Caffeine and Alcohol

2 - Dexter

Dexter

"Dexter! Open up the door or I'll knock it down!" someone shouted behind the door of my apartment. Probably my best friend, Lian. I took my phone from the bedside table and looked at the time.

9 AM. I swear, Lian is such a drag.

"Wait, I'll just put on my pants," I shouted back, taking some shorts on my cabinet and wore it.

I opened the door to see Lian, hands on her waist. Geez, why can't she learn how to wait.

"What are you doing here at such an early time?" I asked, preparing to brew my coffee. "Before you answer that, let me have my coffee."

Then I remember the barista from last night, such a nice guy. Too nice for my liking. But he was such a good person to accompany me for the night. I mean who does that?

"Hey Dex, you've been staring at your coffee for a while now," Lian woke me up to reality. I took a sip of my coffee and sat next to Lian on my sofa.

"So Lillian, what brings you here?" I said, teasing her by mentioning her first name. For some unknown reason, she doesn't like using her first name, especially when I say it.

"Shut it, you know what I'm here about," she said, arms crossing. I looked at her, pretending I don't know what she's talking about.

"I don't?"

"Your talk with your ex! For God's sake Dex, you haven't replied to any of my texts since yesterday, I was actually worried," she admitted, in which I gave her a teasing smile.

"Just admit that you want some gossip," I said, and she rolled her eyes at me.

"So, you're really not going to tell, huh?" she said as she prepared to stand up. I grab her by the wrist and laughed.

"Alright, alright, geez you really can't take a joke."

"For someone who talked to his ex, you're sure in a good mood," she said. I then wondered why I am in a good mood. Probably just woke up on the right side of the bed.

"Anyway, the devil talked to me, and somehow I was hoping for closure, I mean I loved him, Lian," I said, taking an interest on my coffee. "I mean, I thought I was going to get the closure I've always wanted, but I just received more questions than before."

"What do you mean," she asked, looking straight into my eyes. I placed the mug on the center table and smiled bitterly.

"He was cheating on me," I answered shortly.

"What the­-" she didn't get to finish her sentence because I continued what I was going to say.

"While we were still together, he was already loving someone else. He even told me that he fell out of love for me because I lost time for him."

"How dare he blame it on you," Lian angrily said. I knew that she was going to be fuming the moment I'll tell it to her. I mean that's what best friends are for, right?

"The guy he met was supposed to arrive with him, so I stormed off because I can't bear to see the man I was in love be with the person he cheated me with," I told her, looking at my ceiling.

"God, the nerve," she irritatingly said. She stood up, paced back and forth then looked at me. "Why are you taking this so calmly?"

"I already talked to someone about it last night," I admitted, and she raised her brow. She sat down again.

"Do tell Dexter, what do you mean by you talked to someone last night?"

"He's a barista at Café Louvre, I mean I was drunk and was not sure of my decisions so why not talk to someone who doesn't know me at all?" I said, looking at her and she was shocked.

"You? Dexter? Talked to a stranger last night? That's new, you hate talking to strangers," she said, and that's when it hit me that I really don't like it when I talk to strangers.

"I told you, I was drunk!" I made up an excuse and she just looked at me with an unbelieving look.

"So, what happened after your talk with this barista?"

"I somehow felt relieved?"

"Why aren't you sure?" she asked. She sure asks a lot of question.

"What's with the interrogation?" I asked this time.

"Just answer!" She smacked my shoulder, which I groaned because she hits hard.

"Well duh, because even if I talked to someone about it, there's still pain here," I said, pointing at my chest.

"That's it Dex, get dressed, I'm getting you out of this apartment," she said standing up and going to my wardrobe.

"Whatever, just pick some clothes for me, but where are we going?"

"Café Louvre, of course, you're going to properly say thank you to this barista, who you ranted onto all night," she said, like it's a matter of fact.

"Fine, you're the boss," I said, standing up and grabbing the clothes that she took for me before taking a shower.

~*~

We arrived at Café Louvre and just our luck, Riley isn't working at that time.

"You're stupid, you know," I told Lian. She looked at me with a raised brow.

"And why is that?"

"You dragged me out here, when you know I talked to him at midnight, meaning his shift is over," I stated as a matter of fact.

"Why did you come with me? You wanted to see him again, huh?" she said, smiling teasingly.

"What are you going on about Lian?" I asked her as we took a sit.

"I think you're somehow attracted to-" she stopped, probably waiting for me to say his name.

"Riley."

"Riley, and that's why you talked to him, and not because you're drunk," she said, in which she received a strange look from me.

"You're crazy you know that, why would I be attracted to a stranger?"

"Just a hunch," she said, fishing out her phone. "So anyway, aren't you going to order something?"

"Whatever, what do you want?"

"Whatever your order is," she said, focusing on her phone. I rolled my eyes and went to the counter.

I was surprise at the barista manning the counter. He looked like Riley, but maybe it's just me thinking that.

"Hello, welcome to Café Louvre, what would you like to order?" the guy asked for my order.

I told him my order and just as I was about to return to our table, I decided to just do it.

"Oh hey, I'm sorry but do you know what time Riley's shift is?"