Chapter One:
Day One:
"A black coffee and biscuits for table 19!" she screamed, as she stepped behind the counter of her store, Coffee Corner. While she waited for one of her friends, Naintara, to get the order ready, she turned around, staring at the almost empty store she had in front of her. Just a dwindling few customers remained, after an extremely busy day, serving hundreds of people their coffee.
Her little street corner coffee store was always busy on Friday nights, and tonight had been no exception. After a long week at work, people always loved to come to her store, to wind down and relax for their upcoming weekends. A little place that she had been managing for about a year now, Coffee Corner had become her life.
The sudden ringing of the little bell hanging on the door disturbed her from her train of thoughts. She looked up from behind the counter to see a grim faced man entering, dressed in complete business attire, as he seemed to be shouting away into the phone. Needless to say, he looked quite out of place in his formal clothes at her little corner coffee shop.
He took a seat by the corner of the restaurant by the window, away from where everyone else was sitting, and the farthest table from the counter up front.
As she slowly made her way towards this new customer, she took the time to take in his appearance. His sharp accentuated features, the dark piercing eyes which seemed to look right through her, sending chills down her spine, the rugged bearded look, his mouth set in a grimace. She sure wasn't used to customers this serious!
"Good evening Sir, Here's the menu! I'll be back soon to take your order" she said cheerily, placing the menu before him and turning away. No matter how different this customer, she would be her usual bubbly self. Nothing was going to change that. However, she definitely noticed how he seemed to have an air of sadness, of negativity surrounding him. His eyes, so easily readable, seemed distant and far away, while his eyebrows were furrowed in anger.
And so, by instinct, she turned around to face him once again.
"Sir?" she called out hesitantly. Still not looking up, he barked at her. "What? You can't possibly expect me to tell you my order already."
Refusing to react to his anger, she continued "Sir, I just wanted to let you know of our special for the day, the Himalayan Iced Coffee, made with special coffee beans, and well it's very popular" she smiled, her face still extremely composed.
Sadly though, none of her happiness seemed to rub off on him, as he just continued to glare at her with an annoyed look. "Did I even ask you for any recommendations…" glancing down at her nametag "Miss Geet? No, right? So please, don't recommend anything. I'll have one black coffee" he continued, without even bothering to open the menu that still lay closed in front of him.
Geet was just stunned at his rudeness, it was beyond excuse! But still, he was the customer, and so she had to remain respectful and not retort back, even though she was losing her patience with this man, with each passing second.
Plastering an artificial smile on her face, "Anything else ….Sir?"
"No." he responded gruffly, before turning away to face the window, dismissing her.
Geet headed into the back kitchen, needed to take sme deep breaths and come herself down. The minute she heard the kitchen door close behind her, she started screaming "That arrogant man? Who does he think he is? Just being so rude and impolite? Humph. He's in this shop as my customer, but think he owns the place. Stupid, Idiot, Moron…" and continuing this list of taunts, Geet scrambled around the kitchen, getting the coffee ready.
"Geet? You ok?" came the voice of another woman, who was working away in the kitchen. "Who's this customer that seems to be driving you up the wall?"
"Oh my god Naintara! I didn't think you were still here. I thought you'd already left, but there's some guy, some businessman I think who's just ughh" screamed Geet, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation before continuing to make the coffee.
Naintara just stood there, amused at her friend's disheveled state, trying to suppress her laugh. "You sure you don't want me to close up tonight? You look like you need to head home."
Geet just brushed her friend away "Naintara, don't worry at all. I'll take care of this khadoos person and then close shop. You can go home and crash for the weekend" Geet smiled at her friend, while pouring the coffee into a nice cup and heading out the kitchen. "Bye Naintara! See ya soon girl!"
"Sigh. Round two with Mr. Khadoos." Geet muttered to herself, as she stepped out of the kitchen, only to find the entire coffee store empty except for the one brooding man sitting in the far corner of the store.
"Sir, your coffee" she smiled, placing the cup before him.
"Thanks" he mumbled.