Coffee Break

I have a day off today, which is a fucking god-send because I was out until late last night celebrating my friend Butcher-from-the-gym’s birthday. Just me, him, and our other friend Chizzy (who also works at the gym) drinking in a bar near to their apartment. And fuck did I drink. I think I should clear up that I don’t usually drink all that much, let alone socialise with people, but because it was Butcher’s 23rd birthday I gave in to their pleading.

I guess Chizzy and Butcher are the closest thing I have to friends, other than my dad and my brother. I spend so much time in the gym, before work and after work for a good couple of hours, that we’ve all just gotten to talking, and seeing as they’re as fanatical about working out as I am, we get along well.

I tell you one thing though – I won’t be giving into their pleas for me to socialise for a while again. My head can’t take this hangover. At all. At least I didn’t throw up this time.

Although it’s my day off, I came into the small town anyway, because I need to restock on protein shake powder. I didn’t realise I’d run out this morning, and I could’ve really used one to help get rid of this pounding headache, so I got a ride into town with my dad and Sam on their way to work. I’ll just walk home afterwards.

“Hey Merrick,”

I smiled and nodded at the guy behind the register as I walked into the health store. John I think his name is?

“Hey,” I replied, to be polite.

I may not be sociable, but I don’t want people thinking I’m an asshole.

“Zack! In for your usual?”

Kyle, the exuberant blonde co-owner. I come in here so often that they usually always have what I need in store.

“Yeah, the 2.5kg whey protein shake powder,” I nodded.

“We’ve got a new unflavoured one, if you want to try it. This one means you can add fresh blitzed fruit, and make it into a kind of smoothie,” Kyle suggested.

Huh. That’s new. Maybe I should buy a flavoured one as well, so I could have a ‘smoothie’ one with breakfast and a regular flavoured one with dinner…

“I’ll have a tub of unflavoured and a tub of strawberry then,” I smiled.

Kyle grinned. “I’ll go and get them from the back for you then!” he said excitedly.

Wow. So much cheerfulness in one person. I browsed over the shelves as I waited for Kyle, not really paying attention to my surroundings.

Until someone walked straight into me.

“Shit, sorry!” he gasped.

I frowned and turned my head to look at the guy, and then frowned even more. I recognise him from somewhere.

“Wait, you’re Zack, right?” the sandy-haired boy asked.

Uh, how does he know that?

“Yeah, I am,” I said, confused.

“I’m Alex, I work in the coffee shop,” he grinned.

Oh. Well, that makes sense now.

“Nice to meet you. Sorry I haven’t spoken to you before,” I said politely.

“It’s okay, I know you only really speak to Bill or Martin,” Alex smiled.

Martin. Of course he knows me through Martin.

“How is Martin?” I asked.

“You’re asking after Martin?” Alex grinned.

I couldn’t help but blush slightly.

“It’s my day off so I won’t be getting coffee today,” I explained.

“Huh, that would explain why he was in a bad mood. Well, he’s good. Most the time. I’ve been trying to get him to eat more healthily now that I’m living with him, but it’s harder than I thought,” Alex rambled.

He’s living with Martin?! Are they…together? I frowned at that thought.

“You live together?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

Alex stared at me strangely, before laughing.

“We’re not dating, if that’s what you think. My apartment had roaches so everyone’s been kicked out, and Martin told me to move in with him instead. It was really generous of him. He didn’t have to help me out like this, but he did. He’s really nice like that,” Alex rambled again, although he was smirking this time.

He let Alex move in with him so the kid wouldn’t be on the street? Well…that is nice. And it kinda shows that he’s a really good person – which is always an admirable quality.

“Green tea is a healthy replacement. And coconut milk is good for cooking as well as drinking. And those thai chilli rice crackers are good for snacking on,” I blurted.

“What?” Alex chuckled, confused.

“You said you were trying to get him to eat healthily. I personally like those healthy things, so it’s worth a try,” I mumbled, blushing slightly.

“Oh. Thanks! Maybe if I tell Martin that you like them, he’ll try them too,” Alex grinned.

Wow, this kid doesn’t know what subtlety is, does he? I blushed again, but then Kyle came out from the backroom with my protein shake powder, saving me from talking any more. Thank fuck.

“Here you go, Zack. Is that everything?” Kyle asked me.

“Yeah, thanks,” I murmured, nodding.

Kyle smiled, and handed the tubs to me.

“Alex! Hey! Can I help you with anything?” Kyle asked as I walked towards the cash register.

“No thanks, Zack already helped me,” Alex replied, smiling.

“He did?” Kyle asked, surprised.

I almost turned around and glared. I’m not that rude and unsociable.

