Small Smiles - 1. Chapter 1

I sighed, shutting my laptop and resting my head on my arms, the warmth of the laptop screen under my forearms making me shiver as it contrasted the cold of the room.

“Fuck, Larry, do you have to keep turning the heat off?” I asked, stalking over to the thermostat to see what temperature the cold-loving crackpot had set it to now.

Sixteen degrees? I thought, my fingers moving to adjust it back to normal. I paused before pressing the buttons, considering. Fuck it, I decided, leaving it alone. I’m leaving.

Larry looked up as I grabbed my phone off my desk, surprised that I was heading out. “Where’re you going?” he asked, concerned.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, somewhere warm and far away from weirdoes who get off on feeling like icicles,” I said, giving him a slight smile so he knew I was just teasing. He stuck his tongue out at me and turned back to his latest project, an airplane, as he’d eagerly told me about last night. I watched his practiced hands carefully sliding a knife along the shapeless block, the carefully maintained edge gliding through the wood as if it were butter. I shook my head and threw my coat on, oddly determined to break out of my monotonous schedule, even for something small, but Larry’s voice stopped me again when my hand was on the door. His voice had gone monotone, as it always did when he was concentrating hard on his projects.

“You’ll be OK?”

My slight smile returned, and I opened the door. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I told him, oddly flattered that he cared. Larry was eccentric, but I liked him, even more so now. “Thanks, Larry.” He looked up from his plane and nodded, his mouth tilting up to mirror mine.

He’s a good housemate, I decided, even if he does like to pretend our house is Antarctica.

The general happiness stuck with me as I walked down the sidewalk, heading nowhere at a brisk walk. Maybe it was that I was taking a break from my boring homework, or maybe it was just that someone cared, but I felt truly happy for the first time in a while. Life was just… fun. I watched a newspaper dancing down the street, accompanying the wind on its adventures, and I felt like all the burdens of college life had lifted off my shoulders for a moment. The paper fluttered, and I marveled at how content I felt just watching it. I stopped for a traffic light, even though the road was empty this late in the evening, and I saw a woman in a warm coat hurrying somewhere, looking harried. She glanced at me, hunching her shoulders, and I let my lips curve up again, this odd cheerfulness overcoming my usual shy self.

I was rewarded with a tentative smile before she looked away, seeming surprised at herself. She walked past me as the light turned green, and I saw a hint of the contentment I was feeling on her face as she continued on her way, favoring me with another shy smile. I crossed the street, glancing back, and I saw her foot flick out to kick a rock playfully, the stressed woman I’d first seen replaced by a happy young lady. I meandered down the street, happy to have made a difference to a stranger’s day, even in such a small way, and I shivered as I crossed another intersection. I buried my hands in my pockets, passing by the bright lights and muted pounding coming from a bar in favor of the soft glow and comfy warmth of a small shop.

Bells chimed as I walked in, and the lady behind the counter looked up at me, slipping her apron back on. I nodded at her warmly, and the tired look on her face melted away, leaving a smile.

“Hello,” she said pleasantly. “What can I get you?”

In a complete reversal of what I’d usually do, I ignored the menu, keeping my eyes on her. “Anything good,” I replied, returning her grin. “Tonight’s a break from the schedule.”

She thought for a moment, and then pointed to a picture in the menu. “I’d get hot chocolate, if I were you… the guy in the back makes it really well,” she told me, hesitant about going beyond her usual scripted phrases, and I nodded in thanks, passing her the money. She took it and fiddled with the cash register, her right hand’s movements slightly awkward, before handing me the change and heading into the back. I dropped the coins in the tip jar and leaned on the counter as I waited, glancing around the small café. There were two older ladies chatting quietly, and a young couple with their arms around each other, sipping at their drinks as they watched the street.

I turned back to the counter, and I saw the cashier take the cup from a worker in the back, laughing softly at something he’d said. She brought it out to me, and I gave her a thankful smile as she handed it to me. I moved over to a table and sat down, putting my coat on the back of the chair, plugging my earbuds into my phone, and pressing play as I put them in my ears. I watched the cashier go into the back and start to chat with the man who’d made the hot chocolate, her earlier boredom forgotten, and I sipped the drink and leaned back contentedly, listening to my music. She’d been right, the hot chocolate was delicious. It had the perfect amount of chocolate, and I thought I could taste cream added to the milk, just enough to make it rich. I grinned, deciding to add this to my routine. For hot chocolate this good, the walk would be worth it.

Glancing back up, I saw the pair behind the counter lifting a huge canister. The cashier seemed to be struggling with it, and she massaged her wrist after they set it down, glancing anxiously at an identical canister nearby. The man nodded to her encouragingly, and they got on either side of the container. They lifted, and the man’s side came up off the table, but the cashier’s didn’t move. She let go of it, flexing her wrist and looking worried, and the man patted her on the back, trying to reassure her even though he seemed to be worried too. They talked for a moment before the cashier pointed in my direction, not realizing I could see her. The man looked unsure, but she shrugged off his worries and walked out from behind the counter towards my table. I pulled my headphones out as she stopped in front of me, smiling hopefully.

