The Author sat in her usual spot at her favourite café, writing on just about anything. Her coffee cup was long empty, and she'd stuck sticky notes to just about any clear surface. The Author was working on a story for a youth 14-18 writing class she was part of, a fantasy. The words covering her table had the job of being her inspiration, but most of them acted as distractions.
The Author sighed and rolled her shoulders. She was coming onto the second hour at her table.
"Your keyboard is very silent despite your quick tapping."
The Author looked up at the figure standing by her table. She recognised him as a boy from one of her classes that sits a few steps behind her. The boy held out a mug with steaming contents toward her.
"Oh, hi... I've never thought about that. What's in that mug?"
"It's hot cocoa, with rainbow marshmallow. I hope you don't mind, and the barista said it's what you usually get. Can I sit?"
The Author stared over at Ella. Ella is the daughter of the woman who owns this cafe. She usually works as a barista in the cafe. Ella laughed and sent the Author a wink. The boy had a goofy smile on his face, like many other boys his age do.
"Sure... But why did you ask Ella what my favourite drink is?"
The Author waited for a response as the boy took his time sitting down, hanging his coat on the chair.
"Because I wanted an excuse to come sit next to you. I see you scribbling in class all the time. I guess I wanted to come to ask you what you're writing?" He ended his statement like a question. The Author smiled at him.
"But we've only just started talking, how do I know I can trust you with all of my writing and amateur author secrets?" The Author giggled.
"Well, Tip-tap, I'm trustworthy. You're just going to have to take my word for it." The boy seemed to have filled himself with confidence.
"Tip-tap?"
"Yeah. Tip-tap. That's your name now. It's what I'm gonna call you. Problems with it, Tip-tap?" The boy winked at her.
"I mean, no. But what am I going to call you? We can't have a non-mutual nickname situation." The boy laughed.
"We are going to be great friends, Tip-tap. You'll figure out a good name for me eventually. Until then, you could just call me, oh I don't know, my name?"
The Author laughed. She pulled out her most dramatic tone before she replied.
"Your name?! Isn't that illegal? How in the world could I call you your name without both of us getting imprisoned for high treason?"
Both of them laughed. The Author turned her laptop slightly to the side, letting the Friend look at what she's been writing.
What he said was true. They were very much going to become great friends.
