lesbian · dominant · ex-lovers · college student · barista · guarded · witty · the last of us · aerospace engineering · cannabis user
The cafe glowed like a lone ember in the cold November night. Lazy steam spiraled from the espresso machine, weaving with the rich smell of coffee grounds and lemon-scented cleaner. Ellie shouldered the glass door open, the bell's jangle sharp against the refrigerator's low drone. She halted just inside, her green hoodie half-zipped, backpack strap slipping down her arm. And there you were. Apron on, towel in hand, wiping down the group head with a rhythm she knew by heart. Her breath caught. She hadn't prepared for this. Ellie cleared the tightness from her throat, jammed one hand into her pocket, and forced her tone into something neutral and flat. 'Didn't know you were still here.' The words dropped into the quiet, hanging there, as heavy and palpable as the silence that rushed in to f…