For My Soul

Chapter 31

Chapter 31- Hi loves sorry for the break- I was feeling the woes of the world. 

Also I got a first in my dissertation :) 

Amelia's POV- Have a break from caffeine alcohol

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you Tom." River says noisily as he and Tom join our table. "I am not going to give you permission to tie me up, I am not into that."

Tom hits River's arm hard but neither Darcie nor I even take notice of this conversation. We carry on with ours. Rex of course chuckles at River, earning a proud grin and some sort of explanation.

"Well what are you going to do with her?" Darce asks me.

"Nothing. She'll just sleep round and do her work and go to school-"

Darce frowns. "And why can't she stay home alone?"

"Because my parents don't trust her alone in the house." I smile, shrugging. "Don't worry, she'll be fine."

"What's this?" River asks after taking a sip of his coffee and pulling a grossed-out face at it.

"What's that?" I ask instead, nodding down to his coffee. "And just Mae."

He pushes it to me. "It's a latte. Try it."

"River, I know what a Latte is." I smile and take a sip anyway. I was supposed to be giving up caffeine for the week because I want to see if it helps with the anxiety. After talking to Dawn, she wants me to give up alcohol instead. I push his mug back to him. "It's just milky coffee, why have you got this?"

He shrugs. "I am trying new things."

I do not question why Latte is a new concept to him as I know it would be met with a sarcastic remark or him feeling judged, instead I just glance at the coffee and then back at him. "Not a fan?"

He turns his nose up. "It's weak."

Rex is also here. He has been here for the last hour with just Darcie and me. We have been bonding. He calls it bonding anyway. He's invited us to a party at his dorm tonight. I think he's fallen out with the girl he was seeing. He didn't say as much but he walked into the coffee shop this morning looking all depressed and in the clothes from the night before, and when he saw us, he smiled in relief and came and said hello.

He then went and got changed and got his laptop and came back here to study with us. Then an hour or so later Tom and River joined us.

Tom says hello to Darcie in the background and Rex gets back to his report. River nudges my leg. "Mae?"

I frown confused. "What?"

"What were you saying?"

"Oh. Nothing. Mae is staying with me for a few days as my parents go away."

His eyebrows raise. "And when is this?"

"In a few days." I exhale amused. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I just need to plan around when I can stay in your bed again."

My eyes widen and I kick him under the table. He cries out in a mixture of pain and amusement.

I hush him. "You stayed round once because I was sad. Do not get used to it."

"Twice." He corrects with a knowing smirk. "And more if you count the times I slept on the sofa with Rex and not in your bed."

I narrow my eyes annoyed. He narrows his right back amused.

"Go drink your latte somewhere else."

He continues to revel in my annoyance. "I wonder what changed between us for you to be this nasty to me."