It Starts with Coffee

One

"Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind."
-DODINSKY

~~

It's only three hours into my seven-hour shift at Gianna's, one of a hundred coffee shops in the college town of Port Angus. With its coastal beaches and modern architecture it's a popular spot for young adults stepping into the world away from the safety of parents and blessed with new responsibilities to flock to. Three hours into my shift and I'm miserable.

Usually, I like my job. I'm a coffee addict and what coffee addict wouldn't want to be in a cafe surrounded by the amazing aroma of coffee all day?

Maybe the girl who had another fight with her boyfriend last night, wouldn't like it.

I am that girl that had a fight with her boyfriend last night and I can tell you I don't want to be at work right now.

I want to be at home in my hometown with my boyfriend snuggling up and doing something together like we used to back before we moved to this stupid town I never wanted to come to, back before he changed. I barely recognise the man I fell in love with when I was fourteen. We're nineteen now and you would think after five years our love and bond would have gotten stronger.

It did.

Until we moved here

And that is why I hate stupid Port Angus and it's stupid preppy college.

We go to Augustbrook College and it changed absolutely everything.

My beautiful dorky boyfriend, developed a God complex when he became friends with frat boys and sorority sisters. He went from coffee and books, lazy weekends and snuggles in bed. To alcohol, drugs, parties and sports. It's not that I hated his growth. Well, I hate the drugs but the rest I didn't mind.

But it changed him.

Gone is my loving affectionate boy who would bring me flowers and kiss me lovingly. The boy that would take me outside to look at the stars just because. The boy that would write me love letters and bring me poems. The boy who would look at me like I was the best thing in the world. The boy that loved reading and superheroes, Comic-Con, video games and all things that made him...him. The boy who loved it when I showered him with kisses, gifts and affection.

This new guy barely touches me. If we aren't having sex which used to be a minor part of our relationship is now the focal point, there is no other touching. There are hardly any kisses and hugs. Hand holding? Forget about it. Random hugs from behind? That beautiful cheesy smile before grabbing my hand and pulling me into a hug that would fix every problem I ever had.
Gone.

Gone are the movie nights, the board games, the late-night gaming sessions. Replaced with drug and alcohol-fuelled parties, football games, basketball games and sports nights with the boys that I'm banned from.

I don't recognise this new guy.

He looks like my Jack...kinda. My beautiful Jack with blonde hair and light brown eyes. Those haven't changed. Everything else has. This new Jack is skinner than my Jack with muscles and a toned chest but I love him the same. He could do anything to his body and he would still be beautiful. I'm not naive. I know he's society-approved hotter and with that came the perks of being beautiful. I just wish he would remember that I've always found him beautiful.

I don't hate all these new changes. I love them because I love every stage of his life but I hate who he turned into.

This Jack is mean. He barely sees me. We live together but it's like we are strangers. To strangers forced to be roommates. He barely stays home and that's what our fight was over. I am sick of him leaving all the time. It wouldn't mind every now and then.