Blend---Early+Draft

Jordyn breezed in to the scent of dark coffee grounds laced with sweet herbal teas It was her fourth time frequenting the Coffeehound this week. Caffine gave her just enough of a fix to trick her mind into forgetting. College. Papers. Roommates. Coffee had a way of grinding all other elements of her life down to one simple cup.

She tossed her bag down on a chair, placing her laptop on the table. Grabbing her wallet, she stole a glance at the display case filled with raspberry scones, chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon crunch muffins—none of which she could currently afford.

There was a short line already in place at the register. From the looks of it, a student and a professor. She recognized the professor from the English department, poetry if she remembered correctly, but she had never taken any of his classes.

Jordyn's eye began to wander, momentarily focusing on the bright green walls. Fast typing fingers and guitar strings trailing from the muffled speakers intertwined into an effortless rhythm. The aggressive coffee grinder worked its way into the background noise as the professor finished his order.

He was working today. Blonde mess of hair and an old Beatles hoodie as his current work uniform, she couldn't help but smile. Theirs was a relationship based on a blend of coffee consumption and minor conversations, which gave just enough intrigue without the time-consuming commitment.

“Hey,” he smiled.

Jordyn looked up, realizing it was her turn to order. “Hey Ben.”

He grabbed a mug from under the coffee machine while simaltaneously punching buttons on the register. “For here right?”

Jordyn watched as “$1.81” came up on the customer screen, already pushing two dollars across the counter. “Yep.”

Ben ignored the two dollars, glancing at the machine. “What kind do you want today?”

“What's the one you gave me yesterday?”

He seriously contemplated this for a moment. “Uhhh...Ethopian, I think. But we only have Columbian or House today.”

“Whichever.”

He nodded, filling her mug with House. “You'll like this one more, it's a little darker, easy flavor to it.”

She smiled, taking a sip as he rang her up. He was right. His fingertips grazed her palm as he handed Jordyn her change, which she immediately dropped into the tips jar.

Ben ran his hands through his har, making a sound somewhere between a grunt and a groan. Jordyn attempted to hold back a laugh, failing miserably.

“Coffee not waking you up?”

Ben shook his head, a slight smirk playing across his lips. “Naw, I drank on a work night...I would say I'm never doing it again, but I'd be lying.”

Jordyn was about to respond, but was interrupted by a pointed cough behind her. She glanced around, noticing a woman at least a foot shorter than her currently tapping her foot and eying Ben.

“I think I'm holding up the line...have fun working with a hangover.”

“Thanks,” Ben smiled, sliding a napkin across the counter. “Don't forget your napkin.”

Jordyn smiled, placing the napkin under the heavy mug, immediately feeling the coffee ring soaking through the thin fibers. She settled into her chair, propping her legs up on the empty seat across from her. Her laptop took about five minutes to just get started, so she distracted herself with another sip of coffee.

The dark brown coffee ring was bordering another dark smudge on the napkin. She brought it closer to her glasses, the smudge clearing into focused letters and numbers.

//Ben (309) 555-3684.//