Alina sitting behind the cafe counter, her chin slightly raised, trying to look like the kind of woman who spend her whole life making coffees and managing all kinds of cafe's and bars, The kind of woman who knew the difference between a latte and a cappuccino, who could casually spell macchiato without Googling it first. Unfortunately, she was not that woman.
Forget that she doesn't even know how to grill her sandwich. In fact, Alina didn't even know the *C of coffee. Literally. She had once spelled cappuccino as *capichino on a grocery list, and Maya had laughed for two full minutes and the bunch of people who was in the line laugh at her. even though she try to forget that incident but thanks to her friend who keep reminding her by sending her a coffee emoji as daily bullying.
After that incident how can Maya expect her to handle a whole cafe on her own. But here she was. In charge of an actual cafe. Technically babysitting it. Maya had disappeared after a very dramatic, ''I HAVE TO GO'' and then just ran away leaving Alina in a war with only a gun. a Gun who's weight she cannot lift.
For the next hour, Alina drifted from corner to corner, pretending she belonged there. She picked up abandoned cups, checking the size, colours of cups. straightened chairs, offered nervous smiles. Slowly, she began to notice small details she hadn't before like the rhythm of the cafe
The way customers lingered, how the music was always soft enough to encourage conversations, how the scent of baking carried. And in those details, she began to understand, Maya hadn't asked her to run the cafe. She had asked her to feel it. To see it as more than just tables and coffee beans.
After roaming here and there she started to feel bored then real chaos began when she decides to learn about coffee.
Just as she began to motivate herself that she can do it without bursting the whole cafe, a teenager came up to the counter. to pour fuel into the fire
''One caramel latte, please''
she froze.
The coffee machine hissed as if mocking her, Its okay People drink this stuff every day, it can't be that terrifying, she told herself. Its just a coffee what a big deal about it, all i just need is GOOGLE
But in instant she remember how she just want to make pancake, but somehow managed to declare war on the entire kitchen
No! I can't ! and why should i make a coffee for someone am i a servant ?
Maya didn't say anything about actually making coffee. she just said.... look after the place
That's not my business, she told to herself. she opened her mouth to explain but....
Then he came the interrogation. - RISHI
Rishi tall, serious-faced, and always there to doubt the whole mankind in the world. who always screamed I actually know how to do my job stood with his arms crossed. Behind me
"So," he said, voice full of suspicion, "do you even know how to make a caramel latte?"
"Of course I do," Alina lied, giving him her best fake-manager smile. "It's child's play."
"Really?" He leaned forward. "Then tell me—milk first or espresso first?"
Her brain did mental gymnastics. Milk? Coffee? Which came first. she remember the famous who came first the chicken or the egg? She blurted, "Together! At the same time!" By saying that she laughed aloud
Rishi raised an eyebrow.
What i have done now ? just a little joke, why is he behaving such a way .raising his eyebrow so high it can reach the ceiling fan. she murmured
"Uh-huh," he said. "And where's the sugar?"
Not again.
She gave a casual shrug. "Oh, sugar? That's… a secret."
"You don't know where it is, don't you?"
"Of course I do!" She flashed him a confident grin. "It's… somewhere.... she thought for a second ansd said
''don't waste it on me if you doubt on me why don't you make it yourself
she lean more and said ''otherwise cash will go away'' by saying that she sat down on the chair
Later, when Rishi wasn't looking, Alina decided to redeem herself. She pulled out her phone, Googled "How to make coffee like Starbucks easy no fail", and started reading step by step procedure
She tried to do everything that was written in the Blog, she had so much confident on what she was doing for a moment she believed it will taste sweet
"This," she whispered proudly, staring at the steaming cup in her hand, "is going to taste like heaven."
Perfect now its my turn to taste the sweetness of my hard work
She took a sip.
And instantly made twenty different faces of pure horror one after another.
Her tongue screamed.
Her soul wept.
Her stomach threatened
"EWU! How do people even like coffee?!" she gagged. Without hesitation, she hurled the entire cup into the sink like it was radioactive waste.
Unfortunately, someone was there to witness her crime
"What are you doing??!!"
Alina spin around. Rishi stood there, eyes wide in disbelief. what he just witness. "Throwing the coffee," she admitted shamelessly.
