Take Me Back

Chapter 9

Then

A loud knock makes me jump up in bed, my eyes frantically darting around my room, slightly crazed. I tilt my head in confusion for a moment, wondering if maybe I dreamt it, but then another solid four knocks sounds through my room. I roll my eyes and huff in annoyance, thinking maybe it's Dinah and she just forgot her keys again. I throw the blanket off of me and grumble about how the world hates me.

I pull open the door and immediately start complaining. “Damn DJ, this is the third time this week…” I trail off once I notice no one is outside my door and lean out to peek down both sides of the hall. Seeing no one, I'm about to slam my door shut and dive back into my fluffy blanket and deliciously warm bed when something on the floor outside my door catches my eyes.

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise when I see a to-go cup of coffee with the Slow Sip Abyss logo on one side of the coffee sleeve. I frown in confusion as I scan the hallway again, but clear my throat when I fail to see anyone. I reach down and grasp the warm cup in my hand, steam leisurely escaping through the hole on top, bathing me in the mouthwatering scent.

I peek at the coffee sleeve and see three words written there in sharpie.

Check inside sleeve.  

I furrow my brows in confusion, staring at the cup skeptically, wondering if it's going to explode if i remove the coffee sleeve. I hum in thought and then shrug carelessly, deciding that if it does detonate and I do die, then at least I will no longer be in debt and won't have to write the ten page paper I have due for my fiction writing class. I walk into my room, making sure to close the door firmly to ensure that there will be no mass casualties if and when it explodes. Slipping the coffee sleeve off, I set the cup down and peek inside of the stiff paper, interest piqued when I find a folded up paper lightly taped to the inside. I reach in and carefully extract it so as to not rip it, I bring it out and smile lightly at the open me written on the outside. I do as it tells me and my gaze softens when I see familiar writing taking up the paper.

I know that I suck and you probably want nothing to do with me, but I was wondering if you would meet me today at the coffee shop and we could talk? I'd like a chance to try to explain myself… If not, I brought you this coffee so you would at least still be starting your day off right. It's filled with sugar and creamer even though it physically pained me to do so.

I'll be sitting at the same place we sat last time, at 2 this afternoon. I hope you come. If not, I'll understand.

- Lauren

I swallow thickly, bringing hand up to my forehead as I shake my head. Dammit. Just when I thought I could let possibly let her go, she does something like this. And she's fucking adorable.

Dammit.

With a huge smile taking up my face, I reread the sweet note and am completely baffled that she would even do something like this. And here I thought that romantic gestures were my thing. I pick up the cup of coffee and tentatively take a sip, blushing profusely when I find that it is prepared exactly how I like it.

Double dammit.  

Walking to my bed, I set the cup down and grab my pillow, only to bring it up to my face and release a squeal into it, hoping to expel the excitement and frustration that I feel bubbling up in the pit of my stomach.

Nope, still there.

Dammit.

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I nervously tug on the sleeves of my long sleeve shirt when I hesitantly approach the all too familiar door, pausing to pull out my phone and take a quick glance at the time, swallowing nervously when I see that it is 1:59 in the afternoon. With a deep breath, I mentally prepare myself for the worst and slowly push it open, eyes immediately darting to my usual seat. My breath catches in my throat when I see Lauren sitting there, casually reading a book. She's absolutely gorgeous in her grey tank top and light blue denim jacket hanging loosely on her shoulders. I feel my breath knocked out of me as I watch her reach a hand up to run through her brown luscious locks, flipping her hair to the opposite side. God, she is a work of art. I know they say that art isn't supposed to look nice, it's supposed to make you feel something; they obviously never saw Lauren Jauregui because this girl looks amazing and is making me feel something- hell, she's making me feel everything.