3 Pastel and Muscles

She woke up with a splitting headache. The clock says it's past five in the morning. Islets pushed the curtains of the window besides her bed. The dawn is breaking and she still in her bed. She grab her stuffed cat and put it in her face. The smell lulls her to sleep more but she choose otherwise. The smell of the coffee beans on her mug that she inhaled last night still lingers on her nose.

Her room just smells like coffee shop. It's heaven. She pressed the stuffed toy on her face again trying to call her sleep back but the dull pain and urge to drink coffee is much greater than her sleep. Tossing her blankets with her toes she sprung up from the bed. Once again, forgetting about the measures she made the night before she slipped from the coffee beans she sprinkled all around her bed. Fortunately, she landed on her bed safe and sound. "One day you will really break your neck", she can just imagine Mrs. Green standing in front of her with a broom on her hand sighing. Islet tried to get up again but everything suddenly becomes fuzzy. For five minutes she closed her eyes, she wanted to vomit but keeps pushing back the sour taste of acid on her mouth.

Did she not eat anything yesterday? Islets tried to dig from her memories the taste of the food she ate for dinner but can't remember it. She is too dizzy and weak to think. Does she have her monthly period now? She reached for her phone. The period meter tells her it will start today or tomorrow. "That explains why I feel so dizzy." On her lucky days she will only get a mild migraine and laziness. But on her worst days she will be like this. Fortunately, she doesn't get the cramps unlike others. The medicine box is at the other side of the room in one of her cupboards. Islets groan at the thought of standing up while everything is spinning. "They say that drinking is good. But I bet this is the same feeling of people who have hungovers."

Islets Caroline has no vices. If she will have to name one it will probably drinking coffee. She has no choice but to crawl towards her kitchen. Suddenly, she wished her apartment is not as spacious as it actually is. She finally finished paying her own apartment two years ago. Huge income is actually one of the reason why she grabbed the opportunity to work at The Company when it is hanged in front of her.

She took a bite on that bait because she wanted to be separated from the shadow of her sponsor/guardian. Though absolute freedom cannot be achieve yet since she owes her guardian her life but still living in your own apartment paid by your own sweat and blood is great. She just wished that she didn't bought the one which is quite bigger for a single person.

Her temple is pulsating, she only needs to stand up and grab the bottle and she can go back to her bed. Inform her superior about her condition and then sleep again. It is really tough to be a girl, she thought after popping the tablet on her mouth.

The TV was on when Islets woke up. It's already three in the afternoon. Her stomach grumbled. At least her migraine is gone. There was no reply from her superiors as usual. She only filed for a leave three times since she was hired by the company and as a matter of fact this is the only time she asked for a leave due to her period.

Before she has the same symptoms but all are bearable. She wondered what is different from before as she washed her face, dressed for an outdoor clothes and wrote down the things she has to buy. She has fourty five minutes to do her groceries and buy a to go food.

Six thirty she finished her groceries. Morning and Evening is her favorite restaurant right next to the supermarket. They usually opens at ten in the morning but the waiter there knows her and serves her breakfast anytime she wanted to. It was because of a favor she did for him a few years back that is why the forty-five years old man is very kind to her.

"Good Morning Baron!" She said as the smell of coffee filled her nostrils. Baron knew she will come and prepares her coffee right on the bat.

"Good Morning Lets." Baron calls her Lets because she likes the omelette he makes. "I prepared your food on your fave spot and here is your cup of coffee. I'll go prepare something for Mrs. Green too. She was a here earlier than usual said she has something to tell but you were not answering your phone so you might be having a bad day or somethin. Told me you will come and thought I'll prepare you your fave."

She smiled accepting the warm coffee. For her Baron smells like coffee all the time. So she is fine with him. "She said she will come a little bit later. So I was supposed to hand her my keys last night but I was not able to visit her." She put down her groceries at the chair in front of her. Without sitting she put three sachet of cream on her coffee and gulped it down."

Baron laughed as he approach her, his tall stature and mascular figure doesn't seem to fit to the comfy pastel theme of his restaurant. A bag of coffee beans on his hands . "Are you an addict or something? Easy girl you will burn your tongue. Here I added more because you look like you are needing it." He pointed out her eyebags. She didn't have an energy to put anything on to hide the eyebags. She must look so tired.

"Thanks." She looks at her watch.

"You don't need to go to work today?"

"I filed for a leave."

"That's new. Are you okay?"

"Yes, just you know 'those days'." The man smiled at her. He is concerned for the young girl. She is an orphan. Sponsored by some big shot so she got a good educational background compared to the other girls in his neighbourhood. She decided to be on her own a few years ago but her guardian insisted Mrs. Green to care of the house chores in her apartment.

Though she didn't show it and doesn't share much of her past Baron always thinks that she might be from a very rich family because Mrs. Green looks like a butler or somethin the kids call these days. He met Islets when she helped him before when he was accused of thievery. He was very drunk at that time because one of his friends tricked him and he lost all of his money. Because of his looks many people thinks he did something bad or will do something bad. So when some man was chasing a thief and was about to get caught, the culprit throw the wallet to the sleeping Baron. The man chasing the thief didn't saw it but saw his wallet and Baron holding it in his hands. He is a big man but he is not fond of fighting. In other people's eyes it is not the case so no one among the crowd watching the scene actually tried to help him. Islets claims she saw what happened and even identified the thief among the crowd watching. Baron got away safely but with no apology.

"Thank you Miss."

"Do you work in a cafe? Or a restaurant or something related to that?"

He sobered up amazed by the little girl in front of him. "I own one."

"Do you have many customers?"

"Actually I was on my way to bankruptcy." He laughed realizing he smells like booze and was ashamed so he stepped back a little.

"I like the coffee smell on your hands. Can you make me coffee everyday before I go to work starting tomorrow and please prepare me a bag of coffee beans. And since it's a restaurant I hope you can make something I can eat too."

Baron couldn't believe what he is hearing. He clearly smells like booze but the girl figured he make really great coffee from the beans he especially pick from a very well known farm.

"Don't worry. I already got my advanced pay check. I'll give it to you tomorrow when I come by for my coffee and breakfast. Bye!"

"Wait!"

"Yeah before I forgot can I request for an added service?"

"A.. Added service?"

"Yes."

"S-sure I guess?"

"Good! Take some bath okay!"