Coffee Break

The black limo pulled into the driveway of my grandmother’s brick ranch home. I stared at it, analyzing each brick. It didn’t look like I had pictured, but it was my new home. For that I was grateful. I was smart, but there are only so many jobs a sixteen-year-old could take that pay well. Jobs that I wouldn’t want to take.

I grabbed my book bag and my suitcase filled with my few belongings that didn’t remind me how awful a child I was. I knocked on the door 3 times, which was followed by footsteps coming from somewhere inside the house. A short, old woman with wrinkly skin opened the door. The skin around her eyes crinkled and she smiled widely at me.

“Hi, baby girl,” she opened her arms wide.

“Hi, mimi,” I smiled, walking into her small arms. They felt just like my mother’s the night she...

“So, school started today. But, I figured you probably didn’t want to go yet,” she stated.

“Actually, I’d love to go tomorrow,” I lied. I really just didn’t want to be the girl that started school a week later than everyone. If I only started a day later, it wouldn’t be as weird to have trouble finding my classes.

“Are you sure, baby?” She asked me with concern. “You can have a week to get adjusted.”

“No, mimi,” I sighed. “I just want to feel like a normal-ish girl for once. If I don’t start tomorrow, I have zero chance of making any friends.”

“Okay, baby. If that’s what you want,” she pursed her lips and walked back into the kitchen.

I followed her. Not because I wanted to, but because I had no idea where anything else was in the house.

“Where’s my room?” I asked quietly, feeling stupid.

“Down that hall, all the way at the end,” she pointed. I kissed her on the cheek and grabbed my bags, carrying them to my room and dropping them on the bed. I pulled on a fresh outfit and smiled. I felt better knowing my father couldn’t slap me and call me a slut anymore.

I grabbed my purse out of the largest duffel and walked quietly back into the kitchen.

“Mimi, I’m going out,” I stated.

She turned and cocked her head to the side. “Where?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I just want to get a feel for this town.”

“Okay,” she sighed. “Be back before dinner.”

I grinned and left, walking down the sidewalk into a foreign town. It was small, but there were a few shops along main street. I danced through the locals, into a Starbucks. My grin got even wider when I realized there was no line. I had only been to Starbucks a few times when we went into the city, but there was always a line.

“I’ll have a java chip frappuccino,” I smiled at the barista.

“Comin’ right up, cutie,” he winked.

The barista handed me my cup and I became slightly confused. “Don’t I need to pay you?”

“No, ma’am. A lady shouldn’t have to buy her own drinks,” he gave me a charming smirk. “Are you new around here?”

“Actually, I am,” I giggled. “I’ve been here for a total of ten minutes and I already have guys buying me drinks.”

“Well, I’ll get you a drink all you want, sweetheart. Only if you call this number, though,” he winked, scribbling his number on the back of my receipt.

“Deal,” I winked, taking the receipt and my cup and leaving. I walked around main street a little longer, but there wasn’t much to see.

I decided to head back home for dinner, and walked back the way I came. As I passed our neighbor’s house, I saw a blonde head with their back turned to me sitting on the front lawn. I sensed they were sad and padded through the soft grass to sit down next to them.

“Hi,” I smiled. “What’s your name?”

“I-I’m Kyle,” he stuttered, shocked by my sudden appearance. “Who are you?”

“I don’t exactly have a name,” I shrugged.

“You don’t have a name?” He furrowed his eyebrows.

“Well, I used to. But I’m not myself anymore. So, it seems fitting to find a new name. Why would I want to be the old me when I’m not?”

“You’re right. How about I call you... Autumn?” He asked.

“I love it. Why Autumn, though?” I smiled

“You taste like apples,” he shrugged.

“How do I taste like apples?” I asked, intrigued.

He shrugged again. “I don’t know. You just do.”

I smiled and got up. “Okay. Well, I’ll see you at school, Kyle. Goodbye.”

“Bye, Autumn.”

I skipped back to my house and danced in through the front door.

“Oh, good, Mary. You’re back,” my grandma called from the kitchen.

“I’m not Mary, mimi. I’m Autumn,” I stated.

She smiled. “Okay. Good, AUTUMN. You’re back.”

“Thanks, mimi,” I kissed her cheek, and sat on the counter by where she was stirring soup.

After a moment of comfortable silence, she asked, “Why Autumn?”

“Because Kyle says I taste like apples,” I shrugged.

She gave me a weird look. “Alright then... Well, AUTUMN, dinner’s ready.”