vending machine | ethan torchio

iv

he wasn't wearing any headphones, and noticed her as soon as she rolled around the corner, saying no word of complaint when she seated herself next to him. there was just enough space on the improvised bench for the two of them to sit comfortably. and although their legs - her left, his right - were touching more than slightly, flavia managed to not think about it.

there was a sense of familiarity with this guy that she couldn't admit to herself last night, so any remaining feeling of discomfort was now gone.

"i hate the higher-ups", a sigh left her lips with the words. "any sort of hierarchical structure."

she noticed that he was looking at her from the corner of her eye.

"people have always had an innate desire for order," he answered, though she was uncertain whether or not that meant they were on the same page on the subject.

"and that order screws you over if you're anywhere below the top," flavia nodded, still avoiding his gaze.

she couldn't decide what was weirder: her hoping that he'd be here tonight or him actually being there around the same dead of night time.

he raised himself and went up to the vending machine, buzzing away as it always has. flavia stared at his back profile as he inserted coins into the coin slot after taking his precious time to pick something out. he had broad shoulders that not event the length of his dark hair could hide.

at least the machine didn't break this time, and the man was soon facing her again, a can in each of his hands. it was the first time that they'd looked at each other tonight. the vending machine lights threw a shadow over his silhouette that elongated all the way to flavia's feet. 

he passed her one of the cans - vanilla-flavored pepsi - and sat back down. silence wrapped around the two as they busied themselves with drinks.

"tough day, huh?"

"oh, you don't even know", the woman shook her head hopelessly.

"would you like me to?"

this made her turn to look at him. his dark eyes were accentuated with black color on lower lids, appearing even bigger.

"what?", she managed to mutter out.

"would you like me to know how tough it was?"

flavia thought that she had no particular reason for coming here, but maybe this was exactly what she needed. someone - a stranger - hearing her out without holding onto biases on a basis of being her friend or someone who 'wishes her well'.

"i was just doing my job, cleaning the coffee machine, and then he - the manager - called me back to his office..."

***

flavia was too busy tying her apron back on to notice a notebook landing on a wall next to the door she's just passed. a lucky circumstance that otherwise would've ended with the corner of the notebook grazing her.

when she did look up, she had to give her all in order to not make any inappropriate facial expression out loud. anything as small as a quiver of lips would've been taken as a provocation on her side.

so she just stood there, hands on the knot behind her back, and waited. her manager, giuliano, was looking at her more than displeased. she just needed to let the storm die down.

"you call that a five-month plan?", he asked in stern voice, pointing at the notebook with a particularly persistent finger. it was only then that she noticed it was the material she turned in that morning.