//------------------------------//
// Coffee Stem 
// Story: The New Kid 
// by GodOfBBQ 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3


Coffee Stem


You walk down the street, taking in all the sights of the city. The small liquor store with the Arabian cashier you've known since middle school. He always has an energy drink waiting for you everyday you visit his shop. 

The luxurious, yet quaint little restaurant that old folk and the rich people of the town visit on occasion. You always wondered what was inside that restaurant. You took many opportunities to look inside the windows to find love seats and cushioned chairs inside as the seating. It had a Fall decoration design to it, it looked very warm and cozy to enjoy a meal in.

Right in front of the restaurant, was your bus stop. You've waited for the bus at this spot ever since the seventh grade. During that time, you've made many friends. A homeless man nicknamed, Florida Bo. He states that he's from Florida and when he gets enough money, he'll be on the next bus back to Florida.

Then there was Coffee Stem. She was a very good friend of yours by the first day of meeting her. She worked in the coffee shop just down the street, she took the bus home whenever she had to work. She was a very good friend of yours by the first day of meeting her. She worked in the coffee shop just down the street, she took the bus home whenever she had to work. You two were practically identical in every way, you two agreed on almost everything, shared the same political views, and religious views.

She was like that sibling you've always wanted, but never got. 

As you sit down, you pull out your phone and you do the daily routine of calling your mother after school was over. You select a contact in your phone and you hear ringing.

The ringing from the phone continues before you hear the voice of your mother answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mom. How are you?” You ask.

“I’m fine, but I’d like to know about this fight you got in.” She says sternly.

“Yeah… I got in a fight. I-” You were interrupted.

“D’ja kick her ass?” This surprised you, you would've thought she would go crazy or something.

“Yeah… Sure, yeah I did.” You answer.

“Did you apologize for hitting a girl?” She asks.

“Uh… I don’t think so, maybe?” You offer. 

“...Good enough. Hurry home baby, I love you.” She replies. You blink, and say your goodbyes and love yous. You terminate the call and you slip the phone into your back pocket. As you take a seat on the bus bench, you hear a familiar voice.

“Hey! Anon!” You turn your head back to see Coffee Stem walking towards you with a smile on her face and her work bag around her shoulder.

“Oh, hey Coffee. It’s been a while since I've seen you. How’ve you been?” You ask.

“Well… I got a raise! My boss finally gave me my raise!” She says excitingly.

You simply nod and look away solemnly. She notices your melancholic attitude and she sits down next to you. She pats your shoulder and rubs your back. She’s 4-5 years older than you, but she wasn't a pedophile or anything.

“Well…” You begin to explain.

“There’s this girl... “ You weren't given the chance to explain any further.

“Aww. Lil’ Anon’s gotta crush!” She says giving you the bright puppy eyes she seems to be very talented at giving.

“No! Far from it. She and I got into a fight and Principle Celestia called my mom and lowered Gilda’s grade.” You reassure. You get an awkward, silent reaction from Coffee. On an attempt to break the silence, you continue the sentence.

“She seems to be an… Antagonist. I don’t understand why she’s targeted me specifically… Okay, well my theory is she’s just a bully in general. I was probably just caught in the wrong place, at the wrong time. In short, she and I got into a fight and some emotions from her were revealed. Especially when she talked about me receiving love from my parents.”

“So what? You’re gonna use that weakness against her and hopefully defeat her so that she’ll be out of your way?” Coffee asks.

“Almost. I want to, but I can’t. She seemed really hurt when her grade was taken down a notch, then she choked up when she talked about my relationship with my parents. I can’t just hurt her anymore, I practically already humiliated her during the fight by almost breaking her nose, and punching her in the boob-”

“You punched the girl in the tit!?” Coffee asked obviously having uncomfortable flashbacks about some sort of pain. She hugs her breasts closer to her as she continues to listen.

“Yes, I punched her in the left breast. She was obviously pleasured by the act but that’s not important. Now, if I were to attack her emotionally with that weakness, that would make me more of the antagonist. I left my school so I could literally escape that! I don’t want to sink down to her level.” You finish your lecture, surprisingly, as you finish the bus arrives right on cue.

“Here, lets talk about this when we get on the bus.” Coffee says as she gets up.


~***~


“And that’s why- Oh, this is my stop Coffee, see you tomorrow.” You say as you get up from your seat.

“See ya Anon. I have tomorrow off, so let me know if you get into any trouble. I’ll pick you up early OK? I’m pretty sure your mom put me on the pickup list.” Coffee said putting her bag on the seat you previously sat in.

“Alright, thanks Coffee Stem, see ya later.” You say with a simple wave of the hand as you get off the bus.

When you get off the bus, you walk towards the crosswalk as you watch the bus you were just on drive down the road. Once the bus is out of view, the crosswalk signals for you to cross the road. Once on the other side, all you want to do now is get home.


~***~


You step inside your home, you notice that the living room TV is off. I signal that could mean you're home alone. As you make your way through the living room and the hallway that led to your room, you know for sure that you’re home alone. The TV in your parent’s room isn't on, leaving the whole house silent.

Your room is in the very back of the home, you live in an apartment on the top floor. This made the living space small, yet roomy in it’s own right. Your room is dark, on account of the blinds closed. As you let your backpack drop to the floor, you slump down onto the bed.

‘My god. What a day, I just hope tomorrow will be different. But with my luck, freaking “Magic Sirens” or something will attack. Almost makes me laugh at the fact that my mother thought a school that was just recently attacked by a giant demon from hell would be safer than kids with knives and drugs.’

As you finish the thought, you feel your eyelids getting heavy. You’re falling asleep.

‘Oh, I’m about to sleep, I can really use some shuteye...’

As you feel yourself succumbing to sleep, a single thought occurs making you spring back up.

“Damn! Forgot the dishes!” You shout as you rush towards the kitchen to accomplish your chore.