Fire and Freedom - Book One of the Café Latte Trilogy

Chapter Thirty-Two - Ross

Chapter Thirty-Two – Ross

I rushed into the café, narrowly sidestepping Cherry and then grabbing her by the shoulders. "Where is he? Is everyone here? Is he okay?"

"They're over there," she said, pointing to the usual table. "Stop stressing, it'll be fine, I'm sure they did great."

I ignored her and dashed forwards, slamming my hands down into the table and making Jasper jump out of his skin. He looked up at me and asked, "What?!"

"How did you do?" I asked breathlessly, having run all the way from the only available parking space two streets away. "Did you do well? Was it good? How did Cyri do? Did she fail?"

"Thanks, man," Cyri said, sat right next to him but completely escaping my notice.

I pulled an apologetic face. "No offence."

"I did good, ABB," Cyri replied, checking her sheet. "I'm going to be bitter about my Lit grade til the end of time, that coursework was absolutely worth an A."

"Congratulations, they're really good grades," I said, leaning over to kiss her on the forehead and then asking Tom, Rory, and Jasper, "So how did you do?"

"ABC, simple as do-re-me," Rory replied, and Tom showed me his as he was too busy shovelling down his food, his paper telling me he got BBB. I looked at Jasper expectantly, waiting for his response.

Jasper shrugged, indicating the unopened envelope. "I haven't opened it yet."

"Why not?" I asked, glancing at it.

He looked at the table shiftily. "I'm nervous."

"I'm confident you did fine," I said, and then added impatiently, "Look, I left Louise and Aaron with a shitload to do, so I need to get back. Unless you want my balls ripped off, and I believe you like my balls where they are."

Jasper smiled, but then his smile ebbed away as he picked up his envelope. I swallowed nervously and watched his delicate fingers tear open the top of the envelope. My heart rate suddenly increased, as I realised what this would mean; Jasper's grades were the only thing standing between him and what he wanted to do. Everything was riding on this moment, and I wanted everything to be perfect.

"A*AA, I knew it," Cyri glanced over his shoulder. "You're such a nerd, Jazz. Go and make us feel less inadequate by failing something else."

I blinked. "What?"

"I don't know what," Cyri shrugged. "A quiz or something, he's pretty useless with trivia nights."

"I don't mean failing things," I managed to say. "I mean his grades, what did he get? Jasper, what  did you get?"

He handed me the sheet, unable to speak, and I glanced down it; an A* in Photography and Digital Art, and two As in Business Studies and English Literature. I grinned and said, "Well, someone's done well."

Cyri laughed and put his arm around Jasper, cheering as Jasper began to smile in disbelief. Lucie kissed him on both cheeks and then giggled, handing him cake as a congratulations present. "Text the others," I told him. "Ed's been having kittens over it."

Jasper grinned cheekily. "Where's my congratulations?"

I leaned over and kissed him, cupping his chin with my hand. "The rest comes later," I winked.

"Ah, suddenly my A Levels seem worth it," he teased me, and his hand found my thigh under the table. Lucie brought over a tray of elderflower iced teas that she had put gin in to celebrate, and we all clinked glasses as they moaned about the grades that should have been higher, and celebrated the ones that were surprisingly high. As I cheerfully joined in, skipping the alcohol as I knew I'd be back at work shortly, Jasper started chatting with Rory about receiving their acceptances to university.