We met at a joint job interview. I was the first to arrive. He was the first to get hired. I barely scrapped in, save for some girl who got a better offer elsewhere.

It was a good job until you're bad. I was hired as the barista and he was the bartender. I'm supposed to check the grinder and adjust it throughout my shift. Taste test and all that, but I actually can't tell a bad espresso unless it's really bad. So as soon as I got hired I got fired. I knew that I wouldn't have lasted long but I didn't expect him to follow me.

I packed my things with my fractured pride and tears and watched him come into the back room. He slipped his red turtleneck over his work shirt and slid his arms through his dark leather jacket.

"What are you doing, aren't you starting work in five minutes?" I asked him sniffling quietly.

"I am coming with you", he remarked slopping his fur ushanka hat over my head, the flaps flopping over my ears.

"But why?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I never liked it here anyway".

"But the pay here is better than most so you should stay" I heard myself whimper.

"Well...they barely taught you how to turn on the Marzocco coffee machine so I doubt they'll teach me anything I don't know either" he sniggered softly.

He took my hand and ushered me outside. "You should cry less over those who have no interest in cultivating others to work better." He tilted my chin up to face him so I was eye level with his rich full lips, "do you want to be a barista?"

The winter wind bit my nape and I shivered, "I...guess".

He took off his scarf and wrapped it around my neck, "if you want to, I can teach you". He continued grinning, “my brother owns the restaurant and bar in the side alley over there. I just joined here for fun, I’ll report back to base now. Come with me”.