Starbucks Coffe House

[Bond]

*Yeah... it's a living... not much of one... but its a living. All the coffee I want to drink all the oversized muffins I want to eat... At least I won't starve...

Boring though, people and their GRANDE low-fat Frappacino's.... How inspired.... How blah.... It's a living, right? I mean, I make a few bucks.. Keeps me off the streets... partially anyway.

Always gotta watch my back.... No one to watch it for me. Been pretty much alone since leaving that stupid science experiment. Stronger and quicker... yeah right... as long as I drink blood... Oh I do it... the need can't just be ignored.. tastes like hell though....

Anyway, I been on my own since.. can't go back... gotta move forward.. gotta stay ahead of the cops... Sure would be nice to not have to watch constantly.

Another customer walks in.*

(NPC) "I'd like a grande low-fat frappacino please."

*I smile my brightest smile and push up my glasses*

"Oh, you bet! Coming right up!"

*Another one.... *

[~Aphrodite~]

I stride in and notice the two buggars I seek sitting back at the table with two coffee's their hands....I approach them slowly and with my nerves raging.

"EXCUSE me you two....DID I NOT give you two an order earlier?

NPC: Yes Yes...we're sorry...we thought we had plenty of time.....

"What gives you the idea that you have plenty of time...Do you not want to eat dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow? Do you want your brothers and sisters to starve?
I suggest that the two of you break your bums to make it to where your to go...and make haste with it....NOW.

The two of them jump up out of their seats just not before grabbing their coffee.
I stride to the bar to notice an older boy behind the counter.

I'll take a french vanilla cap please...lots of creamy foam....

I reach into my pocket for the cash and place it on the bar as he turns around...

[Bond]

*I nod to the young woman... she's just a few years younger than me I would guess... kinda cute too. If you go for that classic beauty thing she has going on. At least she's original in her order.*

"Grande, I assume?"

*I look back over my shoulder and she nods... yup... typical customer... places her order and goes on about her day.. its like I dont even exist... I swear if just one person would notice me, I'd... I'd what? Fat chance of that happening...

I go about making her a french vanilla cap, extra creamy foam, just like she asked. Its steaming hot as I turn around and place it on the counter.*

"There you are miss. One Grande French Vanilla Cappacino with extra creamy foam.... Don't tell my boss, I'm supposed to charge extra for that.... Well, enjoy."

[~Aphrodite~]

As he looks at me talking to me straight in the eye. Its rare that anyone can stare into my eyes for as long as he has without glancing away. I'm instantly impressed...
I look at his name tag ... "Roger"
The name dings around in my head for a few moments....Then it hits me...He was one of us...I vaugely remember his presance...but boy do I notice him now...Standing there with a half smirk on his face....a scholary look about his face. His glasses which I know he doesn't need ans still holding out my drink...I reach for it a bit clumbsy and spill a tad on the table..and as I am dabbing it up...

"Oh CRAP, I'm sorry, Actually Roger, You can keep the change...Consider it a tip...I seem to know you from someplace? You are familiar...."

[Bond]

*I immediately start to clean up the spill with a damp wash towel... Making quick work of it.*

"I'm really sorry about that... That was totally my fault. I'll replace the drink with my own money. I'm really sorry. I'm such a clutz."

*I start to turn back to make a fresh cappacino when she talks to me like a real person.. I'm a bit stunned actually... It happens so rarely. I turn back around and look hard at her.. Squinting a bit then opening my eyes with surprise.. oh yeah... I can place her.... the experiment... she was there... in my group even... they all seemed to follow her lead... she never noticed me there.. thats for sure. I try to hide it and cover...*

"I don't know.. I have one of those bland forgetable faces... You must be mistaken. I'm sure I'd remember you. Let me get you that drink now."

[~Aphrodite~]

"Oh NO...I do remember you....Yes...."
I turn my head slightly puzzled and look around and notice I am almost the only one in the shop at this time...

"How, How did you manage to esc....get out? You did not run with us? Yet....You should be with us?"

"I insist on paying for the coffee though..It was my fault...i'm tons more clumbsy than one might think."

I reach for the rag he holds when my hand folds over his...The same undead cold feeling in carry in my own hands...Yes...he is of my kind...he is our ROGER...

[Bond]

*As much as I'd like a friend... need a friend... I've been alone since I went to that lab.. been alone since I left too. On my own.. my own plan... no one cared about me when I was there... its hard to believe anyone could care now that I'm out.... How can I trust this girl... I wasn't part of her inner circle on the inside.*

"Look, I don't mean to seem rude but you must be mistaken. I don't know you. Don't know who US is and got out of where.... Please.. I need this job. It may not seem like much but its all I have... Please don't ruin this for me... Please?"

