Take It All Away

Ever since I was a teenager, I lived in a small hotel on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. It was cheaper than an apartment and was right across the street from my workplace, anyway. I was a barista at a small coffee shop and enjoyed working there, despite what my family had to say about it. I moved out when I was 18, as close to the legal age as possible, to get away from my overbearing mother and weak, submissive father.

He started staying at the hotel about a month ago. For the first few nights, he brought a different girl each time. I don’t know why, but it entertained me greatly. Probably because they didn’t last through the night. They would leave almost ten minutes after arriving, looking severely disappointed. He would wait for an hour until joining me in the lobby, phone in one hand and a bottle of Jack in the other, though I never saw him drink from it.

I spent the evenings with a hot cup of tea, willing my insomnia to go away for at least one night. It never seemed to, though.

We didn’t start talking until another month passed.

“Do you live here or something?”

I looked up from my book. I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t attractive. He was tall with dark brown hair swept to one side. His confused eyes were dark brown as well. While he waited for me to answer, he sat on the couch across from me with his normal bottle of Jack and phone.

“Yes, I do,” I answered and returned to my book.

“Why?”

I shrugged. “It’s cheaper than anywhere else. What about you? You’ve been here for over a month.”

He shrugged, too. “I’m on break from touring and wanted somewhere quiet.” I snorted, remembering his first week. He seemed to realize what I was thinking and rubbed his neck blushing. “I’m not very good with women.”

“It’s none of my business.” I looked back at my book but I couldn’t concentrate now that we were talking. “And what about the alcohol?”

He looked confused for a second until I nodded at the bottle. “Oh. I don’t really drink. I just bring it out of habit.”

“So you’re a musician?”

His jaw dropped. “You seriously don’t know who I am?”

I arched a brow. “Should I? Don’t take it personally. I don’t listen to much mainstream music.”

He studied me for a second before saying, “My name is Adam. What’s yours?”

“Violet,” I said, cringing.

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s too extravagant for me. I’m not a very extravagant person.”

“I wouldn’t agree,” he mused. “What’s in the mug?”

“Decaf tea,” I answered, taking a sip. “I keep hoping it’ll help me sleep but it never does.”

“You have insomnia, too?”

“Yep,” I said simply and went back to my book, hoping he’d take the hint.

He did and unlocked his phone, both of us falling quiet. My phone went off around six and I sighed.

“Another sleepless night,” I muttered in disappointment. “Well, see you around, Adam.”

He waved as I went back to my room to get ready for work.

-

My coworker, Gina, looked at me in sympathy when I walked in an hour later.

“No luck last night?”

“Nope,” I said while tying my apron around my thin waist. I pulled my blue, shoulder blade length hair back in a ponytail and put on the corny black baseball cap we had to wear. “What do you need me to do this morning?”

She handed me an iced mocha. “Just prep work. Mark made the pastries yesterday after you left.”

I clicked my tongue. “Well, that’s just rude.”

Making pastries was my specialty.

Gina laughed, rolling the blinds up and flipping on the open sign. “I warned him not to but he insisted. You know how he feels about you.”

I made a face, pulling a croissant out of the display case and heating it up. “That man can’t take a hint, can he?”

“Just go on one date with him. Maybe you’ll find you like him. That or you’ll get laid.”

I didn’t answer and took a bite of my breakfast. Gina and I had been friends since college but she didn’t know I was still a virgin. Then again, she never really asked, either. I had decided to let her think what she would.

The morning was busy as usual. Commuters from the suburbs making their way into the city for work always stopped by for their morning coffee, some even saying we were better than Starbucks. The shop, Holy Ground, was run by a man named Jack but he was never here. He left the day to day operations up to me. The name was a play on the Catholic school he went to as a boy and he still laughed occasionally when people brought it up.

“Oh my God,” Gina breathed.

It was after lunch and we were behind the counter. The crowd had died out and there were only a few stragglers left behind. It was mostly an older crowd, reading newspapers and chewing on donuts or the small sandwiches we offered. I was resting my elbows on the counter, my eyes closed wearily.

“I might leave early,” I said, ignoring her pushing on my arm.

“You have to see who is walking in,” she insisted but stopped when the bell over the door rang.

I opened my eyes. Adam, his phone out of his pocket and in his hand as usual, came up to the counter.

“Can I get a grande caramel latte, please?” he asked, not looking up.

“With or without the Jack?”

He looked up and smiled. “Violet. I didn’t know you worked here.” He looked out the window where the hotel was. “I guess you’re conveniently placed.”

I nodded, starting to make the latte, while Gina stood dumbly beside me. I kicked her. Adam was holding out his card to pay and she made a strange spluttering sound before accepting it. Figuring she was just struck by his looks, I put the lid on the cup and handed it over.

Before he left, he turned and smiled at me.

“See you later,” he said and headed out, looking at his phone as he did so.

Gina rounded on me as soon as the door closed.

“How do you know him?” she demanded and I took a step back.

“Dude, chill,” I said, holding up my hands. “He stays at the hotel. What’s the deal?”

“Do you know who that is?” she whispered, staring at the door with wide eyes.

“His name is Adam,” I shrugged, wiping down the counter.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “No, stupid; that’s Adam Young.” She shook her head at my blank expression. “Owl City, moron!”

I dropped the rag and looked out the window. “You’re joking.”