Page 67 of Picture Us

Sucking in a deep breath of air, Rose tried to urge Drew to follow suit. Eventually they relented and allowed the warm July air to fill their lungs.

“Thanks.” Drew said as they exhaled.

Rose gently kissed their cheek and grabbed their hand, guiding them back to the truck. Once they were back in the car, Rose started looking for places to stop along the route.

It wasn’t too long before the car was lurching out of its parking spot and pulling onto the road. Drew seemed to be used to driving the city street, even in a massive truck. Weaving between the plethora of terrible drivers, Drew got them to the George Washington Bridge in a quick thirty minutes.

Rose stared out the window after adding a few songs to the queue on Drew’s phone, curating the vibe for the first leg of their drive.

She loved watching the landscape shift from the skyscrapers to suburbs to the country. A part of her would always yearn for the woods despite knowing that she belonged in the City. Looking over the water, it was easy to see the divide between the tall, rock Palisades that line the West bank of the river and the city skyline.

As they drove, Rose added a coffee stop to the navigation. Drew followed the instructions. And after they crossed the Hudson River, Drew quickly pulled off into a small commuter town where the navigator pulled them into a small parking lot.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Drew shook their head as they put the truck in park and turned off the ignition. Looking up at the familiar green mermaid, Drew sighed.

Rose giggled as she hopped out of the car. “Okay, to be fair, it was the only place on the way that was open.”

Eyeing her, Drew shook her head. “I’m not sure I believe you.” Their grumpy demeanor took over as their caffeine withdrawal set in. Veering toward Rose, Drew nudged her with their broad shoulders.

Rose grabbed the door handle to the Starbucks. A rush of cold air slapped them in the face as they stepped inside.

“Do you need a minute with the menu before we order?” Rose looked up at the picture menu. Hardly any of the items they actually served were up there. Besides, Rose was almost certain Drew would just order a black coffee.

But Drew shook their head and headed up to the counter where they greeted the cashier. “Hey, how are you?”

“I’m good, thanks. What can I do for you?” The teenager in a green apron smiled back at Drew.

Drew looked up at the menu before launching into their order. “Can I get a venti, caramel macchiato with soy milk, two pumps of chocolate syrup, whipped cream, extra drizzle, and double the espresso, please?”

Hardly able to process what she was seeing, Rose’s mouth fell open. She hardly noticed when the cashier turned their attention to her. “And for you?”

Stuttering, Rose shook her head as she tried to recover. “I’ll just take a grande iced coffee with oat milk.”

“Any syrup?” The teenager asked as they tapped away at their POS.

“Uh sure, just two pumps of the classic syrup please.” Rose pulled out her card, scanning her rewards card before paying for the drinks. When the cashier disappeared behind the counter, Rose walked over to Drew who was already by the pick-up area.

Before Rose could ask any questions, Drew smiled. “How much do I owe you?”

“Business expense, don’t bother.” Rose winked.

Their eyes scanned the generic decor of the store. It looked the same as every other Starbucks they had ever been in. And that was kind of the point. Rose scanned their face, still in complete shock. “That was… a big order. Especially for someone who never comes to Starbucks.”

Raising a finger, Drew corrected her. “I never said I wouldnevercome here.”

Rose raised an eyebrow, unsure what exactly they were getting out. Their face flushed with what Rose could only assume was a slight embarrassment.

“First of all, I do love supporting local shops. That is still true. But I had to force myself to stop coming here because I was getting this shit like everyday and it was costing me a small fortune on top of concerning my doctor.” Drew confessed, barely able to look at Rose.

Understanding washed over Rose as she nodded. “A-ha. So you aren’t justsooocool and special that you've never been here. You’re actually obsessed with it.”

Drew rolled their eyes. “If you want to simplify it, sure.” Crossing their arms, they looked down at Rose.

Meeting their hazel eyes, Rose giggled. “Do you go to SA?”

“SA?” Drew’s face wrinkled.

“Starbucks Anonymous?” Rose’s whole body shook with laughter.

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