"Welcome! What can I get you?" says Leah in a painfully cheery tone. Sam has lost count of how many times she's spouted the same phrase, but every time she manages to muster up the same sparkle in her dark eyes.

"Hmm..." says the woman. She's sporting a crisp, black blazer, an ironed white blouse, and dress pants, paired with a pair of shining, black pumps. The heels clicked on the ground every time she shifted. "I'll have my usual."

"That'll be 2.99, please." She fishes out her credit card with her crimson claws, swipes, signs, and she's off to wait in the ever-growing queue.

"Amir will help you learn how to make one." Sam nods his head studiously, walking to Amir, who finishes making coffee and slides it to a customer. Amir sees him and gives him an easy smile.

"So, how's the first day?" Sam debates telling him the truth, but sighs at his desperation.

"A little overwhelming, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." He looks away nervously before remembering why he came. "I'm supposed to make an espresso?"

"I'm the perfect one to go to, then." He gestures to the espresso machine.

"Since it's already hooked onto the water line and already up and running, try running the machine for a second.'"

He pushes the button for a quick second before letting go.

"Great!" exclaims Amir. "Now, wipe off the underside of the grouphead - " He points to the place that excretes the coffee. "And wipe off the inside of the portafilter."

He dabs both locations with a paper towel before Amir hands him a bag of powdered espresso beans. "All you need to do is put 20 grams of this into the machine and press the button while rotating the portafilter so the ground doesn't get clumped."

He attempts to follow all the instructions, but unfortunately leaves his hand on the machine before yelping loudly. With a wince, he glances at his reddened fingers, but shakes off the pain.

When he looks back at the teeny glass, the aroma of the final product doesn't smell quite right - slightly burnt, perhaps? - but he hands the small glass to Amir regardless. He winces before putting it back. When Sam looks towards the lady who ordered it, her eyes are trained onto him like a tiger, ready to pounce, drumming her red, bloodstained claws against the counter. Amir hands it back to him and in 30 seconds, has a meticulously made espresso stirred with crema for the tigress. The Tigress drinks the entire shot in mere seconds before placing it at the stand.

Sam quakes at the sight. Amir almost laughs to himself. "You'll be fine. Just get those plates and cups from the stands and wash them."

Sam slinks off to do the one thing he can do.

Maybe, thinks Samuel Fernandez, gathering the plates and cups, This will be okay.

But that's until he sees a familiar manager smirking at him, next to the girl from the first night, her hands crossed over her stomach. They whisper to each other.

Just kidding.