Just a Minute Too Late

The next morning I woke up around 10, and stumbled out of bed hoping there was still some coffee left in the pot. When I got to the kitchen, I frowned at the mere drops left and the empty bag that sat next to the coffee maker. I trudged back to my bedroom, throwing on a pair of jeans and a white v-neck, and pulled my hair up into a messy bun. I slid on a pair of flip-flops, grabbing my purse from its spot by the door, and slid on my wayfarers as I locked the door. I started the short walk to Starbucks, and was glad to see it was practically empty.

“Mornin’ Caroline,” the barista, Carl, said as I walked into the building.

“Mornin’ Carl, how are ya?” I said walking to the shelf that housed the coffee and smiling at him.

“Good as always,” he said with a smile, “And yourself?”

“I’ll be better once I get some coffee in me,” I said placing the bag on the counter, “And I’ll take a venti soy raspberry latte.”

“Coming right up,” he said ringing up both items, and sliding my gold card before handing it back.

I thanked him, shoving my wallet and bag of coffee into my bag, and moved to the other end of the counter so I could wait for my drink. I pulled out my phone, checking my work and school emails, and aimlessly typed back to a project partner.

“Drinks up, Caroline,” Carl said, snapping me out of a trance.

“Thanks Carl, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said with a smile before taking my drink.

I walked to the door, pushing it open semi-roughly, and grimaced when I heard it hit something. I looked up, making eye contact with a smirking Joey, and felt the heat rise in my cheeks.

“Sorry about hitting you with the door,” I said scratching my neck awkwardly, “Are you okay?”

“Perfectly fine,” he said still smirking, “And glad I wore tennis shoes instead of flip flops. If I had worn the latter, we would’ve had some blood on our hands.”

“And I would’ve fainted,” I said still blushing, “Here, let me buy you coffee, that’s twice in two days that I’ve hurt you in some way.”

He started to protest, but I insisted, and he just held the door open for me, following close behind. Carl gave me a knowing look, but I brushed it off quickly, and let Joey order before giving my card over again. We made small talk as his coffee was made, and he somehow got me to sit down at one of the sidewalk tables with him.

“So what brings you out so early on a Thursday morning?” Joey asked, bending the edge of his cardboard cup sleeve.

“My roommate left me an empty coffee pot,” I said mimicking his actions, “And my orange pen went missing yesterday, so I can’t finish my notes for class. What about yourself?”

“Hey, I found an orange pen on the ground after you left yesterday, must be yours!” he said excitedly, “It’s at my apartment if you want to come get it or something so you don’t have to buy new pens.”

“How do I know you aren’t the next Craigslist killer?” I asked skeptically, pushing back a little.

“I’ll let you stay in front of the building, that’s on a fairly busy street, and bring it out to you,” he said with an almost puppy dog look, “Plus, I couldn’t kill anyone, I can barely kill spiders.”

“Fine, but I’m warning you, I do have pepper spray somewhere in this purse,” I said standing up as he did.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a chuckle, and motioning for me to follow him towards where his apartment was.

We walked side by side, our pace nearly identical, and played our own version of 20 questions. I found out that he was recently 22 and spend most of his time working and going to auditions. I told him that I was almost 22, and worked for a TV show, but was auditioning for everything I could when I wasn’t working. I was intently listening to him as he told me about a voiceover job he had completed, when someone behind us said Joey’s name, causing him to spin.

“I was, uhm, wondering if I could possibly get a uhm, picture with you?” the girl asked as her friend stood awkwardly by her side.

“Of course!” Joey said in a louder than normal voice, “Caroline, mind taking a picture of us three?”

“It’d be my pleasure,” I said with a smiling, noticing how excited the girls looked.

“Thank you so much,” the girl said, handing me her iphone, already having the camera app open.

I waited for them to get situated, Joey inbetween the two with his arms around their shoulders, and counted down before snapping a few pictures, to make sure they were good, and handed it back while they talked to Joey. After a few minutes, Joey told them he had to leave, but he’d speak to them later. They headed back in the direction they had come from, and Joey and I continued towards his apartment.

“I wasn’t aware I was walking down the street with a celebrity, I’m honored,” I said with a smirk, looking at Joey, “

“Internet celebrity,” he said with a laugh, “And thanks to an ever growing fan base, our musicals have almost 100 million combined plays on youtube.”

“Musicals, eh? What kind of musicals?”

“Two Harry Potter ones, one about a fictional me and my dick, and a Starship Troopers parody of sorts,” he said turning down a side street.

“There are Harry Potter musicals, and I didn’t know about them?” I asked, practically stopping in my tracks, “I now know what I’m doing in my down time.”

He just laughed, and told me we were at his place, and that he’d be right out with my pen. I stood across the sidewalk, pulling my phone out to text my friend Avalon about the project we needed to work on this weekend, and scrolled through twitter. My head snapped up when I heard the door open, and I smiled as he held the orange pen in front of him with a goofy grin.

“Thanks for returning my pen,” I said smiling at him, “Now I have to go finish my notes, and read a script. I’ll see you around.”

“Fingers crossed,” he said with a smirk and a wave as he back up towards his door.

I shot a wave back, and started my walk back, realizing we were only about three blocks from my place. I walked home quickly, wanting to finish my notes as soon as possible so I could look up the Potter musicals Joey told me about.