*When her hand touches mine... Cold yet thrilling somehow... I know she knows. The look in her eyes when she looks back at me... No denying it... No hiding it anymore*

"Please.... don't tell anyone you found me... I'm begging you."

[~Aphrodite~]

"I'll not tell anyone about you, if you do't tell anyone about me. I knew your face Roger. You can not hide who you are."

The scared look on his face tells me he is making it. Scared of losing the one thing he has. Here I am making a small scene. I blush. The creamy white of my skin turing a pale rose color. I take the coffee and place the money onto the bar.
I look up at him again...voice a mere whisper...
"We are hiding...If you've no place to stay you are welcome with us. Please do not fear us. We protect ourselves..."

I look back down trying not to look into his beautiful mesmerizing eyes another second....I retreat to a table beside the window and watch him in the reflection of the window...Pretending to stare into the street outside...

[Bond]

*I can’t help but stand there and stare… I mean the girl is beautiful… and talking to me like I actually matter. She seems honest and earnest.. but how can I be sure of anything? I mean.. hell.. she noticed me??? I didn’t know she even knew I existed.

I leave the money on the counter as Aphrodite turns away. Yeah.. I know her name too.. Who doesn’t? Everyone who was there knows who she is… But me? I was well hidden at the facility and thought I was now…

When she sits down and looks out the window, I turn back to my work. Counters need a good wipe down.. at least it keeps me from staring at her like an idiot… I whisper to myself*

“yeah… maybe… maybe… I’ll take you up on it.”

*Once the counters are wiped up, I start on the tables… She must think I am a total dork working at a place like this. I like it though… when its quiet I can read all the old books I love. Its peaceful and I get to be alone.. which I like.

She doesn’t even look up as I come around the counter and work my way back to her… brilliant…. Just brilliant.. I’ll have to think of something to say that doesn’t make me seem like an even bigger dork.*

[~Aphrodite~]

I continue to stare till he turns back to the counters. He is a handsome man. Why I never noticed before I am not sure. I feel guilty for jepordizing his job the way I did. Yet, I feel the need to take care of my own kind....I feel responsible somehow....torn....I take out my book from under my jacket and turn to the page I stopped in the park. I began to read. My attention totally not on the book, but I needed something to give my attention to. The Cap now cool enough to drink. I lean my head slightly back to drink in the warm sweet foam. I lick all the foam off my lips and continue back to my book. Its when he begin to clean tables and gets closer to me that I can't read....I just stare at the pages.....mind transfixed on his closeness instead of the book...

[Bond]

*I work my way back toward the corner table. Each time I wipe a table down I look her way.. still looking out the window.. it’s like she has forgotten I even exist… I knew it was too good to be true…. She was just being polite… I don’t know why I expected more… just proves I shouldn’t get my hope up about nothin’.

I sigh to myself and keep scrubbing the tables…. The only other couple in the place leave.. great.. just her and me now.. I gotta say somethin’ and not sound stupid. Just a few tables from her now, she pulls out a book.. a book… a real book… I stop short and catch my breath…*

“You read?”

*Before I can take it back.. my words are out there... I blush lightly.. I didnt mean to sound condescending or insult her intelligence.*

"I mean.. I didn't think you didn't know how.. I mean.. you can.. you do.. It's just... wow! you read!"

[~Aphrodite~]

A couple gets up and leaves leaving us alone. I look up and around and he splirts out "You read?"
I smile at his words....then he starts to stammer. My smile has embarrased him. He must have though I though he was meaning that I couldn't read. I was actually one of the fathers best students. excelling in more than one subject.
I grin again and
"Yes, I love to read. It takes me to places outside our real world."
I hold up my book.
"Its one of my favorites....I take it you like to read? Perhaps you'd like to swap books with me sometime?"
I try to hold back the lump that is forming in my throat but......it comes anyways....leaving me with no more words...I could use a smart guy like this at my side. He would make a fine addition to us. By holding a real job it proves to the others that we can to. Hes a good role model for some of the younger ones....If I could only get him to trust me...I would love for him to do more than trust me too. I'd love for him to join me...be at my side.....
As he approaches my table and sits in the chair in front of me I shake those thoughts awa and stare at him directly in the face. My eyes never leaving his.
"I" .... I lick my lips..suddenly my throat is dry "I have a few books back at our place. They are not in the best condition, but your welcome to them."

