Played like a Phonograph

Chapter 2

Sadly, our favorite table was taken by someone else. As we looked around the place, not a single table was free. I was about to tug at Helga's arm and tell her that we should leave, when she said " Hey do you see that dude sitting there on the table by himself?"

" Yeah but even if we borrow the two extra chairs from him, there is no table left." I said. " Dude, we can sit with that hottie, that's the best place we could get, man!" Helga kept eyeing him excitedly. And smiling widely. " Says the one who already has a boyfriend. Won't that be cheating?" I raised a brow.

" No, it won't. We don't have any other table and we'll tell him how much we love this place that we can't go anywhere else. Plus do you have a better plan?" She said. I sighed and followed her. He kind of was hot. Straight, dark black hair with tips reaching his neck. He could probably make a tiny pony out of them. He had a beautiful, prominent jawline that give his face a nice shape. His eyes shined and were glassy, light sapphire marbles that fit perfectly in their sockets, overall giving his eyes an almond shape. His lips were not too thin, not too thick. Just somewhere in between and a beautiful shape. The upper one thinner and darker than the lower. Soft, smooth. Amaranth pink. He wore a sky blue denim sweatshirt, slim fit jeans and grey-blue nike air max. Two wires were going in his ears. Headphones. The buds were hidden under his hair. 

We stopped at his table and he looked up at us. Helga knocked at his table and he immediately pulled out his headphones, smiling up at us.

" Hey, this is my best friend Chelsea and I'm Helga. Nice to meet you."

" Yes, good to see you. I'm Jeremy." The boy said. I could tell he was wondering why we randomly stopped at his table and introduce ourselves. He probably thought it was a dare, until Helga said: " Do you mind if we sit here with you, because all the other tables are taken and you have no idea what kind of emotional attachment we have with this place." Helga grinned, now waiting for his approval.

" Yes of course. Sit down." Jeremy smiled back and motioned us to the seats. When we both had settled he said, " I actually do understand, because even my girlfriend has the same kind of obsession with this place."

" You have a girlfriend?" I instantly asked, trying not to sound too heartbroken and desperate.

" EX-girlfriend, she is. We're breaking up officially today and she chose this place to do that. Because it's her favorite. I thought it was stupid that she was ruining her best place by bringing a negative memory of us breaking up here, in it." We nodded in agreement. He continued, " The same kind of mistake she made, cheating on me. Or maybe that was something she thought was very right to do. I just don't understand her. What did I not give her? What did I lack that she found in that dickhead football guy. I'm sorry." " Uh, it's okay. Sounds like something really painful and wrong she did." I said. Then Helga chimed in and said, "well of course that girl did something very wrong. How could she even cheat on a boy like you." Then she reached out for Jeremy's hand and almost touched it, saying 'If I were that girl, I would never have left you.' Jeremy smiled and chuckled and said thank you Helga. Then I added, poking Helga in the arm and said to her, ' well you're not that girl, so yeah.' In the end I whispered, 'And control yourself'. Then I quickly smiled back at Jeremy and Helga.

" So when will your ex be here?" I asked.

" She said she'll be here in five minutes, thirty minutes ago. I'm starting to wonder she's not coming. Probably under the covers with the dickhead. I feel stupid waiting here for Anita when she doesn't even care." Just then, Jeremy's phone bleeped and it was a text from Anita. " Oh great, she says she's stuck in traffic so might be an hour", he groaned. " Anyways, got you guys involved in my love life. Moving way away from there, aren't you girls going to drink anything?"

" Yes, I would love that, I'll go get me and Chelsea something," Helga said.

" No no no, drinks on me. I want to buy you guys drinks, before I realize that now I won't have anyone to do such things for."

" But why exactly?" i asked.

" Let's say you both have been very good listeners and I just wanted to buy drinks for the two pretty girls here with me, now." He walked up to the counter, leaving both of us alone to obsess over the moment. 

" Woah, what was that?"

" What was what? I just think it's a kind offer to us," I said.

" Us? Girl, he was totally looking at you while saying that. I noticed it. He was talking about you, but just didn't want to clearly single you out." Before I could say anything in reply to that, Jeremy came back, asking us what flavor we both wanted for our Frappuccinos. I told him Milk Chocolate Fudge and Helga chose Mint Mocha. When Jeremy was collecting and paying, we quickly took that time to ourselves. " If it would have been anyone else, they would just have let us sit down and then not bothered. But he started interacting so soon and was not even afraid to share his personal life with us-You. He so likes you!" Helga exclaimed, sounding more excited than me.

" Hey I don't know anything for sure. And he never even asked me anything about myself. He's just buying us drinks. That's all. Maybe this is some reacting of his girlfriend leaving him." I said, trying to bring Helga to some reality but she was firmly dogmatic about it.

Jeremy arrived with our drinks and a hot chocolate for himself. " Here you go, girls." He said cheerily. " So what's your story?" Jeremy said, looking up to both of us, when we all had thirstily taken a few sips of our drinks. We both looked at each other, deciding who should go first and then Jeremy said, " how about we start with you, Chelsea?" 

" Yeah, sure. So umm, Helga and I are actually coming from a party. As soon as I discovered the kind of weirdos the place was filled with, I immediately decided to leave. I just couldn't enjoy with those weirdos lurking around in between us." Helga poked my elbow. " Oh not Ashby, there was this strange, confused gay dude in one of the upstairs room and he wanted to get laid." 

" Wait, he wanted to do it with you? Are you sure he was gay?" Helga cut in, surprised as ever.

" He was still confused about whether he was and to clarify, he-" 

" Ewwww!!! That's gross. Why didn't you tell me, I can't believe you kept that from me, Chels." Helga was disgusted as could ever be.

" Oh, I've been there, those parties. Crazy people pouring in from everywhere. Invited or not. High school parties were some avoidable mistakes but the best times." Jeremy chuckled. Helga and I exchanged looks.

" Oh I'm sorry I forgot to tell you, I'm in college. A junior. Are you both high school freshman or..."

" Sophomore." We both said in unison.

It was quiet between the three of us for some time.

Then Jeremy broke the silence and said, " We have enough time before Anita comes here so after meeting with her, I actually had to go shop for more song CDs. The music shop is just at the end of the street. You both wan to coming along, if you're interested?" He offered.

" Oh of course, I love music" I said, accepting the offer, amused.

" Then what are we waiting for, lets go".