Katie

[nola_littlemermaid]

Maybe this was a bad idea.

There was a beignet place down the street from Phoenix Effect. It was no Cafe Du Monde or Cafe Beignet, the two great rivals for the title of best in the city (Andy would give it to the latter, hands down, any day of the week), but it was nice and inexpensive and had decent seating, which he was currently taking advantage of. It also had chickory coffee Andy himself had not brewed, which was a treat on its own, though loyally he thought the recipe at Phoenix Effect was better.

So the location part was fine, but the social interaction to come—that was the bad part. Maybe. The nervous anticipation, of course, was terrible, but he remembered his school therapist (mandated by the district, which his dad had reluctantly agreed to but scoffed about in private) saying how breaking through shyness, making friends, only got easier with a lot of practice. And he actually had gotten better, thanks to being a barista—he could make light small talk while making a drink, answer questions and chuckle politely at bad jokes.

But face-to-face, direct interaction with a potential friend? That was way more intimidating. Especially since he couldn't help but suspect Katie was just doing this because he'd offered to mention her mural services to the manager. Which was fair! He guessed! He certainly couldn't have said anything that made him seem genuinely interesting.

Maybe it would be better if she just didn't show up. Or maybe that would be much, much worse.

Comments

[nola_jeangrey]

"Not even close," Katie replied, cheerfully. "But there are some good programs for emerging artists, and I know a few of the right people, from college." But it was momentum, and momentum she needed to keep, well, moving.

[nola_littlemermaid]

"I think the manager will definitely like to hear that you're, um, up and coming, though," Andy said. "Do you have an Instagram?"

[nola_jeangrey]

"Yeah! Tell them all the good things about me. I have instagram, we should be insta friends." Katie pulled out her phone and opened her instagram profile, which was mostly of her art, but also of beautiful Phoenix Effect coffees and pretty selfies and interesting trees.

[nola_littlemermaid]

"I don't have one," Andy said, scrolling through her feed. He couldn't imagine who'd be interested in seeing anything he'd done. But then— "Oh, I made some of these lattes."

[nola_jeangrey]

"Not even for thing you see on your walks -- you make really pretty lattes. I love the art. Because it is art." And it should be preserved!

[nola_littlemermaid]

"The others are better than me," he said, because he thought it was true. "But it's still fun." He pointed down at the screen. "I'm the only one who makes the tidal wave design."

[nola_jeangrey]

"I love that one, it makes me feel something. The leaves everyone makes are fine, but this is like, your signature." Like a piece of Andy in a cup.

[nola_littlemermaid]

"The leaves are harder," Andy said, chuckling self-consciously. "But thank you. That means a lot, coming from you."

[nola_jeangrey]

"I mean it, though. I like it. It would be so cute even if you all did something different, but you're the only one, and that's so... I just love it."

[nola_littlemermaid]

He looked up, smiling crookedly. "You mean like having our foam latte signature?"

[nola_jeangrey]

"Yeah! A little personal touch." Katie grinned back.

[nola_littlemermaid]

"Maybe I'll suggest it," he said, though it would take all his courage to do so. Bringing up the mural would be enough, most likely.

[nola_jeangrey]

"Have you always been shy?" Katie couldn't help but ask. Andy said things like it pained him to say them; like interacting with people was hard.

[nola_littlemermaid]

Andy's smile turned wry. "As long as I can remember." Even before his mother died. More so after. It was, unfortunately, more natural to him than breathing. "I'm trying, though."

[nola_jeangrey]

"Is it really hard?" Katie was often quiet, but that wasn't shyness -- it was daydreams and distractions. A totally different inner life, she guessed.

[nola_littlemermaid]

"Yes," he said simply, because it was. He struggled with it all the time. "But not as much today." And he smiled again.

[nola_jeangrey]

"That makes me happy! I love making friends." And they were absolutely friends now, mural or no mural.