“I’m really sorry,” she said, “but do you mind helping us lift something? I hurt my wrist earlier today, and I can’t move the canister of milk. I know it’s really unprofessional, and we’d never ask a customer usually, but you seemed nice, and-”

“Yeah, no problem,” I said, interrupting her when she started sounding worried as she realized what she was doing. She smiled, thankful, and I let my earbuds dangle out from my shirt as I finished my hot chocolate and followed her into the back. The man was there, and he looked relieved as he saw I was with her.

“Thanks,” he told me. “We just need to move this container…”

I nodded. “I saw you moving the last one,” I admitted, smiling guiltily.

The corners of his lips twitched upwards. “Good, that makes it easier,” he said. “This one’s much heavier, though; that last one was empty.”

I nodded, and we heaved, picking up the canister. It was heavy, like he’d warned, but we got it in place with no problems.

“Thanks again,” the man said, smiling brightly at me as he fiddled with a few pipes. “You’re a lifesaver. Want a refill of that cocoa, on the house?”

I nodded, smiling partly at the offer and partly because I found how he said ‘cocoa’ cute, and he grabbed a cup. I watched curiously as he went through the process of making it, and he grinned conspiratorially at me as he added some cream, and a few other ingredients I couldn’t identify.

“None of that is in the recipe, but the owner loves it, so she lets me make it my way,” he admitted, his eyes twinkling playfully as he handed me the mug.

“Well it’s good she does, because you make the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had,” I told him, returning his grin.

“Thanks,” he laughed, blushing a little bit. “I like my cookies more, personally,” he said, “but Jane seems to love the cocoa.”

I laughed. “Then I’ve got no choice but to buy a cookie, do I?” I teased, reaching for my wallet.

He shook his head, grinning again. “Hey, you helped us, we’ll help you. Your cookie is free.”

“Thanks!” I said, surprised, as he handed me a chocolate chip cookie. I took a bite, and my eyes shot open as I tasted it. “Shit, you’re really good!” I said, taking another bite.

His blush deepened, and he smiled shyly. “I’m going to college for a baking degree,” he explained.

“Nice!” I said, pleasantly surprised. “This college? I go there too!"

“What’s your major?” he asked, curious.

“Engineering,” I replied, wrinkling up my nose, and he laughed.

“I’ve heard bad things about the homework,” he said.

“They’re all true,” I said, grimacing. “I came here as a break from it.”

He patted my back consolingly, and I smiled at him. “Hopefully it gets easier,” he said, grinning wryly, and I snorted, making him laugh.

“Maybe I’ll bring it here next time; even if it’s hard, I can still be getting fat on hot chocolate and cookies,” I chuckled, and he grinned.

“That’d be nice,” he said, and we fell silent for a second.

The silence reminded me of how out of place I was, and my confidence began to fade. I was an introvert, too shy to talk to people if I didn’t know them well, yet here I was. I had no idea what to say, and I began worrying immediately, not wanting to mess up the good impression I’d made.

I jumped as he batted at one of my earbuds, making it swing, and looked up at me questioningly. “What type of music were you listening to?” he asked, curious. I pulled out my phone, too shy to talk, and showed him the album image on the lock screen. “Can I see?” he asked, interested, and I let him take it, the cord pulling my shirt up a little as he lifted the phone.

He looked up again and handed me my phone, grinning in a slightly apprehensive yet hopeful way. “Nice taste in music,” he said.

I glanced down, embarrassed, and saw he’d left the screen open to my contacts, where there was a new one named ‘Micah ’. I raised my gaze from the screen, unable to control my grin, and he looked relieved and happy, his apprehensive look from before making sense now.

“I… I should get back to my homework, but… uh, I’ll text you later, I guess?” I said timidly, and he smiled.

“Yeah, talk to you soon!” he replied happily, leading me back out from behind the counter. “Wait, your name is…?”

“Oh, uh… my name’s Derek,” I said, blushing in embarrassment.

“See you later, then, Derek,” he said, his eyes twinkling, and I opened the door, turning back just in time to see his gaze jump up to eye level.

“Yeah, see you,” I responded, a little confused.

Was he just checking out my ass?

He just waved, and I turned to go, still thinking as I walked out the door. I’d been an extrovert, and I’d made a new friend! It made me want to bounce up and down with excitement, and I was floating on a cloud as I hurried along, needing to get my homework done for tomorrow.

I was almost halfway home before I realized I’d forgotten my coat.

Chapter two is on the way, feel free to PM me with a kick in the ass if I'm taking too long, I tend to do that