Chapter 1

• CYRUS:)
• I slammed my hand down on my alarm for the fifth time this morning. I had to get to work by 7am and it's just a few minutes past six. I'm so tired, like I have been working for hours nonstop.
• I groaned as I got out of bed stretching like those lazy cats I normally watch on the Internet. It took me about twenty minutes to shower and get dressed for work. I wore a dark jeans and a light blue shirt. I love bright colours, sue me.
• I have been living in this house for almost three years now. My family was a very conservative one, so imagine the shock my mum and dad felt when they saw me kissing a guy in my room. I was sent out of the house, only able to pack few things into my backpack.
• I was on my own, moving from shelter to shelter, finding small jobs until I finally got my present job at a breakfast shop. Ruby&Ralph. Owned by a lovely couple.
• Ruby and Ralph have been married for thirty years and they have two twin sons, even though I am their senior by a year and some months, those guys tower over me like mountains. Because of that, they treat me like their little brother, and are always protective everytime they are around.
• I had my breakfast, simple cereals. Even though I had an apartment, I could not afford light, water and even a phone bill. I only have an old laptop that Brian, one of the twins used in high school, he gave it to me because he got a new one for college.
• So my only source of entertainment is the laptop, I always download series and movies with the WiFi at the cafe. The time showed that it was 6:35. I packed my laptop into my bag and dashed out making sure to lock the door behind me and left, running all the way to the bus stop. The bus I usually take gets to my bus stop at exactly 6:40.
• Once I was on the bus, I rested my head on the window counting houses and they went by in a blur. I wished my parents did not throw me out, maybe if I hadn't kissed that guy, I would have gone to college and I will be able to stand on my own two feet before telling my homophobic parents that I am gay.
• I wonder if I am going to see them again, and if I do, I want to be so happy with my future partner before facing them.
• I got off the bus and walked the small distance to the cafe. Going in through the backdoor, I got to the kitchen. Ruby was already there preparing for the day. Her face lighting up with a smile once she saw me. "Good morning, Cyrus. How was your night?" She asked pulling me into a hug.
• "I binged watched my series and slept around 10pm,but it was a good one." I said smiling back. Her smiles are always contagious.
• The shop opens and it becomes a busy morning, being a breakfast shop, every morning from 7:30am was like a war zone of breakfast, many people come to have breakfast and also some workers from this super tall skyscraper not too far from us.
• I always wonder how many workers are there. I see new faces every day, some are nice and some are just annoying but nothing serious.
• I have three coworkers, Jane, Fred and Zoė. They all work part time, unlike me, I am there from 7 to 4,since I don't have to go to school. Jane and Zoė come in every afternoon by three before am off. Fred only has morning and evening classes in college so he is always with me from 12 to 4. So it's only always me, Ruby and Ralph every morning.
• The first wave of customers arrived at 7:30, as punctual as ever. The door jingled constantly as people poured in, each more harried than the last. Suits, briefcases, and the occasional yoga mat—this was the crowd that fueled themselves with caffeine and carbs before diving into the corporate grind.
• “Medium latte, no foam!”
• “Egg sandwich, no cheese!”
• “Do you have gluten-free muffins?”
• Orders flew at me like missiles. I worked the counter, my hands moving on autopilot as I rang up customers and handed off coffee cups and to-go bags.
• “Thanks, Cyrus!” one woman called as she grabbed her cappuccino.
• “Have a good day!” I replied, flashing a smile. Not everyone was this polite.
• “Excuse me,” a man barked, snapping his fingers. “I said soy milk, not regular!”
• I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. They always claim to order something else even though I know what I heard. “My apologies, sir. Let me fix that for you.”
• Ruby caught my gaze from the kitchen and gave me a sympathetic smile.
• By 10:00 am, the rush died down. I went to the back to help with the dishes, we only always have about two hours of peace and quiet before the afternoon rush begins again.
• Ruby pulled me to sit and eat something. I took out my laptop and connected to the WiFi to begin another download. Something new to watch tonight.
• Fred walked in through the back, his backpack slung over one shoulder.
• “Afternoon,” he said, yawning.
• “Afternoon, Fred. Long night?”
• “Always. College is a scam, by the way. Just so you know.” He plopped his bag down and grabbed an apron. “What’d I miss?”
• “The usual chaos. You’re just in time for round two.”
• Fred groaned. “Can’t wait.”
• Afternoon rush began, this time it was mostly people from the skyscraper on their lunch break. I wonder how bad the food is in their cafeteria that they always come here. Their boss really needs to know about this.
• The afternoon rush hit like a tidal wave, and the café was suddenly alive with the clamor of orders, laughter, and the hum of conversations. This time, it was mostly people from the skyscraper a block away, taking their lunch breaks. It never failed to amaze me how many of them flocked here daily. Did their cafeteria food taste that bad? Or was it just Ruby’s famous chicken pesto sandwiches that kept them coming back? Either way, their boss really needed to figure this out.
• “Two turkey paninis and a caramel frappe!” one man barked as he shoved his card across the counter.
• “Coming right up!” I replied, keeping my tone polite. His eyes barely flicked toward me before he pulled out his phone to answer a call.
• Fred leaned over from his spot beside me. “I’m betting the cafeteria food tastes like cardboard.”
• “Three orders of mac and cheese, a kale salad, and a green tea!” someone else called from the far end of the counter.
• “Mac and cheese and kale salad?” Fred muttered, shaking his head. “What kind of balance is that?”
• “Don’t judge,” I said, suppressing a laugh. “Let people live.”
• Ruby and Ralph were busy inside with the other chef working hard and fast to meet up with orders.
• “Cyrus, order up!” Ruby called, her voice cutting through the noise.
• “Got it!” I dashed over, grabbing a tray loaded with sandwiches and fries before handing it off to an impatient woman in a sharp blazer.
• “About time,” she huffed, clutching the tray like it was gold.
• Fred rolled his eyes once she turned away. “You’d think we were handing out million-dollar checks instead of food.”
• “Tell me about it.”
• The line stretched out the door, and we moved as fast as we could, juggling orders and dodging complaints. By the time the crowd began to thin, it felt like I’d run a marathon.
• "I really need a vacation to one of those beautiful sunny places." Fred said as he sat in one of the chairs, the shop was now half empty. Compared to about two hours earlier when we were serving gazillions of people.
• I took my seat in another chair drinking from my water bottle. "What I need is a Twenty hours nap." Fred rolled his eyes. "You sleep like a sloth." I only grinned in reply.
• Fred and I worked together until my shift ended at 4:00. By then, Jane and Zoë had arrived, their chatter filling the café as they took over for the evening crowd. I hung up my apron and grabbed my bag, waving goodbye to Ruby and Ralph.
• “See you tomorrow, Cyrus!” Ruby called.
• As I stepped out into the cool afternoon air, I felt a small sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t a glamorous life, but it was mine. And maybe, just maybe, things would get better someday.