Infinite | ✔️

3 | three

I wake up to the sound of my stupid alarm clock.

Keeping my eyes closed, I reach off to the side to turn my alarm off. Once it's turned off, I roll out of bed and walk into my bathroom.

I have a shift at the cafe today so I don't have much time to get dressed since it's 6:40 and I need to be at the cafe by 7. Hopefully he's not awake yet.

After brushing my teeth and hair, I walk up to my wardrobe and collect my work outfit. I change and quietly head downstairs.

I strain my ears so I can hear if my father is awake, but I don't hear anything.

I reach the last step and peak around the corner to see my father passed out on the couch with a beer bottle in his hand and a few other bottles broken on the floor.

I sigh, why does this have to be my father?

I slowly walk to the front door. I'm really hoping he doesn't wake up right now, I can't handle any more beatings

I open the door and carefully walk out and on the porch. I walk down the porch steps and onto the sidewalk and begin my 15 morning walk to the cafe.

~❀~

I reach the cafe and look up at it.

I've always loved this cafe, it's small, cute, and adorable. I can get away for a few hours and not have to worry about my father. The cafe has a big sign on top of it reading, "Moonstone Cafe." It has a few plants hanging from the top so it looks fresh. There's a small board to the side with a few of our special treats that we'll be serving today. The handwriting is in cursive, I can't write in cursive so we have one of the other workers write on the board.

I walk up to the door and open it. The bell chimes above me, indicating I've entered. I walk to the back and go into the break room to put on my apron. Once I've done that, I head up to the front, behind the cash register and wait for customers.

Customer after customer goes by and my arms are killing me. I sigh and clean up my work station a little bit before another customer arrives.

The bell chimes above the front door but I don't look up to see who it is. Assuming it's another customer here for coffee or a little treat, I keep my head down and continue cleaning. "Hi welcome to Moonstone Cafe, what can I get for you today?" I softly speak but loud enough so they can hear me.

A minute goes by and they still haven't answered so, I look up and I'm met with the gray eyes I dreamt about last night.

"L-Leonardo?" I ask, shocked to see him at this cafe.

His lips turn up a little, "That's me."

"What a-are you doing h-here?"

He shrugs, "I saw you from outside the window and I thought I'd come in and say hi."

My cheeks heat up, "Oh" I mumble.

He chuckles," You're so adorable." I feel my cheeks heat up even more. I put my hands on my face and try to cool it down.

"W-what would you like to order today?" I ask so the attention is off of me for now.

He looks up at the menu and looks back at me, "Just a black coffee, love."

I blush again. Stop blushing so much Eleanor. He probably just calls everyone 'love.'

I nod and turn around to make his coffee. I'm glad he ordered this because every other person ordered some hard stuff and I just feel like going to sleep.

I grab a medium sized cup and put it up to the coffee machine. I let the coffee spill into the cup until it's almost fully filled. I put a lid over it and turn around.

I look up at Leonardo and hand him his coffee. "That will be $1.85."

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a wallet. He takes out a five dollars bill and slides it across the counter.

I take the five dollar bill and insert it into the cash register and hand him his change. I look back at him to see he hasn't left. "U-um do you need something?" I ask softly.

"I never got to know your name."

My eyes widened in realization. I'm so stupid, I forgot to tell him my name. I mentally facepalm myself.

"Oh, um it's Eleanor."

He nods to himself, "Beautiful."

I stare into his eyes for a few minutes. Did he just call me beautiful or am I hearing things?

"W-what?"

Looking into my eyes he says, "You're beautiful."

I blush once again. "Thank you, Leo." my eyes widened. I just called him Leo. Oh god, what if he doesn't like that nickname?

"I-is it o-okay if I call you L-Leo?" I say but it sounds more like a whisper.

He chuckles, "Call me anything you want, love." He replies and reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

Shaking his head, he removes his hand. "I should get going now. Goodbye Eleanor."

"Bye."

I watch him turn around and walk out of the cafe and down the street, out of sight. I sigh.

I hope I'll be able to see him again.