Afar, my guy, relax, you'd get the hang of it," came a cheery voice from his side. Wale turned to find Felix with a wide smile coming over.
"Don't worry, man," Felix said, clapping him on the shoulder. "First days are always rough. Stick with me, and I'd show you the ropes." Wale couldn't help but look at him gratefully, in which Felix continued, "Oh yes, don't let Linda scare you. She's only mean to the newbies for the first week or so."
Wale couldn't help but smile at Felix's easygoing demeanor. It was comforting to remember he wasn't alone in the madness.
As the day wore on, Wale found himself slowly settling into the rhythm of the café. Felix's quick jokes and tips kept him going, and he even managed to take a few orders without messing up.
Midway through the shift, Wale noticed one of the other workers, a tall young woman with dark curls and a focused expression. She moved effortlessly through the chaos, her confidence and composure standing out.
"Who's that?" Wale asked Felix during a rare moment of calm.
Felix followed his gaze and smirked. "Ah, you've spotted Sophia. She's basically the queen of this place—been here a bit longer than any of us. Knows how to handle almost anything."
"She's impressive," Wale said, trying to sound casual.
Felix grinned. "Impressive, huh? Sounds like someone's already caught your eye."
Before Wale could protest, the coffee machine let out a loud sputter and stopped working entirely.
Felix groaned. "Ah, damn, not again. This thing breaks down more often than a danfo bus."
"What do we do now?" Wale asked, slightly frustrated, looking at the growing line of impatient customers.
"We call the pro," Felix said with a mischievous glint in his eye. He raised his voice. "Sophia! The machine's raving mad again."
Sophia turned from the pastry counter, her brow arching slightly as she approached. "Let me guess—you guys overloaded it again?"
"Don't blame me; blame our loving boss Linda," Felix replied, raising both hands defensively. Sophia rolled her eyes but smiled faintly as she began fiddling with the machine. Wale couldn't help but notice how effortlessly she moved, as if the chaos didn't faze her.
Felix leaned over to Wale, lowering his voice. "You're staring, man. Careful, or she'll catch you."
Wale snapped his head back, feeling awkward. "I wasn't staring," he protested awkwardly.
"Sure you weren't," Felix teased. "Don't worry, she's cool. You should talk to her. In fact…" He raised his voice slightly. "Hey, Sophia! Wale here is new and needs some advice on surviving the café jungle."
Sophia looked up, her sharp brown eyes meeting Wale's. For a moment, he felt like a deer caught in headlights. But then she smiled, and the tension eased.
"Rule number one," she said, her tone playful. "Never trust Felix. He'll get you into trouble."
"Hey!" Felix protested, feigning offense. "I'm the most trustworthy guy here."
Sophia laughed, and Wale found himself chuckling along, the sound of her laughter oddly soothing in the midst of the chaos.
"Seriously, though," she continued, addressing Wale. "It gets easier. Just don't let the pace overwhelm you. And if Felix tries to make you do all the dirty work, let me know."
"I'll keep that in mind," Wale said, surprised at how steady his voice sounded.
Felix nudged him. "See? She's not so scary."
Before Wale could respond, the coffee machine sputtered back to life. Sophia gave it a triumphant pat and stepped back. "There you go. Good as new—well, for now."
"Thanks, Sophia," Felix said. "You're a lifesaver."
"Don't mention it," she replied, turning back to her station. But as she walked away, she glanced over her shoulder and gave Wale a small, knowing smile.
By the end of the shift, Wale felt exhausted but oddly accomplished. Felix clapped him on the back as they cleaned up. "Not bad for your first day. And hey, you got Sophia to smile. That's not easy, you know."
Wale rolled his eyes. "She was just being nice."
"Sure, sure," Felix said, winking. "But mark my words, my guy—you two are going to be good friends. Or maybe more."
"Why'd you say that?" Wale asked anxiously.
"Well, seeing as she smiled at you and your jokes, which is unlike her, well..." Felix replied, stopping short of his words, leaving Wale to fill them.
Wale laughed, shaking his head. But as he lay in bed that night, he couldn't help replaying the day's events, especially his brief interaction with Sophia. For the first time since he'd arrived in Minnesota, he felt a spark of something he hadn't expected—hope.
Maybe, just maybe, this new chapter in his life would be more than just a fresh start.