Can I Come Over?

8:Through the Woods and into the Fire

I leaned over the wooden countertop and rested my head on my hands. The coffee shop was for the most part empty with a few customers scattered around. I had only an hour left in my shift and as tired as I was, I dreaded going back to Brandon’s. For the last three days I have been coddled like I was a five year old who was about to find out there was no Santa Claus. I was fine with the fact that my best friend had been lying to me, and that his secret girlfriend was about to start spending the night, and that everything, for the most part, was about to be tuned upside down…

Okay, maybe not fine. 

I took a deep breath and exhaled through my mouth loudly.

“Oh god, would you quit it already?” Dylan growled. He was posted by the register and like always, not in the best mood.

“What are you talking about?” I asked in a bored tone. I lifted my head and set it in my open palms so that I could watch all the people walk by. Dylan and I had gotten used to each other. He was always moody and grouchy and I became nauseously cheerful when he was around to annoy him. It was quite fun to see him yell at me to stop being so “damn irritatingly jovial all the time.” His words not mine.

At the moment I just wasn’t feeling all that great with my current circumstance so he had a pass for the day.

“You keep huffing and puffing over there. It’s getting on my nerves.”

“What doesn’t get on your nerves,” I pointed out. By the speechless expression on his face I could tell I got him there.

“What your problem anyway?” he asked. He walked over to me and imitated my current position. I have to admit, he looked pretty adorable with his lips all puffed out like a little kid who had just had a tantrum. His blonde hair was starting to grow out so it hung over his eyebrows, in a styled but messy fashion. His golden eyes shifted over at me and waited for a response.

I shook the observations out of my head, “I’m looking for an apartment. Know of a place?” I asked with a pinch of hope in my voice.

He shook his head slightly. “Sorry, me and my brother are all booked up.” I’d learned that Dylan lived with his older brother Nick who was in his senior year of college. Dylan wasn’t very close with his dad so when he graduated high school it was the perfect place for him to go.

I sighed heavily again but when I caught the scowl Dylan threw me I gave a quick, “sorry.”

“What about that Brandon guy? I thought you lived with him and is friend,” he asked. Dylan didn’t know anything about the situation with my mother and I wanted it to stay that way. I needed a clean slate and blabbing all about my family history was not the best choice.

“I have been for the last few days but I have a feeling it’s about to get…very crowded soon,” I answered.

Our attention was redirected when I heard the familiar ding of the bell. Someone needed help. The fact that Dylan hadn’t made a move told me he was letting me handle the customer.

How sweet, I thought bitterly.

I walked over to the register at the other end of the counter to see a pretty girl smiling at me. It was contagious really because once I saw it, I couldn’t help but smile back. She had caramel skin and engaging hazel eyes. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and she wore khaki capris and a red and white striped tank top with converse.

“Hi, I’m Avery. Is there someone I could talk to about putting up an ad?” she asked kindly.

Did we do that kind of thing? There’s no bulletin board full of ads and Dylan had walked off into the back so I had no idea. Adam and Matt were out for a couple of hours with their financiers and wouldn’t be back until my shift was over.