Project Coffee

xxvi

"You're what?"Alex is the first one to speak before anyone else.

"I'm being released from the hospital this week."Dakota turns to look at Alex as he talks.

"Are you excited?"I ask making the two turn their attention to me.

"When are you leaving?"Alex bursts in.  Dakota looks at him his eyes focusing on Alex.

   "Saturday."He says his voice rough like he was angry with Alex over something.

     He clears his throat again before turning to look at me."I leave Saturday."He says again but this time with his eyes strained on me.

   "What are you going to do after you leave?"I ask.

   "I'm going home."He laughs. "Haven't been there in a while it'll be a nice change."

   "Maybe you should leave town."Alex speaks up his eyes squinted as his glance darted to Dakota.

  " Why? I've got no one to hide from."Dakotas voice signaling how he felt no fear making him seem almost as dangerous as the paper work says he was. His tone hid away an emotion I could not identify, maybe it was because he wasn't necessarily speaking to me or maybe it was because the tone was because the emotion was unidentifiable.

" Just thought you'd like to see  a new scenery for a change, it must get boring being stuck in the same town your whole life." Alex imitates the same undefinable tone when he broadcasts his thoughts to Dakota and it's almost like I'm no longer in the room between them, instead I'm an onlooker watching as they talk.

"I don't need change in scenery, I'm fine where I am. This is my home."Dakota bite back his fists clenched and I suddenly get the feeling this is no longer about where Dakota's going after he gets discharged.

"Struggling with letting go isn't a good thing. You should've learned that by now, if you found your home here then why not leave and come back later. It's not like it's going any where."Alex fires back his vocals sounding completely full of angst like he'd just bathed his insides with anger as he spats his words.

"You don't tell me about letting go. And you sure as hell aren't allowed to tell me what I should and shouldn't do."It was like watching the two spit fire, the other trying to burn the other harsher then their own burns. What part of the story was I missing?

"I'm only trying to understand why you'd want to stay after everything we- you've been through."Alex lowers his voice his eyes flickering to me for a second before bak to Dakota like he just realized I was still here.

"Because I prefer to not leave any business unfinished."The fire in Dakota worlds lessened but he didn't hide how he still felt about what was going on. "But if you plan on running away again, it won't be a surprise."He snarls before turning to leave.

Dakota's eyes meet mine for a second as he begins to walk off towards the door, he brushes past me the emotions of anger and rage still burning red hot in his eyes while he walks.

"Don't pick the battles you can't fight, Alex."Dakota says the door open as his hands curl around the doorknob firmly. "And don't expect me to come and save you from the pits of hell like before."

The door comes to a close leaving me and Alex hanging onto the words Dakota said before he left.

∆

     The drive home was quiet. I was to mind boggled to even turn on the radio and listen to the music. The drive from my house to the hospital wasn't long but with the sun so low it felt like I'd been driving forever.

My phone was ringing none stop, the majority of the calls from Freddie asking on my whereabouts but instead of giving a response I did nothing. I'd be home soon anyway, so what was the point?

  The drive back home ended with me parking my car into my driveway. All the lights in the house were off instead of the living room.

My hands fiddle with the keys when I reach the door, I wasn't sure what I expected to encounter when I entered my home.

But seeing Freddie making out with Samantha was not what I wanted to see.

  "What the actual hell is going on?!"I nearly shriek causing the two to jolt away from each other and  move apart.

  "Katie,"Freddie says out of breath from practically swallowing Samantha's face as he i turning himself around to gave me."you're home."

"No shit I'm home."I snarl turning my gaze from the now upright standing Freddie to the still sitting Samantha who didn't seem fazed at all by the sight of me. "What the hell is she doing here?"I turn my gaze back to Freddie watching him like a hawk.

"Well..."Freddie looks lost at words for a second moving his eyes from me to the sill lounging Samantha.

"I needed help on my astrophysics homework and Freddie offered to help."Samantha finally speaks up doing this weird half pout half smirk thing with her lips, she bats her mascara coated eyelashes and for once I look at her face, how long does she take doing her face? My own heart starts to thump louder as in relocated from my current situation and sent back to the day Dylan dumped me for her. Was it because she took more care in her appearance then I did? Did guys actually like it when girls take more time to roll themselves up.

I'm quick to snap myself out of my haze, before answering back to Samantha.

"Freddie doesn't take astrophysics."I state flat out, Freddie takes Biology instead.

"Well then, maybe I should go find someone who does."Samantha says picking up her coat from where it lied on the couches arm rest.

She walks past me before turning around and opening her mouth again.

"I'll see you later, Freddie"U could almost feel the devilish smirk on her face before she turns and continues walking.

I keep my jaws locked until I hear the front door close to a shut.

"You have got to be kidding!"I yell out at Freddie who just continues to stand there.

"What's your problem?"He says seeming completely calm about getting caught now, completely unlike how he was two seconds ago.

"There are plenty of other girls, and out of all of them you had to bring her home and practically swallow faces with her!"I was beyond ticked now.

"I can be with who I want."Freddie says crossing his arms over his chest. "Now if we're done here, I have biology homework to finish." He practically sneers before marching up stairs without another word and without letting me say anything either.

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Hey guys! I know I promised about three updates this week, and you all should be looking out for a new chapter being published sometime tomorrow and another being published on Sunday.

The updates lately have been unplanned and that's why they've been so slow, but after the next chapter I'll be back on track and there should be more frequent chapters, no promises tho.

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Comment if you have anything you want to say or want to give feedback!

With love-
- oly