One Cream, Two Sugar

Kaya collected the various bags of coffee grounds that were scattered all over the stand and began to pack them away in a cabinet. Behind her, Jim, her coworker worked on cleaning out the machines.

"You ever been sky diving?" he asked.

"Huh," she said. "You know, I've never thought to."

"You sound surprised," he said with a laugh. "You'd do it then?"

"Hell yeah I'd do it," she said with a laugh. "It's probably a blast."

"You're not scared?"

"Nah. Well, I mean, maybe a little. But that's half the fun of it. Are you planning on going?"

"I don't know," he said. "My girlfriend wants to. But I'm not sure if I could do it, and I don't want to freeze up in front of her like that, you know?"

Kaya felt a little bit of relief. Part of her had been worried that Jim was working his way towards asking her out. He'd only started working at the coffee stand less than a month ago, so they didn't know each other too well and she hadn't been aware that he was already in a relationship. Not that he wasn't cute, he was, but he just wasn't really her type. He struck her as a bit of a homebody.

"I went cliff diving when I was in Australia," she told him. "I imagine it's probably a little like that. Working up the nerve to jump is tough, but once you do, pure adrenaline."

"What were you doing in Australia?" he asked.

"My dad was stationed there for a little. I'm an Army brat. Been all over the world."

Jim whistled. "Sounds like fun."

"Eh," she said. "Going to new places is fun, but leaving old ones behind isn't."

"Yeah, I can see that. It's probably a bit of a mixed bag."

She nodded, but didn't really have anything else to add. The two kept cleaning in silence for a bit before Jim spoke up again.

"Hey, do you know if anyone can cover my shift next Monday? I've got a thing."

"I might be able to," she told him. "Who are you on shift with?"

"Jamie. Does it matter?"

Kaya grunted. "It does if it's Jaime. Sorry, but you literally couldn't pay me to work a shift with that guy."

Jim furrowed his brow. "What's the matter with Jamie? He seems alright to me."

"First day I worked here," Kaya said as she continued to pack away the stall, "I couldn't figure out the espresso machine. They gave me training but I don't know, it just wasn't working. So anyways, I keep messing peoples orders up somehow and they keep coming back asking to have them redone. Which, fair. But when I asked Jaime if he could do the espresso orders he wouldn't do it. Acted like I was trying to pawn work off on him, even though I was only trying to switch tasks."

"That's your problem with him? He's not a saint but that really isn't that bad. You won't even work a shift with him?"

"I don't like him," Kaya said, with finality. Then, after a moment, "I'll ask around and see if someone else can cover your shift though."

"To each their own then I guess," Jim said. "And thanks."

The two finished cleaning up and packing everything away, then lowered the stand's shutters and locked it up tight. A quick goodbye later and Kaya was on her way down to the parking lot. More than anything in the world she wanted to just slip into a hot bath and fall asleep, but she still lived with her parents and her dad always got all weird when she took too long in the bath.

He'd tell her that hot water wasn't free, she'd point out that it was a *bath* and that the cost didn't go up with how long she stayed in it, and then he'd point out that he was her dad and thereby right by default. Seriously. They'd had that exact fight more than once.

She loved the guy, but damn.

Kaya was still thinking about whether or not a long bath would be worth the argument when she stepped through her car door. There was a white flash, and then she was gone.

***

"Our first contestant, and the first member of Trevor's harem...Kaya Harais!"

Trevor turned around at the sound of footsteps echoing off the marble behind him. He recognized her almost immediately. It was the girl from the coffee stand. He'd seen her just this morning. Seeing somebody from his normal life really drove home just how alien and strange this whole scenario was turning out to be.

Kaya walked past him with a wide eyed stare. Trevor realized with some surprise that that look on her face wasn't fear, but *wonder*. Her gaze swiveled around, taking in the vista laid out before her as she made her way into the depression before Trevor's throne. There she turned to face him, although she continued to look over her shoulder at the oasis beyond.

"Kaya is a twenty year old student who works the coffee stand that Trevor likes to frequent. She's studying anthropology and hopes to travel the world some day."

Violet then went on to describe Kaya's body, right there in front of her. That at last stunned Kaya into paying attention to something other than the landscape, albeit briefly. It was somewhat surreal for both of them to listen to Violet just rattle off Kaya's measurements like that.

Kaya's frame was small and fit; she came up to only 5'4". She had an average butt, but was pretty stacked. Her breasts were at least a DD and looked even bigger given her height.

On top of that, she was gorgeous. If you asked Trevor what he liked most bout her, he'd probably have to say it was her face. It was at once elegant and pouty. That had been the first thing he'd noticed about her, although admittedly her breasts had been a close second. Her black hair was styled in an medium-length asymmetrical cut, with most of it pushed over to her right.

No sooner had Trevor walked through that thought process than he began to feel supremely guilty. Jesus, this girl was just **** to be a literal sex **** and here he was sizing her up. Trevor turned the feeling away, choosing instead to focus on a question. He *had* been attracted to Kaya. Was that how the show was picking it's contestants?

"You may take your place, Kaya," Violet said.

Kaya nodded, and started to walk to the leftmost raised podium on the plaza. She stopped halfway there though and turned back to Violet. "Hey," she said, "the note said that stuff is just provided for us here. Can I get a drink?"

"Sure," Violet said, amused. "Any requests?"

"Iced tea," Kaya replied. "Peach flavor if you have it."

"Coming right up," Violet said with a laugh.

"Oh, and do you guys have a bath anywhere?" Kaya asked.

"I'll have one drawn for you by the time you get to your residence."

"Well, ok then," Kaya said simply. "Cool."

She certainly seemed to be taking this all in stride, Trevor thought. By the time she took her place on the podium a man in a well-tailored uniform was already trotting out of the palace with her peach iced tea.

Trevor started. The servant was the first person he'd seen here other than Violet. He looked normal enough, although he didn't say anything as he handed Kaya her drink.

Violet waited for him to leave before she continued. "Next up we have a girl who certainly has a lot to learn, and who better to teach her than her teacher?"

Oh, Trevor thought. That could not be good.