Chapter 2: Coffee and Confidence

The scent of freshly brewed coffee hung heavy in the air, a comforting aroma that did little to mask the nervous flutter in my stomach. “Java Junction” was a small, indie cafe, all mismatched furniture and quirky local artwork splashed across the walls. My mom had insisted we check it out, saying it was “just the kind of place to meet people,” a phrase that sent a fresh wave of anxiety through me. I, armed with a lukewarm latte I’d barely touched, sat at a corner table, scrolling aimlessly through I*******m. Everyone else seemed to be in pairs or groups, laughing and chatting, radiating an effortless coolness that I felt utterly incapable of achieving. They were all sun-kissed and carefree, while I felt like a gray cloud in their Florida sunshine.

“Hey, you new here?”

I jumped, nearly spilling my latte all over the thrifted table. A girl stood beside my table, her dark hair pulled back in a high, neat ponytail, her eyes bright and genuinely curious. She wore a black apron over her clothes, and a nametag pinned to it read "Roxy."

“Uh, yeah,” I stammered, my heart thumping. “Just moved here from Ohio.”

“Ohio? Wow, that’s a change. I’m Roxy. I work here.” She gestured to her apron with a friendly smile. “Welcome to Orlando. Don’t look so terrified, we don’t bite.”

“I’m Aria,” I said, my voice a little steadier this time, thanks to her disarming warmth.

“Nice to meet you, Aria. You look like you could use a friend.” Roxy grinned, a flash of white teeth against her sun-kissed skin. “Orlando can be a bit of a shark tank, especially at Oceanview High.”

My stomach dropped. “Oceanview? That’s…that’s where I’m going.”

Roxy laughed, a sound that was surprisingly loud and uninhibited. “See? I knew it. Don’t worry, it’s not that bad. Just…cliquey. But hey, now you know someone. I can give you the lay of the land.”

We talked for what felt like hours, though it was probably only twenty minutes. Roxy was everything I wasn't – confident, outspoken, and unapologetically herself. She's a Junior like me. She told me about the different cliques at Oceanview, the teachers to avoid, and the best places to hang out that weren’t just tourist traps. But more importantly, she listened. She listened to my fears about starting over, my insecurities about fitting in, and my dreams of just being able to go one day without feeling like an outsider. And she didn’t judge.

“You’re pretty, Aria,” Roxy said bluntly, after I hesitantly mentioned my body image struggles. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You’ve got curves for days, and anyone who can’t appreciate that is blind.”

I blushed, but a warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the latte. It was the first time anyone had said that to me without a hint of pity or condescension. It was just a fact, as far as she was concerned.

“Thanks, Roxy,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"Anytime, girlie. I gotta finish up working today, but I’ll see you at school, okay?" Roxy pointed at her work uniform and then gave me a quick, firm hug that smelled of coffee and vanilla syrup.

“Definitely,” I said, hugging her back, feeling a little less alone in the world.

"Alright, take care now, see you tomorrow," Roxy said, walking back behind the counter with a wave.

That evening, as my mom and I unpacked more boxes, I didn’t feel as nervous as I did earlier that day. For the first time in a long time, I was able to finally let loose and laugh at a silly joke my mom made, a sound that felt foreign but good. It felt like it hadn’t happened in forever.