing on me. I need tell him that I have a slight thing for him as well, but that I don't know how it will work from New York to D.C. How would that work? Mark, Mark are you listening?" Our drinks arrived and she reached for her wallet
"Hey I'll get this one."
"Are you sure, I can get it."
"Sure no problem it's a slight congratulations from me to you I'm so happy for you." I couldn't help but wonder what would happen now. The love of my life, going after my best friend, and everyone knows that Josh has had something for her since she moved in. But she's been my best friend since kindergarten, and everyone knows that I've been jones'n for her just as long. No way was he going to step in the middle of that, he is my best friend after all. Now that I was leaving, choosing to be away from her, it was like waving the white flag of defeat.
"I got to go, see you later Mark?"
"Sure, sure, later." She bounced out of the coffee shop wearing a pair of flip flops she had brought as back up. I sat there, alone, tired, and heartbroken. This was my moment. I had this huge evening planned where I would confess everything, my new job, my love, give her the suit, now it was gone.
I took a sip of my fresh white mocha, and I found it fascinating how I never noticed how awful things tasted when your hopes had been destroyed. I don't that a white mocha will ever taste the same again; too bad it's my favorite drink.
That night I told Josh that I would be leaving at the end of the week. I lied and told him the paper wanted me there by Friday. I hadn't told Heather but I figured since I didn't matter anyways, that I wasn't worth missing part of D.C. that she wouldn't care. I packed silently Tuesday night while she was out with Josh celebrating, and then loaded it all up into a truck Wednesday morning while they were both sleeping. I wrote one more note on the same paper as all the rest. "Heather, sorry that this is coming as a shock, but I moved out. I have a new job up north and they want me there by this Friday. Good luck with Vogue, maybe we will meet again someday. Goodbye. Forever yours, Mark" I set it under a vase of her favorite flowers, orchids. The door slammed behind me and I headed for the Café Kona to get one final famous coffee.
"Can I help you?"
"Umm…" I scanned the menu, "I have no clue what to get."
"Well my personal favorite is the white chocolate cappuccino, it's very frothy, and it just seems to make me happy. I think due to all the sweetness." I tore my eyes away from the waitress to see her genuine face.
"Does it taste anything like a white mocha?"
"Well, no because it's white chocolate and its not as coffee like. It's much sweeter."
"Ok, I'll have one of those, make it a Grande."
"Sure no problem, and trust me you won't regret it." I hope not.
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