Battling the Loss You Live For.

Sazzy’s Point of View
I walked off the bus, thanking the driver and pulling Frank along with me. He wrapped an arm around my waist, crossing over the road to the Star Bucks where Charley worked. He started at 9:00am today, and finished at 6:00pm, so he had a full day. I started at 12, which was in half an hour, and finished at 4:00pm, which was classed as half a day.
“What time do you finish?” Frank asked, as if on queue. It was ridiculous the amount of times he did that. He led me into Star Bucks, and I was quite surprised at how empty it was for this time of day. There were only a few tables littered with people, and only a line of three people waiting to be served at the front.
“At four,” I replied, scanning the menu board that was placed above the counter.
“Hmm… what are you having?” he asked, tightening his arms’ grip around me.
“Umm… caramel coffee frap,”
“Alright… Hey, Charley!” Frank called, spotting Charley approaching the closed cash desk, opening it.
“Frank, Sazzy! Come here,” he beckoned, and we did, Frank slapping his hand like guys do.
“So what do you guys want?” Charley asked, brushing off his green Star Bucks apron. His blue eyes looked like they glittered in the light, showing how happy he was.
“A caramel coffee frap and a… um… dude… I dunno,” he pondered, a smirk producing on Charley’s face.
“That’s great, man.”
“Shut up. Just get me an espresso frap… and two blueberry muffins,” Frank said in mock annoyance. Charley laughed, not processing the order on the machine and shouting for his co-worker to make the drinks.
“Jerry’s in such a good mood today, he’s letting us have free coffees whenever we want. I think his girlfriend said yes to getting married… but he hasn’t told us,” Charley explained, grinning.
“That’s sick!” I said, smiling.
“Yeah, I know. So come over on your break and I’ll make you some,” Charley said, pulling out a small white plate.
“Eating in, yeah?”
“You can stay a while, yeah?” Frank asked me, and I nodded, Charley placing two muffins on the plate with the metal tongs.
“Charley!” a light brunette girl called, holding out our drinks to him. He took them off her, smiling thanks, and passing them over to us.
“I’ll see you later, man,” Frank said, picking up the muffins and I smiled.
“I’ll be back later for more free drinks, bitch,” I called as Frank laughed, walking me to a table in the corner.
“I’ve just realised that we’ve never actually sat down at Star Bucks and had a coffee together,” Frank said, a twisted expression on his face.
“That’s terrible,” he continued. I smiled.
“You’re so weird,” I said, shaking my head. The corner of his mouth pulled up into a lopsided smile, one that I hardly saw, but one that I loved.
“But you lo-ve it!” he replied, his eyes widening in playfulness.
“You’re in such a weird mood today!”
“Yay? I think its lack of pot or something,”
“Are you quitting it now?” I hated that he did it.
“Yeah… hopefully. I know you hate me doing it,” his eyes were sorrowful.
“Well I’m not jumping up and down about it, am I? Of course I hate it, you’re my boyfriend and I love you, I don’t want you getting high and fucking around and killing yourself and whatever,” I scowled, rolling my eyes and sipping on my drink. He chuckled.
“Yeah… sorry,” he said, a smile still plastered on his face. I lent over, taking his hand. He smiled wider, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
“Leaving you again is going to be so hard,” he whispered, his smile dropping instantly.
“Let me come with you,” I mumbled, in a poor attempt to stay with him. I already knew the answer.
“You can’t. You know that.”
“I know… I just don’t want to see you leave again.”
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled, diverting his gaze away from mine, looking down at our hands.
“I shouldn’t have come… I’m such a dick.”
“No you’re not. Shut up,” I said, my eyes narrowed, my tone fierce. He looked up at me, his eyes showing confusion. I didn’t say anything, grabbing my drink with my free hand and sipping through the green straw. He sighed, pulling his hand away from mine and leaning back on his chair, sucking on his straw and pushing the plate of blueberry muffins towards me. I picked one up, breaking off a piece and popping it into my mouth.
“Sazzy!” I heard Charley call, and I turned my head, facing him.
“Yeah?”
“You’re starting now, it’s five to,” he said, wiping his hands that were covered in thick cream on his green apron, picking up a cup and squirting caramel around the side of it. I nodded, picking up the muffin and my drink, Frank following suit. He quickly ate the muffin in three easy bites, chewing as he wrapped his arm around my waist.
“See you later, Charley,” he called, walking me out the glass door. I heard a grunt, Frank chuckling.
“I’ve never seen him work harder,” he said, shaking his head as we crossed the busy main road.
“What’re you gonna do while I’m working?” I asked, removing the see-through plastic lid on my Star Bucks, stirring the contents with my straw. I felt him shrug, seeing him lift his hand to finish his drink, the drops of water on the cup glistening in the sun.
“Shop, maybe. I might rent a car down at euro-car…” he explained, throwing his almost empty cup into a bin. Euro-car was a company that rented cars for weeks at a time, and their place was situated just behind Churchill Square, literally three minutes walk from H&M where I worked.
“That’ll be cool. I miss sitting in a car,” I mumbled, walking into H&M, the burst of the air conditioner blowing my hair all around my face. I led him over to the staff door, pulling out my staff card and swiping it quickly, pushing Frank in and stepping in, closing the door behind me.
“Uh… am I meant to be in here?”
“No,” I replied, taking off my jacket and hanging it up on the rack, pulling on the black staff ribbon thing that we all had to wear around our necks, that had H&M in red block letters and our staff cards attached. I finished my Star Bucks quickly, chucking the empty cup into the bin, and grabbing Frank’s hand, leading him out after pinning my name tag to my shirt. I walked over to the till, smiling and nodding slightly at my colleague, Sam. He smiled back, calling over a customer. I turned to Frank, pouting. He grinned, kissing me quickly, his arms wrapped around my waist.
“I’ll come back at quarter to, yeah? And text me when your on your break,” he added, pushing my fringe out of my eyes. I nodded, grinning like an idiot. He pecked me again quickly, turning and walking swiftly out of the door.