Just a Sandwich
Written by: Josie Haley
“It’s just a sandwich, Kiara, do you really need this to get through finals?”
I look at her with pleading eyes and say, “You know how much I love the lunch order and I promise I’ll pay for yours too.”
She gives me the look, the one I know far too well, then she flips her curly hair and pulls into the sandwich shop parking lot. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I blush and grab my wallet from my bag, “I’ll be really quick...do you want anything?”
She lifts her gaze from her phone, “the usual raspberry iced tea and a chocolate croissant please. And if you're not careful you’ll be too busy looking at the guy running the register to remember that.” I wave her off without another word and roll my eyes, Samantha always knows the things I try hard not to make obvious. The most recent was my sudden interest in ordering from the same sandwich shop for 3 months straight.
I know it sounds corny but the feeling I get when I come to the same comfortable and quaint shop is delightful. The whole world stops and the cars passing by reflect the thoughts in my head as they silently bounce back and forth. It’s hard to be alone, it can feel like an opportunity to get swallowed up in negativity. But at this shop I can contemplate things without feeling lonely and with the bonus of seeing the boy at the register.
I open the door to the shop and hear the anticipated ding-ding as the bell swings back and forth marking my entrance. I look all the way down the line, past the families and couples eager to get their food and put my eyes right on the register. Everyone else is blurred like a portrait photo and all I can see is his blue eyes deeper than the carribean sea looking back at me.
Even though I know exactly what I want I still busy myself by glancing over the menu and then observing the pastry display. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out knowing who it is before I even check. Sure enough Samantha is impatiently spamming me to hurry up or else we’ll be late. I ignore her and after a few scrolls through my latest there's only one more person left in the line.
Register boy is asking the customer what they want and I take the opportunity to glance at his hair like the warm summer sand and his eyes like the crashing ocean waves. It’s taking them a while because the customer has a very large order. Although I’m not one to see this as a bad thing, after all this means more time to notice him. I see not just the physical traits but also the way he happily greets each customer with a wide smile. And just like that the usual catchphrase, the one just for me, that runs through my head suddenly comes out of his mouth, “Hey you. Still the usual order I assume?”
Everytime he says “hey you” my heart aches and the fleeting remains of broken pieces shatter just a little more because this makes me think of Shawn.
“You remembered, yes the same thing everytime,” I smile and giggle, “my friend drove me and she wants a large raspberry iced tea and a chocolate croissant.” He scribbles this all down hastily in his notepad. Then passes it to the kitchen and grabs a croissant.
“Here’s that,” he hands me the croissant, “so tell me what’s so special about a caprese sandwich and a coffee that you can tolerate eating it everyday for lunch.” He seems so genuinely interested and I start to wonder how he already is whipping up my latte without asking me what I want.
“I like consistency, and plus this place has the best caprese sandwiches in town. How’d you remember my latte order, I usually have to tell you.” I laugh nervously hoping this lands well.
He places the iced tea and my usual latte on the counter, “There’s the drinks. Well I pay attention to things that are important.” He winks and I swear my heart stops beating in the second he looks back up at me, “I’ve been meaning to ask your name. It's funny seeing you almost everyday without a proper introduction.”
“I’m Kiara.” That’s all I can manage to say at this point. He grabs the sandwich from the kitchen counter and wraps it in brown paper. Then he pulls out a sharpie and writes...
3 numbers
then 3 more
and 4 more.
A small heart underneath the strand of numbers signed Justin.
He hands me the sandwich and says,”See you around Kiara.”
I grab everything and manage two last words, “See ya.”
Then with the widest smile and the rosiest cheeks I walk out of the shop and a fluttering swarm of happy butterflies fills my stomach. I dash to the car and hand Samantha her drink, “Girl what just happened you look like you’ve been swept off your feet by prince charming.”
Without any words I smile and hand her my sandwich. She looks at me questioningly, “Ok so this is a sandwich, what's new?”
“Turn it over, Sherlock.” She follows my instructions.
“Oh my god, Kiara you’ve got to be joking.” I shake my head and grin with my eyes dead set on the sandwich, the set of 3 numbers, the heart, and the messy signature. “Finally you can forget Shawn and be with someone who will care for you.”
She squeals and turns her keys to start the car, but all I can see as we are driving away is his smile in the windows of the shop, his lemon blonde hair, and his sky blue eyes. I pull out my phone to text the number.
I type a short message resisting the urge to be cringy and simply say “Hey you.” Samantha laughs at me but gives me the look that she’s in support so I click send and a tiny delivered appears under the blue bubble. Am I already just trying to recreate what I had with Shawn? I shake my head and breathe out those worries because I know this won't be what I had with him but maybe this will be better. It’s been a year since I’ve given my heart to someone and without having even done much with Justin I know my heart is protected. When I’m with him I’m not just any old girl, I stand out, even with my flaws.
I’m expecting it will take him a second because he’s working but the white and grey typing bubble pops up almost instantly. He replies with, “How was your coffee? I hope I made it well today :)” and just like that we are messaging back and forth as I unwrap the sandwich.
Even though I’ve had this latte and sandwich plenty of times; today it tastes like heaven. The latte warms my heart even more than it already was, like rays of beating sun as I’m sitting on the beach.
I remind myself today is any old day.
And this, well, it’s just a sandwich.
♥️ ♥️ ♥️
Written by: Josie Haley
“It’s just a sandwich, Kiara, do you really need this to get through finals?”
