Somebody to Love ~ Joe Mazzello High School AU

Coffee and Tea

           Long story short, I couldn't do and 'proper' push-ups. Joe didn't care, which why should he, but it was a relief nonetheless. We finished out the rest of the class period running on treadmills together, gathering what stamina we could for the half mile run on Friday. As of right now, I was walking to the lobby to meet up with Joe. I had already gone by my locker to grab my reading book and my purse. The crowd of students was already thinning in the lobby, seeing they were in a hurry to get home. I saw Joe standing by the front doors of the school, scrolling on his phone, and smiled to myself. He was moving his lips softly, maybe reading something?

          "Hey." I finally approached him, and he looked up quickly.

          "Hey! You ready to go?" He pointed to the doors, a large grin on his face. Cuuuttteeee.

          "You bet." He walked up to the doors and opened them for me. I passed through, entering the cold wilderness of Michigan winters, oh what a cruel mistress she is. The wind whistled into my ear and blew my hair everywhere. Joe jogged a little to catch up with me and we walked side by side. "I hate the wind."

          "Oh, me too. It's like the worst part about 'late' winter." The student parking lot was down a hill and a good 100 yards away, I'd hate to walk that far every morning in the winter. We started walking down the sidewalk, which was going downhill pretty steep, when my foot slid a little off the ground. I whipped back a little to catch my balance and I felt Joe's hands firmly grasp on my lower back and stomach. Instinctively, I grabbed onto Joe's forearms like they were my lifeline. "Please don't fall again."

         "I'm sorry. I'm not used to so much ice." I slowly let go of Joe's arms and he let go of my waist, the cold air replacing where his hands just were, making me shiver.

         "Don't apologise." Joe smiled and then held out his arm for me to take. I grabbed onto it thankfully, and we got down the hill with no casualties. Joe fished his keys out of his pocket, and pointed them at a red Jeep Patriot.

         "I like your Jeep. It's my favourite colour." Red was indeed my favourite colour, and I liked the square shape of the Jeep.

         "Thanks. I really like the colour too." He walked over to the driver's side and I approached the passenger and pulled the door open. I quickly slid in the seat and shut the door, cutting off all the wind. My hands were red from the cold and very numb. "Let's start this baby up." I chuckled. He turned the key in the ignition; the heat was already turned all the way up. "So, is Starbucks okay?"

          "Uhm, where else would we go?" I said sarcastically.

         "There is B and B coffee too."

         "Starbucks is the ONLY way." I stared over at him. When he grinned I couldn't help but breaking out into laughter. Man, I was already warming up to him.

          "Well, Starbucks it is then!" he put the Jeep in drive and started leaving the parking lot. "Wanna hook up your phone to the AUX cord?"

          "Yes." I said quickly, I saw it lying in the middle console and grabbed it, trying to find the end. I saw that there was the little iPhone adapter at the end. "Ah, the struggles amirite." See, I had one of the newer iPhone's too so I have two of those adapters. 

         "I know right? Like how does it affect the sound? What's the purpose?" Joe's hand flung off the wheel like this was a serious topic. Hmmmm, what Queen song to play?

         "So, how far away is this Starbucks?" the beginning to the song playing.

     I want to break free!

          "It's about half an hour give or take." Alright, half and hour of QUEEN. I look over to see Joe moving his shoulders with the beat, obviously in an over exaggerating way. That's when he snapped his head over to look at me, "GOD KNOWS!" He gives me the whole smile and even a wink after. My hands flew up to my face as I burst out laughing, tears gathering in my eyes. Oh my lord, I think I'm dying. After about, the rest of the song, I finally gathered myself, wiping the tears away.

         "I think I'm dead." I took in a deep breath. Joe looked very pleased with himself. "I think we need to make a pitstop and get you the Rogerina get-up. Make-up and EVERYTHING." I joked.

         "I wouldn't argue." UHM, EXCUSE ME? The chaotic energy radiating off this boy is dangerous, but hey, I'm not complaining.

         "Okay, Joseph, we GOTTA." I said, trying to act chill but how do act chill imagining this dude sitting beside me wearing a skirt and make-up. Answer, you DON'T. "On a side note, have you heard that you look like John Deacon?"

         "I've heard it maybe a couple times but not a lot of people around here know Queen. Sad I know." I made a noise of disgust because everyone should know who Queen is. The next song, The Millionaire Waltz, started playing, the infamous bass line filling the car.

         "I DIE for this bass line. Can you play bass?"

         "Funny of you to ask because I was thinking of going to Lansing to look at bass guitars, I think it'd be cool to learn." 

         "UH count me in please, I've always wanted a bass guitar." I leaned back in my seat, stretching my legs out. Today I was wearing some orange corduroys, my converse, and a white and orange t-shirt that said "Run Wild"; and of course my jean winter jacket.  

         After about twenty-five minutes we started entering the same town my mom and I came through when we first arrived. I looked to the clock in the car and it was currently three forty-one. Joe drove through town, stopping at some stop-lights, until I saw Starbucks in my view. He pulled into the parking lot and then found a parking spot.  

          "Here we are." Joe unbuckled his seatbelt and I did the same. Tea time, here I come.