all i need // l.p {au}

chapter twelve

On my way to work, I decided to stop at the coffee shop for my usual vanilla latte. It was becoming routine now, coming here. I was standing in the somewhat short line, waiting to place my order, when someone tapped my shoulder.

"Logan, right?" the boy asked when I turned to face him. I recognized him as Liam's friend Niall.

"Yeah, hey," I said with a smile. "You haven't come to the bar with Liam lately. Do you have better things to do?"

He laughed, an infectious sound. "Maybe. I found myself a girl."

I felt a pang in my chest, one that made me wish I could fall for someone easily and be in a happy relationship.

"Well, you should bring her by sometime. I'd love to meet her," I said, trying to just make conversation.

"Yeah, I think she'd like that," he nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

I made it up to the front of the line and told the barista my order. I was pulling out a five dollar bill, when Niall held up his hand.

"I got it, and I'll get a medium iced coffee," he flashed his bright smile at her and I could see her blushing.

"Oh you don't have to do that," I shook my head.

"Nonsense. It's the least I could do for you getting Liam out of his funk," he said, handing over a twenty. "Keep the change, princess." He walked over to wait for his drink and I followed after him.

"Hey, what do you mean I got him 'out of his funk'?" I asked, confused.

"You can't tell me that you don't notice a difference in him from when you first met him and now," he cocked his head to the side and made a face that said it was obvious.

I remembered that he seemed quiet and sort of sad, but now it seemed understandable because of his breakup. I didn't think that I was the reason that he was getting over his ex. "Are you saying that he would still be sad or whatever if it wasn't for me?"

Niall shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just saying that you've helped him out. At first I thought he just needed a rebound, but I can tell he likes you much more than just a rebound." He grabbed his coffee off the counter and headed toward the door. "I'll see ya later," he called with a wave.

My thoughts were a jumble of confusion as I took my latte and made my way into the parking lot to my car. I blasted the air conditioning as a way to try and knock some sense into me. I had trouble believing Niall's words, that I was more than a rebound to Liam. I had never been more than a one night stand to anyone, except maybe Tristan, but I didn't really count him.

I waited a few moments, letting the cool air calm me, before I put my car in drive and drove the short drive to the bar.

"How was your day off?" Tristan asked as soon as I walked through the door.

"Pretty good," I nodded, walking to the back room to put my purse in my locker.

"What'd you do?" he questioned when I walked back out.

"Went to dinner," I shrugged as I set up for my shift.

"With anyone in particular?"

"Tris, why are you asking? It's not like I'm not allowed to have dinner with a boy," I glared at him.

"So you did go on a date?" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"It wasn't a date," I rolled my eyes. "It was just dinner with a friend."

"Sure it was," he smirked.

I didn't bother responding to him because I knew he believed I went on a date. "Will you go get me refills of the whiskey? The bottles are almost gone," I changed the subject.