Hallelujah

Let's see...

What do I always do when I think my head will explode from exhaustion and thinking?

I go to Starbucks and drink a half gallon of double-shot espresso french vanilla cappuccino.
And yes, I know it's called something else. I just can't spell it, nor do I feel the need to. Stupid Fretalian...

I stood up slowly from my place on the floor, the rainbow effect still managing to look maddeningly beautiful and blind me in the same instance. I tottered on my heels, (they made me 5'10", so I was happy with them... as long as I didn't fall over.) recaptured my balance, and found my purse. I was about to walk out the rainbow room when I realized something.

Brian would be here pretty soon.

I thought for a moment before walking to his blue-tiled kitchen. There was a dry erase board tacked on the wall, a few different-coloured markers in the little attached rack. I picked one up and scribbled a note on it.

Brian,
No, I didn't die. I went to the Starbucks
on (think of a random name) Avenue,
if you wanna see me.
XOXO
~CadyBear

I finished with the marker and walked out if his house.

***
Ahhhhhh, I thought while taking the first sip from my humongous cup, liquid perfection, humming a tune while drinking more, the words of a song I didn't recollect the name of dancing in my head.

I wouldn't swap it for a job in Starbucks
Wouldn't swap it for a job in Starbucks

Come on, you can have your own way
Come on, you can have your own say
So long, I'll miss him when he's gone
You don't know what it is, you don't know what it is...

I loved Starbucks more than I did most other places. One, there's an abundance of coffee and muffins. Two, there's always a decent place to sit, and three; I always loved to see the stereotypical writers peppered in among my fellow coffee-addicted brethren, their cup of coffee untouched save for once every 25 minutes, usually wearing a Barret or ugly hat of some sort, and typing furiously on a tiny laptop.

I counted four of them today.
Four.

I took another sip from the steaming mug in front of me. Suddenly I heard my name.

"Cady? Oh my God, hi!" I put my coffee down and looked to see which infernal person had interrupted my people-watching. Valary Dibenedetto. Matt's current steady girlfriend. I blinked in a surprised way before smiling brightly and saying,

"Oh hey Val! How are you?" I kept my smile up and gestured to the seat across from me. She sat and took a sip from her own cup of whatever style coffee and asked,

"So how long have you been in town?" With the way Brian had apparently been talking about me recently, I'd have thought she'd known. Maybe Matt lied in an effort to make conversation.

"I just got in an hour ago..."

"Ah, I remember Brian babbling on and on about you coming back at some point, but to be honest we all started to tune him out after a while," I laughed appreciatively at the bombshell blonde in front of me. I'd always been incredibly jealous of her from the second I'd met her. She was so pretty, I'd found it hard to believe Matt had wanted to marry me instead of gorgeous-enough-to-be-a-supermodel woman. Well I guess now she got her man back...

"So are you and him officially a couple?" she wondered, keeping up her smile. Now, don't get me wrong, Val's a nice person, but I'd always thought she'd resented me the most within our circle of friends... and showed it plenty of times by giving me the cold shoulder or glaring when she thought I was looking the other way.

I shrugged.
"I dunno... I sort of had to leave before anything could happen... and I haven't seen Brian since." Not to mention this new ..or maybe old... development with Matt could complicate things. I took a large gulp of my coffee and started again, trying to keep the conversation going.

"How've things been here?" She flipped some of her hair out of her eyes and responded that they'd been good, but too boring.

"The guys are usually in the recording studio by day and the nights we just party or stay in."

"Yeah, sounds pretty predictable.." I think that'd be awesome.. But then again, I'd left before recording even began. Parties are always fun. The conversation died from there. I took another pull off my drink and opened my mouth to s-

"Are you glad to be back on this side of the country?" she said out of nowhere.

"Oh, fuck yes. New England and New York are way too cold.. that and I think I've made much better friends here than there. You've lived in California your entire life. I'm honestly a little jealous." And you're pretty and smart, and skinny, and tall, and you've known everyone longer, and you're a better people-person, you aren't crazy- She was smiling brightly again. Someone behind me?

"I think the person you were waiting for is here. See you around, Cate," She voiced, getting up from the seat and walking off in a bit of a hurry. Maybe she was just trying to be nice. I turned around to see who Val had been talking about... if anyone was there. I smiled so wide I thought my cheeks would pop off.

There was Brian, and by God, he was even more amazingly perfect than I remembered.