"You what?!" His voice cracked like an angry mom catching her child breaking a vase. "Do you even know how expensive coffee beans are?!"
"They're just beans!" ''Tiny little beans'' Alina argued. "How costly can beans be?!"
"They're not rajma!" Rishi shouted. "They're imported!"
"Okay, relax, Mr. Coffee Wikipedia," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Rishi marched over and snatched the cup remnants from her hand. "Let me see." He sniffed, then nodded knowingly. "As I suspected. Awful. Because this is a black Americano. Of course it's going to be bitter!"
Alina blinked. "But that guy ordered the same thing. Look" she pointed at a customer, happily sipping away "he isn't making faces. He's enjoying it! So I thought it would be good and I tried it too."
"You…" Rishi pressed his temples. ''you're the dictionary definition of clueless''
"It's fine!" she said cheerfully. "Totally fine!"
"Hello, it's not fine!" Rishi snapped. "Look at this mess! Coffee powder everywhere, milk splattered on the counter what do you think this is? A painting competition?!"
"Now it's your turn to clean up."
"Excuse me?" She glared.
"Hello! I'm not here to be a cleaning beauty," Alina said proudly. "I'm the manager here."
"Manager??!!" Rishi repeated, laughing so loudly a customer turned to look
"Yes," she said with a confident pose, chest puffed like a pigeon.
" I am the Manager " she declared.
"Really?" Rishi smirked. " If you're manager then you must know the duties of manager, then tell me… what are the duties of a manager?"
Her brain went blank.
Duties?
like HR?
was she supposed to say something about team building and vision statements?
"Uh… hmm…" she tapped her chin dramatically. "Well, there are many. Too many. I'm just… counting."
"Counting?" Rishi tilted his head, clearly enjoying this. "If you're struggling, why don't you just tell me five? That should be easy, right, Mrs. Manager "
Her lips opened and closed like a fish. She was about to bluff something then.....
"Excuse me, one iced latte please," a customer interrupted.
Alina lit up. "Yes! Great, I'll make it!"
But Rishi lunged like a secret agent blocking a bomb. "Wait! Stop right there! If you make a coffee, we might lose all our customers in a single day."
Alina gasped, scandalized. "Wow. The audacity. Do you know what? I'm not even interested." Tossing her hair, she strutted away from the counter.
She move from there, picking up the notepad and heading to the tables to take orders. Her heart raced with every step light yet clumsy, as if her body was screaming I don't belong here
But she didn't notice him.
Rishi's eyes were fixed on her every move. The way she walked, the way she avoided eye contact . it was all too… suspicious.
He leaned against the wall, half-hidden, peeking from the espresso machine, and slowly pulled out his tiny pocket diary scribbling in it as if he were a soldier on the battlefield. Each stroke of the pen sounded like evidence sealing her fate.
he whispered dramatically, clicking his pen ''walks like she's avoiding landmines''
Note 8: Subject restless. Walks like she's carrying the weight of a secret.
Then—
Tap. Tap.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
"AHHHH!" he shouted, nearly dropping his pen.
It was Maya. She narrowed her eyes. "What on earth are you doing, Rishi?''
He fumbled, trying to hide the diary, but it was too late.' 'Investigating…. I mean, um…. noting inventory?''
Maya raised an eyebrow, then spotted the notebook. With one swift motion, she snatched it from his grip. her eyes darted over the words, her lips parting in disbelief.
''She spill the beans?'' Maya read aloud. ''She wears her bracelet on the right hand? her bag is black''
Her voice got louder with every sentence until she practically shouted ''RISHIII''
Rishi flinched, covering his ears. "Boss! Listen, I can explain! She doesn't know anything She looks more like… an impostor! I'm telling you, something is fishy."
Before Maya could respond, Alina walked over, panting slightly from moving between tables.
''I'm tired,'' Alina said with a low voice, hugging her friend putting chin on her shoulder
come. Sit there, I'll bring you a hot chocolate." She practically shoved Alina toward a seat. "Rishi, make a coffee. Now."
"But, boss, I really need to—"
"Shut. Up." Maya growled.
Rishi groaned, muttering to himself while grinding beans. "Mark my words, one day you'll thank me when this whole secret-agent-truth-bomb explodes…"