French Vanilla

"Welcome to Dunkin' Donuts. Can I help you?"

"Large French Vanilla Cappuccino, very very very sweet-"

"And like a hundred sugars?" I asked looking from the computer screen. Tom stood before me, his hands in his pockets, a silly grin on his face.

"Yeh, like a 'undred sugahs."

"What're you doing here, Thomas?"

"What, yeh no' 'appy teh see meh?"

I smiled, "I'm quite happy to see you, but that doesn't answer my question."

"I needed coffeh."

I gave him the classic 'what-the-fuck' look. "The hotel you told me you were staying at is almost forty minutes from here. There are at least ten other coffee shops on the way."

He grinned, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I guess I've been caught, aye?" I nodded and he laughed. "I juss wanted to talk to yeh." I looked up to the clock on the wall. It was near noon, and the place was pretty slow.

"Hey, Kevin? I'm going on break early!" He nodded and I clocked out, grabbing two of the French Vanilla drinks and walking to the diner. We sat down at an empty table and I handed him his drink. "On the house today. You're lucky I like you."

He grinned, taking a sip of the drink. "I thought it was the lads job teh get fings fo' the bird, no' the otha' way 'round."

I shrugged, taking a sip. "Oh well, not today. What'd'ya wanna talk about?"

"Nuffin realleh."

"You're telling me that you drove almost forty minutes to get coffee and say hello?"

He smiled, biting his lip. "Maybeh."

"Liar." I took another sip, letting the French Vanilla ooze down my throat.

"Yea, yeh caught me." We both smiled, taking another sip of the addicting drink.

"So, what's up?"

"Skylah."

"What?"

"Skylah. That's yeh name."

"Yea, but how di-"

"Nametag."

I looked down and groaned, seeing the nametag on my uniform shirt with the name "SKYLAR" printed in big, bold letters. Damn. "You caught me. Hardy har har."

He laughed a little. "I don't know why yeh didn't tell meh. It's such a pretty name. Not very common. Unique."

"I guess," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Yeh're so silly, yeh know that?"

I chuckled a little, "yea, I know."

"I'm leavin' back teh England."

"What? When? Why?" I asked, sounding ridiculously educated in the process. Not.

"Warped Tour is ova' now. We 'ave to go 'ome teh our families. We're leavin' tomorrah evenin' 'round six. Our plane takes off 'alf past eight."

I frowned. I completely forgot about that. I heard Jona say something about leaving yesterday, but it didn't really sink in until now.

He broke the silence, "'Ave yeh eva' been teh England?"

I shook my head. Going to England was a lifelong dream I always have had, but I never had the chance or when I did, it just wasn't in the budget. "No, I wish though. I can't afford something like that. I'm saving my money right now."

"Fo' what?"

"College. I want to go to this really amazing school for art. It's in New York City. I can practice drawing and photography there. I really want to go, but it's so expensive." He nodded, taking another sip of his drink.

"I unda'stand that, but did yeh eva' fink of goin' teh England juss fo' yehself?"

I shook my head, "no I guess I haven't."

"Come teh England wiff us."

"What?"

"I was talkin' teh Olleh about yeh and he agrees. We both fink that yeh would be a great model fo' Drop Dead." I stared at him, completely stunned.

"Me? Model? Are you crazy? I'm not even close to being as tall as a model - nine inches short actually, I'm not near as pretty as one, I could never keep up with that life and I have been savin-"

"I fink yeh should fink about it. Yeh know this is such a brill opportunity. Take it, Skyler. Olleh and I 'ave faith in yeh. Yeh need faith in yehself."

I stared at the man flabbergasted to say the least. Here I am in my little hunky dory little town working at Dunkin' Donuts to pay for college and BAM, I'm offered a job as a model? Life doesn't work that way, for anyone. "Do you and Oli just go and give random strangers a job?"

“Sometimes,” he mused.

I nodded and looked down at my drink. This was all too much to take in.

"'Ang out wiff meh tomorrah befo' we leave," Tom said suddenly.

I looked up at him, taking one of the last sips the drink could offer me. "Now why would I spend my one day off of the week with you, Tom Sykes?"

"'Cause yeh like meh."

I laughed. "That sounded pretty arrogant."

"Arrogant, maybeh. A plea teh 'ang out wiff yeh one las' time, yes."

"Maybe."

He looked up from his drink, slightly taken back. "Maybeh?" I nodded my head and smiled at the blue eyed boy. "Yeh juss made meh day by givin' meh some 'ope."

My smile faded when he looked up to the clock and frowned. He stood up slowly. "Listen, I 'ave teh go, but 'ere's meh numbah. Fink about it an' let meh know tonigh' or tomorrah or somfin." He smiled, placing a piece of paper on the table.

"Adios, Tom." I grinned up at the boy, pushing my purple bangs out of my face.

"Cheerio."

The next morning, I laid in bed, already fully dressed for the day. It was around ten in the morning when I finally decided I would call Tom. I punched in the digits that were written on the crinkled piece of paper and put the phone to my ear. One ring. Two rings. Three rin- "'Ello?"

I smiled upon hearing the familiar English accent grace my ears. "Hello Tomster."

He chuckled, "G'mornin' Skylah."

I smiled when he said my name. I had forgotten he knew it. I also forgot that he couldn't pronounce the 'r' at the end very well because of his accent. I found it absolutely adorable. "How are you on this lovely morning?"

"Quite well, fanks. Are yeh goin' teh chat me up wiff small talk or are yeh goin' teh answer my question from yestahday?"

"Oh boo, Tom. I wanted to play with your mind a little before answering your question."

"Yeah yeah, yeh and yeh nonsense. Well, what is it? The answer I mean."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't be that torturous if I spent the afternoon with you."

If you could hear a smile in someone’s voice, I heard his. "That's great! I'll come pi-"

"One condition."

He sighed heavily, making my giggle. "Wha'? Do yeh want me to skip rope or somefin?"

I laughed a bit. "If you bore me, then you take me home."

I heard him chuckle. "I juss 'ave teh keep yeh entertained? Sounds easy enough."

"That's what you think."

"Alrigh', Miss Skylah. I shall be leavin' teh get to yeh place as soon as yeh tell me where yeh live."

"Aw, I was hoping that I could get you to go on a scavenger hunt for me!" I whined, causing him to laugh a bit. "Alright, I'll just text it to you."

"Fanks."

"Cheerio, Tom-Tom." I spoke in a fake English accent, causing him to laugh again.

"Bye weirdo."