I look at her with pleading eyes and say, “You know how much I love the lunch order and I promise I’ll pay for yours too.”
She gives me the look, the one I know far too well, then she flips her curly hair and pulls into the sandwich shop parking lot. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I blush and grab my wallet from my bag, “I’ll be really quick...do you want anything?”
She lifts her gaze from her phone, “the usual raspberry iced tea and a chocolate croissant please. And if you're not careful you’ll be too busy looking at the guy running the register to remember that.” I wave her off without another word and roll my eyes, Samantha always knows the things I try hard not to make obvious. The most recent was my sudden interest in ordering from the same sandwich shop for 3 months straight.
I know it sounds corny but the feeling I get when I come to the same comfortable and quaint shop is delightful. The whole world stops and the cars passing by reflect the thoughts in my head as they silently bounce back and forth. It’s hard to be alone, it can feel like an opportunity to get swallowed up in negativity. But at this shop I can contemplate things without feeling lonely and with the bonus of seeing the boy at the register.
I open the door to the shop and hear the anticipated ding-ding as the bell swings back and forth marking my entrance. I look all the way down the line, past the families and couples eager to get their food and put my eyes right on the register. Everyone else is blurred like a portrait photo and all I can see is his blue eyes deeper than the carribean sea looking back at me.
Even though I know exactly what I want I still busy myself by glancing over the menu and then observing the pastry display. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out knowing who it is before I even check. Sure enough Samantha is impatiently spamming me to hurry up or else we’ll be late. I ignore her and after a few scrolls through my latest there's only one more person left in the line.
Register boy is asking the customer what they want and I take the opportunity to glance at his hair like the warm summer sand and his eyes like the crashing ocean waves. It’s taking them a while because the customer has a very large order. Although I’m not one to see this as a bad thing, after all this means more time to notice him. I see not just the physical traits but also the way he happily greets each customer with a wide smile. And just like that the usual catchphrase, the one just for me, that runs through my head suddenly comes out of his mouth, “Hey you. Still the usual order I assume?”
Everytime he says “hey you” my heart aches and the fleeting remains of broken pieces shatter just a little more because this makes me think of Shawn.
“You remembered, yes the same thing everytime,” I smile and giggle, “my friend drove me and she wants a large raspberry iced tea and a chocolate croissant.” He scribbles this all down hastily in his notepad. Then passes it to the kitchen and grabs a croissant.
“Here’s that,” he hands me the croissant, “so tell me what’s so special about a caprese sandwich and a coffee that you can tolerate eating it everyday for lunch.” He seems so genuinely interested and I start to wonder how he already is whipping up my latte without asking me what I want.
“I like consistency, and plus this place has the best caprese sandwiches in town. How’d you remember my latte order, I usually have to tell you.” I laugh nervously hoping this lands well.
He places the iced tea and my usual latte on the counter, “There’s the drinks. Well I pay attention to things that are important.” He winks and I swear my heart stops beating in the second he looks back up at me, “I’ve been meaning to ask your name. It's funny seeing you almost everyday without a proper introduction.”
“I’m Kiara.” That’s all I can manage to say at this point. He grabs the sandwich from the kitchen counter and wraps it in brown paper. Then he pulls out a sharpie and writes...
3 numbers
then 3 more
and 4 more.
A small heart underneath the strand of numbers signed Justin.
He hands me the sandwich and says,”See you around Kiara.”
I grab everything and manage two last words, “See ya.”
Then with the widest smile and the rosiest cheeks I walk out of the shop and a fluttering swarm of happy butterflies fills my stomach. I dash to the car and hand Samantha her drink, “Girl what just happened you look like you’ve been swept off your feet by prince charming.”
Without any words I smile and hand her my sandwich. She looks at me questioningly, “Ok so this is a sandwich, what's new?”
“Turn it over, Sherlock.” She follows my instructions.
“Oh my god, Kiara you’ve got to be joking.” I shake my head and grin with my eyes dead set on the sandwich, the set of 3 numbers, the heart, and the messy signature. “Finally you can forget Shawn and be with someone who will care for you.”
She squeals and turns her keys to start the car, but all I can see as we are driving away is his smile in the windows of the shop, his lemon blonde hair, and his sky blue eyes. I pull out my phone to text the number.
I type a short message resisting the urge to be cringy and simply say “Hey you.” Samantha laughs at me but gives me the look that she’s in support so I click send and a tiny delivered appears under the blue bubble. Am I already just trying to recreate what I had with Shawn? I shake my head and breathe out those worries because I know this won't be what I had with him but maybe this will be better. It’s been a year since I’ve given my heart to someone and without having even done much with Justin I know my heart is protected. When I’m with him I’m not just any old girl, I stand out, even with my flaws.
I’m expecting it will take him a second because he’s working but the white and grey typing bubble pops up almost instantly. He replies with, “How was your coffee? I hope I made it well today :)” and just like that we are messaging back and forth as I unwrap the sandwich.
Even though I’ve had this latte and sandwich plenty of times; today it tastes like heaven. The latte warms my heart even more than it already was, like rays of beating sun as I’m sitting on the beach.
I remind myself today is any old day.
And this, well, it’s just a sandwich.
♥️ ♥️ ♥️
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Whitney
Feb 11, 2021
Absolutely love this. I couldn’t stop reading! I like the air of mystery especially around the name Shawn. You are a great writer and I look forward to reading more of your work.
Whitney