[Bond]

*I sit down across from Aphrodite and swallow hard. I take the book from her hands without asking…. Without even thinking… I hold it in both hands as if it were a treasure… and it is too. A book. A classic too… “Oliver Twist” by Charles thingyens. I’ve never read it but I have heard of thingyens…

The book has to be over two hundred years old. The cover worn and faded… leather bound… Its worth a small fortune even as beat up as it is. I open it up and look at the printing date on it… My eyes grow wide when I see the date. The book is far older than I even imagined. It was written almost 1200 years ago.. This printing was four hundred years ago…

How did she possibly get her hands on it. I close it back up and reverently hand it back to her. A new appreciation for her spreads across my face. I guess I always underestimated everyone else at the research facility. I took it for granted that they all made fun of me.. were small minded… it’s my own prejudice. I assume people are going to mean to me so I push back even before they get a chance.

But this girl is genuinely being kind to me.. for no reason… she sure doesn’t owe me anything or need anything of me.*

“I’d like that.. very much actually… to swap books. I have two.. they’re worn and not nearly as nice as this one but you can read them. They’re at my place. Its not much to look at either.. but its peaceful and safe… and quiet.. I like quiet.”

*I look away from Aphrodite. This is the most of I spoken to anyone since I left my parents home. It seems like ages ago… it was really. I was a different person then. Still.. it’s a bit uncomfortable. The way she looks at me.. as if I were a child or something. But it feels good to talk to her anyway.*

“I have another hour of work yet. If you can’t stay I understand…”

*I stand back up as I hear the bell ring…. Customers… I start to walk back around the counter and speak to her over my shoulder. *

“I.. uh.. have to get back to work now.”

NPC POST “I'd like a grande low-fat frappacino please”

*I just smile.. gee.. how did I know that was coming.*

[~Aphrodite~]

As he takes the book from my hands I watch as his delightful smile deepens when he touches the biding of my book.
I sit there concentrating on his words yet, his mouth and eyes are what I can't keep my mind off of. His glasses sitting on top of his nose. His hands stroking the binding of my book, his eyes twinkling at the printed date. He thinks out loud forgetting slightly that I can hear his thoughts. Just one of our abilities, I didn't mean to listen in, but when he thought of face treating him like a child I stopped listening. It was rude of me to be weaving into his thoughts anyhow.

"I don't want to intrude, If your not comfy with me coming to your place just yet I could meet you here tomorrow with some of the books I have perhaps on your break.......I can wait though...if your cool with that?"

The new customers come in and duty calls. He stands and leaves to head back to wards the bar. As he passes me I catch a whiff of his cologne. Something manly, musky, yet slightly sweet. I sniff at the air a few more times before the smell disappears into the rest of the room. Nose now filled with coffee beans.

I close my thoughts off to the public and think what someone at the facility must have done to him for him to be so reclusive. Was his past as bad as mine. Was he born in the slums and beaten up like me. I grew into a leader because of it. I couldn't let it cause me to concede to the rest of the world. Roger could easily be a born leader, if he just lifted his chin and gained a little self confidence. I would love to see him shine. Lost in my own thoughts, I open my book. I prop my legs up under the chair. Elbows resting lightly on the table, book under my head. Then the words begin to form the other would. I continue to read the story........time and everything else at a standstill....

[Bond]

*I take care of the new customer as quickly as I can.. I really want to get back to Aphrodite. I mean.. no one.. not one person has every really shown an interest in me before.. well except the doctors.. they said I showed remarkable qualities... whatever that meant.. and she wants to come to my place?? Its a bit overwhelming really. I hand the man his frappacino shaking a little bit and wait for him to depart. Thankfully he isn't staying to have his drink.. When I hear the click of the door close behind him... I try to casually stroll back over to her table..

I really wanna run over there but she already thinks I'm a dork.. no point in proving it. I sit back down across from her... she's lost in her book and I stare on fascinated... a fellow book lover.. I shouldnt.. but I interrupt her anyway*

"Umm I was thinking.. you could come by my place if you wanted. Its not in the city though.. I live in an abandoned house in the suburbs. Its about a 3 mile walk.. but its all mine. I... I trust you with my secret. You know what I am .. and where I work. So.. I dont really have a choice."

*I realize I am rambling.. and more than a little bit at this point... I start to stand up 'cause I don't want to scare her or have her freak out on me.*

"Anyway, you don't have to come out there if you dont wanna. I can bring the books here for you. I'm sure you dont want to come with me."