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Tommy always drew everyone"s attention and most of the times it wasn"t on purpose. It just happened that way. He was always the tallest one in the room - of course he could slouch down, but if he was doing this, his back was hurting afterwards, it meant that others needed to reach up to him. He spoke loudly and always laughed out loud at even the most lousy joke. His unique sense of style, which a kind soul would probably call avant-garde definitely attracted people"s gazes. Despite all of that, his manager still couldn"t remember his name. Tommy should perhaps ask himself why would he bother remembering name of a busboy?
"Hey, you! with pigtails! Tables are not going to clean themselves! Hurry up!"
Tommy grinded his teeth, and went to one of the tables, where a lovely family of four has been just sitting. Father of the family thoroughly enjoyed a fish soup seasoned with a hearty and delicious loogie from Tommy himself.
"That"s what you get if you can"t keep your dirty hands to yourself when talking to a waitress" Tommy proclaimed to Nadia"s cheers before doing so.
Their two little brats were regular kids, who seemed to be on adderall, and mother, whose antidepressants had stopped working, was done with all of them long .time ago.
Tommy, frankly speaking, couldn"t care less about this stupid family, because a person who he was waiting for was late for fifteen minutes.
Medium-sized cappuccino, almond milk, no sugar. Donut. Which flavor would it be today? Tommy kept himself guessing, while cleaning up the tables.
This was their regular client, kind, friendly and polite with everyone, including Tommy. He was an exchange student, studying....something.
He was a head shorter than Tommy, jet-black hair cut in a ridiculous style, always wearing oversized hoodie and baggie jeans. He wasn"t Tommy"s type at all. Big round icy blue eyes, long dark eyelashes, the most expressive eyebrows, and a straight sharp nose, the tip of which Tommy sometimes wanted to bite. Every damn time he looked at it.
Why was he late? What if he got sick? Tommy could bring him warm chicken soup, if only he had the address.
The bells above the doorway rang, announcing his arrival. Tommy was wiping a table, but he didn"t need to look up to know that it was him. It wasn"t just that he was the only one stomping so loudly, but the atmosphere itself suddenly became warmer. Tommy couldn"t help and wave to him. Fuck. He noticed and approached Tommy, who slouched a bit so as not to look like a complete giant in comparison to him. He smiled, but were his eyes teary? Who hurt him?
"Hi, Tommy! How are you doing?" the fact that he remembered Tomas" name and his accent were not endearing at all.
"Hi, Jere! Nice to meet you. I"m doing well. How are you?"
Normal people would exchange the usual pleasantries, and get back to their businesses, but for Jere it was an invitation to pour his soul.
"Very bad. My boyfriend not answer me. I not know what think. I afraid he tires of me and want dump me".
Tommy remained silent, digesting the information he had received. It"s his chance.
"I think, I deserve a break. Let"s sit over there. I"ll bring us some coffee, and we can talk," Tommy suggested and the next moment he wished to sink into the ground for shame. Jere raised his eyebrows comically high:
"You want listen my whines on my love life?"
"Well, I have no love. Frankly speaking, with this tedious job I have no life. So, I"m invested in yours"
"If you say so. But I pay for our coffee. For me..."
"Medium-sized cappuccino, almond milk, no sugar. And donut?"
"Yes!" Jere smiled, exposing his canines, little sunrays gathering in eye corners. "And I want eat raspberry donut today. Get something to yourself, too"
"Yes, sir! will be back in five minutes!"
Jere"s laughter continued to echo in his chest as Tommy stood over the poor barista, waiting for their coffee.
They were sitting in cozy chairs, drinking their coffees - Cappuccino for Jere, Americano for Tommy - talking to each other. It felt almost like a date, if they weren"t talking about Jere"s boyfriend.
"... I not know what I do wrong, but he not answer me for two days. I can be clingy. I afraid he get tired with me..." Jere sighed and sipped from a ceramic cup, Tommy smiled sympathetically. He"s already been threatened with being fired twice in the last half hour. Fuck them. Jere was more important.
"If your, what"s his name? Bojan dumps you, then you must know two things. One. he is the biggest idiot in the world. Two: then I gonna be your boyfriend. Why are you laughing? Am I not attractive?" Tommy asked in a thin, offended voice.
"You very handsome smart man! Why you need scrawny silli guy like me?"
"Don"t talk about yourself like that. Which of us is studying at university and which one is working as an errand boy?"
"No. You don"t talk this about you. You very smart, very handsome, have many talent"
Tommy scoffed, but Jere continued,
"Yes. I talk serious. Why you laugh? Nadia say me you sing and play piano"
"I haven"t been playing for ages, and I sing awfully"
"I not believe you. I..." Jere"s gaze suddenly dropped on his phone. "Sorri. I must answer. Hello. Jere speaking. Who is it? Bojan? My Bojan! Hi! Why you not call me? What you mean you lost your phone?... I thought... no matter"
Tommy could only dream of someone saying his name with such tenderness and love in their voice.
Tommy had no desire to eavesdrop on someone else"s conversation, so he stood up.
"Imagine, my Bojan lost his phone! And I thought he don"t love me more," Jere whispered ecstatically, Tommy couldn"t help but smile. He needed to say something, and he managed to croak
"Happy for you, man. happy for you"
Jere smiled even wider, nodded, all his attention to his Bojan now.
Tomas awkwardly retreated, wishing for the first time in his life being as unnoticeable as possible. Nadia looked at him concerned, manager was yelling at him. Tommy didn"t care as suddenly something got stuck in both of his eyes, and his mouth got very dry. How weird.