Arc-en-ciel

Chapter 01: Caramel Latte

I bite a cuss back as Tyler's smirk widens.

A part of my mind was urging me to go, for whatever strange reason. It wasn't like anything was going to happen today, and I conceded to myself a little unwillingly- that why be uneventful at home when you can be uneventful around a bunch of idiots?

The first one still sounded like a better option. I was a bit of an antisocial jackass if that wasn't apparent.

But the look my Aunt was giving me turns a tiny bit pleading, and I sigh inwardly in defeat.

She liked it when I socialized.

It's the least I can do to make her happy. After everything she's done for me.

"Fine," I grit through my teeth, "I'll come."

*****

The people that resided in this little town at the borders of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were very original in the way they named things.

Which is why, naturally, the town's most popular coffee shop was called The Coffee Shop. How authentic.

It seemed busier today, with a lot more people than just the regulars. There were a few groups of people our age that I didn't recognize, but I didn't care enough to investigate.

"Tyler!" I hear another male voice exclaim over the chatter in the coffee shop.

"Ethan!" the idiot in front of me returns, with the same amount of unbridled enthusiasm, making me roll my eyes.

"James!" Ethan, also known as the other pain in my ass, cries again.

I dutifully ignore him, dodging him as he comes bounding our way like a happy puppy. Ugh. It was a sad thing that I had chosen to associate myself with people who were far too preppy all the time.

Archer, another person who occasionally hung out with us, gives me a sympathetic nod from the table he was already sitting at.

"Jackson," he acknowledges with a small nod, as I drop myself into the chair across from him.

I nod back absentmindedly, as Tyler and Ethan- the everloving yammering idiots join the table too.

"James," Ethan whines with an exaggerated pout, and I return that look with a blank look, "No 'hello, Ethan- I've missed you with all my cold, dead, black heart' from you? You're breaking me here-"

"Fuck off."

"There it is," he grins triumphantly at the rude greeting, "You just missed Brittany, by the way. She was here, looking for you."

"Thank fuck for that," I mutter. The Brittany in question was a bit of a raging bitch who had apparently staked some claim over me. She fit the Queen Bee- Mean Girl stereotype a little too well sometimes, and it had her convinced that I was meant to be with her.

"Man c'mon," Tyler smacks a hand on the table, "If only you hadn't punched me in the face, James. We would have had front row seats to this drama-"

I had just sat down, and I already wanted to get up and leave.

Fortunately, I had a prime excuse at hand for it: getting myself a coffee before I fell asleep again.

"Where are you going?" Tyler raises an eyebrow as I stand.

"The Antarctic," I tell him with a completely straight face, "Because I'd rather find an icicle and stab myself with it than listen to your conversation."