Supernova

Chapter Four | Blowing out eardrums and ER teachings

Sterling

I nestle back into my seat with two coffees and a blueberry muffin. I love the muffins here. They all have that really good streusel topping that is packed with sugar, but it melts in my mouth and I love it.

"You don't need any more sugar in you," Patty tells me and snatches my blueberry muffin from me. My mouth hangs open in awe.

"Patty! It's a muffin," I whine, but try not to whine too loud so the people in public don't mistake me for a five-year-old.

She scoffs. "More like a glorified cupcake if you ask me, Star baby. Do you have any idea how much sugar is packed into this little thing?"

"No, and I don't care."

She scoffs. "It's enough to give you every type of diabetes and then some."

"That's literally one of the most dramatic statements I've heard from you," I vocalize and she sticks her nose in the air telling me she doesn't care a bit.

"Dramatic or not, I won't be giving this back."

I grumble and fall back in my seat. "You said I could get whatever I want. Now you're taking it from me like you're my mom or something."

"Honey, if I was your mother, you wouldn't be such a brat all the time," she assures me, taking a long sip of coffee after she does so.

"You know, I am an adult. I don't need to be babied like this"

She cracks a smile. "Not a smart one by the looks of it."

I knit my eyebrows together. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh-"

"Sterling?"

That. Voice.

If it was possible, I'd blow my eardrums out and wouldn't think twice about it so then I 'd never have to hear him speak. Unfortunately, I need my ears, so I have to hear him speak.

I look up and see Xavier standing at our table. His stance is tall. Probably because he's standing, but he looks taller than I'm used to seeing him. Maybe it's because I'm sitting. Why does that matter? His smile is wide and his eyes have a sparkle to them. God, those eyes annoy me. Then again they don't. How does he always manage to find me?

He's wearing a suit. It's navy. It hugs him...nicely. That's distracting me right now. I know I'm staring. I also don't know why I'm distracted. I mean, obviously I'm aware that he's attractive. You could go as far as to say he's beautiful, but I can't stand him and the fact that he's standing in front of me right now is stopping me from saying that. The shirt underneath has the first couple of buttons undone. You can see his chain easily and it looks good on his tanned skin. Lord, Get a hold of yourself, Sterling.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him harshly. Harsher than I intended.

"Sterling Whitlock," Patty hisses. I glare at her and she returns it.

He raises his to-go coffee cup higher so I see it. "Grabbing coffee."

Dumbass. What else would he be doing at a coffee shop? Running a marathon? Solving world hunger? Adopting a litter of puppies? "Oh right, obviously."

"That's what you get for being rude," Patty sneers and I roll my eyes. "Who is your friend, Star baby?"

"He's not my friend," I mutter but I know I wasn't very quiet.

"Ouch," Xavier puts a hand over his chest to signal he's hurt, but he's smirking at me. He looks at Patty and reaches his hand out. "I'm Xavier Gonzales."