“Yeah, he did. I think it had something to do with me trying to help Martin out though,” Alex grinned.

I scowled, handing over my protein mix to John, who was just grinning.

“Alex means no harm, y’know,” he said softly.

“He’s just as bad as the rest of you,” I grumbled.

John knows I don’t mean it in a mean way.

“Can you blame us?” John smirked.

I rolled my eyes but shrugged, handing over the money, waiting for my change before I picked up my stuff and headed for the door.

“Bye Zack!” Alex called.

I cringed but smiled weakly back, and left. Why do I feel that talking to that overexcited puppy of a boy will have more of an effect that necessary?

*

[Martin]

I slumped against the counter, barely listening to William chastise the other workers for making such a mess. Today has been a slow day. Alex is on lunch right now because he said he wanted to run a few errands before eating here. Whatever. It just means that I have one less person to ignore.

“Marty? Are you okay?” William asked, poking me in the side.

“Yuh huh, just pouring over my meaningless existence,” I nodded.

“You worry me sometimes,” William frowned.

“I try,” I said with a weak smile.

I hate my life. Fuck it all. Nothing good ever happens to me so why should I put on a cheerful fake front?

“I’m back bitches!” Alex announced, walking into the shop with bags in his hands, ignoring the glares from the two elderly women sitting by the door.

Shit, how much did he buy? Alex grinned at me as he walked past, only succeeding in freaking me out a little. Did he get laid on his shopping trip or something?

“So…I have some news for you, Martin,” Alex said as he tied his apron back on after dumping his bags in the back room.

“Oh yeah?” I sighed.

“Mmhmm. Guess who I bumped into in the health store?” Alex smirked.

“The Queen?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Close, but no! Zack!” Alex grinned.

My elbow slipped from where it was propping up my head, making me smack my face against the coffee grinder! Shit! Oww! And what the fuck, Zack?! William and Alex burst into laughter as I whined and clutched at my forehead. This isn’t funny!

“Z-Zack was there?” I whimpered, pressing a cold bottle from the fridge to my face.

“Yeah, he was. He asked how you were,” Alex grinned.

I dropped the bottle, only making my friends laugh again. He what?!

“Told you that he liked you too,” William said triumphantly.

“What did you say?” I asked nervously, picking another bottle out of the fridge.

“I said that you were in a bad mood because he wasn’t in today…”

Great. Just great. Thanks, Alex.

“…and that you’d let me move in with you and that I was trying to get you to eat healthily. I kept emphasising how nice it was of you to do this, and how generous you were,”

“Fuck, you’re embarrassing,” I groaned.

“He smiled though,” Alex shrugged.

“He did?” I asked, unable to stop my own smile growing.

“Mmhmm. He then blurted out a load of stuff about the healthy food that he likes and I said that you’d probably try them because he likes them,” Alex giggled.

For fuck’s sake Alex!

“You’re so fucking embarrassing!” I groaned.

“He blushed at that though,” Alex defended.

“TOLD YOU he likes you!” William squealed.

I just whined and rested my head on the counter once more. Why do they have to try and ruin my life.

“He’s really nice. You should just go and talk to him. I have a feeling he’ll be more than happy to talk to you,” Alex said simply.

“I can’t,”

“Why not?” Alex frowned.

“Apart from the fact that you just humiliated me, I wouldn’t know what to say. I get so nervous, so tongue-tied around him that I’ll just make an ass out of myself. I’d rather not talk to him at all opposed to making him think I’m an idiot,” I muttered.

William placed a hand on my shoulder in sympathy, but I ignored him. I really don’t want to talk any more about this.

“Don’t you want to get to know him?” Alex said softly.

“Of course I do. I just…I don’t have the balls to do it. Maybe I’ll just get Jack to do my dirty work,” I grumbled.

“Jack?” Alex said, confused.

“The hair stylist,” William prompted.

“I know who he is, I just don’t know why he’d get involved,” Alex said, rolling his eyes.

“Honey, Jack has been waiting for months for Martin to give him permission to find out all and any gossip and information about Zack,” William snickered.

“I’ll never hear the end of it from Tay for letting him gossip around town, but I know no-one else could do it better,” I sighed.

“I still think you should talk to Zack yourself,” Alex shrugged.

“Don’t we all, Little Lexy, don’t we all,” William mused.

I growled at my best friend before turning my attention to the grey speckled counter-top. If I want to go about things the wrong way, I will. First step, text Jack. Second step, find out everything about Zack. Third step, talk to Zack? Uh, maybe not. Maybe I’ll just think about that point as I get to it.

Alright Jack, go ahead. Find out everything you can about Zack Merrick x

I just hope I don’t regret this.