The Morning Train

7. Friends

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm clock on the bedside table is already letting out loud noises but the lump on the bed still hadn't stirred even a little. After a few more seconds the alarm clock began to let out even more loud noises and Jamie was startled awake. She quickly snoozed the alarm clock and sluggishly rolled out of bed. After a few stretch with her joints popping in a pleasant way she made her way to the bathroom to begin her day.

An hour later she was already locking her door and walking to the station. She was excited to meet her new friend so it felt like no time has passed at all since she locked her door that morning and arrived at the station. She already boarded the train but there's still no sign of Casper. Then at the last minute just before the train doors closed again Casper rushed in looking as much of a zombie as the other day.
Casper looked around and became visibly relieved when he spotted Jamie.

"Hey Zombie" Jamie greeted as Casper came over and sat beside her. "Morning James" Casper greeted back as he made himself comfortable on his seat. After the greeting Jamie went back to her phone while Casper hugged his bag and closed his eyes catching up on his lost sleep time. A few minutes later however, Jamie nearly jumped out of her skin, phone almost flying away from her hands when something collided with her left shoulder. Recovering from the startle she looks to her left and comes face to face with a person's head, Casper's head resting on her shoulder.

She stared speechless for a minute before going back to the game on her phone. Deciding to just let the poor guy rest on her shoulder until their stop. At exact 6:30 am the train came to a stop. 'Times up' Jamie thought as she abruptly stood up and there was a thud that followed, Casper's head smacking to the hard train bench without Jamie to cushion his head. From the blow Casper immediately woke up from his sweet nap.

"Oww... couldn't you have woken me up more gently?" Casper complained as he sat up straight rubbing his head.

"Sorry I don't do gentle" Jamie replied not looking sorry at all as she just smiled at Casper smugly.

"You're so mean to your friend" Casper actually pouted and looked like a kicked puppy in front of Jamie.

"Don't do that you look disgusting, you're not cute" Jamie cringed and backed away as if Casper was some disgusting thing.

"It's just because of lack of sleep that I look like a zombie right now, I'm normally cute you know" Casper pouted some more making him look more ridiculous, a pouting zombie. Jamie snorted and began walking away.

"Yeah I can see that, now come on zombie the door will close already" Jamie said as she walked through the doors, Casper stumbling as he hurried to follow.

"Well, see you later?" Casper asked tentatively as he looked at Jamie.

"Yeah see you later" Jamie replied and Casper beamed, mouth grinning widely as he waved to Jamie before walking away while Jamie went to the opposite direction.

At 5 o'clock in the afternoon Casper the zombie arrived at the cafe. He came in expecting to see Jamie on the counter but some other guy with Alan written on his name tag was at the counter instead with Jamie nowhere in sight. He frowned, confused as to where his friend is but then it's his turn already and he hurriedly chose 3 random bread with coke and took a seat beside the windows at the far end of the cafe.

Taking out his laptop he focused on his work instead, but a few minutes later someone sat in front of him. He quickly looked up from his laptop and saw Jamie sitting in front of him, playing on her phone. Seeing as Jamie was busy playing with her phone Casper thought of messing with her a little.

"Um I'm sorry miss but I think you got the wrong table, that seat is not available" Casper said in a seriously confused voice forcing himself not to smile and instead look serious. Jamie abruptly looked up thinking that maybe she did get the wrong table but then all that nervousness vanished as she saw Casper sitting in front of her. Jamie's wide eyed expression as she really thought she got the wrong table got Casper bursting in laughter immediately, unable to keep his serious face anymore and just outright laughed at Jamie while Jamie frowned and smacked him.

"O-kay st- stop!" Casper got out between laughs as he unsuccessfully tries to avoid Jamie's hits.

"Damn you" Jamie got out as she tried to hit Casper one more time which Casper successfully avoided this time.

"Did you just get here?" Casper asked as they finally settled down.

"No I've been here since morning" Jamie answered a little confused.

"You weren't at the counter when I came in"

"Oh, I don't just work at the counter you know, I also work at the kitchens"

"Is he a new guy?" Casper asked as he nodded towards Alan at the counter.

"No, in fact he's the oldest employee here why?"

"Is that so? It's my first time seeing him so I thought he was a newbie"

"You only came here two times, how can you possibly know all the staff here after just 2 visits" Jamie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I do know them all" Casper pouted as he began counting off with his fingers. "There was a girl then there was the twins, so far I've only seen those three"

"The girl is Gwen and the twins are Harry and Larry, Harry's the one with longer hair and Larry's the one with an earing. They're part timers and Alan is the only permanent staff. It just so happens that the times you came here are the times those three work " Jamie explained.

"Oh yeah that Gwen and Harry is quite amusing always bickering over small things" Casper said as he smiled remembering those two.

Jamie also smiled as she agreed wholeheartedly.

"Yeah those two can't go a day without bickering, they're like an old couple always bickering over small things, it may seem amusing for a customer but when they're your co-workers it's quite tiring you know"

"Who's like an old couple?" A voice behind Jamie spoke up, startling Jamie in her seat. Looking at her back she saw Gwen standing there.

"Hey Gwen! What are you doing here? It's your day off you should be wandering outside having fun!" Jamie laughed nervously as she tried to act like she said nothing to Casper before.

Gwen crossed her arms as she looked at Jamie and shook her head disapprovingly.
"I can't believe that just because you have a new friend now you're already badmouthing your old friend behind her back"

"Oh come on that doesn't even count as badmouthing you!" Jamie retorted.

"Anyway what are you really doing here?" Jamie asked again as Gwen dragged a chair from another table and sat beside Jamie.

"Can't I come here as a customer?" Gwen replied as she placed her apple pie and chocolate cake on the table.

"Your break is about to end shouldn't you go already?" Gwen asked Jamie. Jamie looked at the clock above the cafe's logo and saw that indeed her break is about to end soon so she got up and pocketed her phone that was abandoned on the table.

"Well then I'll get going now, have fun talking to each other" Jamie smiled as she left Casper and Gwen alone and went back to the kitchen, not missing the pleading look on Casper that screamed 'please don't leave me alone with her' 'please don't leave me alone with her'