Caffeine | PUBLISHED

04. Cappuccino

I blinked my tiredness away, shaking my head, and sent her a sloppy grin to ease her worries.

"Just chemistry homework," I replied, partially telling the truth. "Where's William?"

"Cafeteria. It's pizza day, got to get some before it runs out and we're stuck with mash," Riley smiled, accepting my excuse and moving the conversation along.

She heaved her bag higher up on her shoulder and nodded towards the cafeteria, her long blonde ponytail whipping the air. "Speaking of which, we'd better hurry too."

I shook my head with a gentle smile. "Not today, I'm headed to the library. Got less sleep than usual."

Riley chuckled. "Party animal."

"You wish."

We both let out a few giggles before Riley turned towards the cafeteria. "See you at history then?"

"Of course," I smiled before turning towards the library.

I began walking, letting out another yawn as I shuffled down the halls.

It was true. I'd had the worst sleep in a long time. Paired with my usual nightmares and anxieties, my mind had been crowded with Isaac and his sickening green eyes. It bothered me that he was suddenly speaking to me.

It was almost like a premonition of a bad event.

I pushed the heavy wooden doors of the library open, getting hit by a sudden gush of warm air. The smell of old books flooded me as I treaded on the rough blue carpet, the wooden boards creaking under my weight. My eyes drifted to the teacher's desk where Mrs Harvey lifted her withered eyes from her book to me as I sent her a curt nod.

She simply scowled and looked back to her ancient book, tattered at the edges, causing me to roll my eyes and quietly snake my way through the aisles of books towards my spot.

I read the spines of books on my way through the non-fiction aisles, passing books about Humpback Whales and 100 Facts about Tadpoles as I walked towards the reptile section.

As my window seat came into sight, I stopped in my tracks.

Sitting on the carpet in front of the windowsill I called my nap spot was none other than Isaac Hensick. His figure sat cross-legged, his hair looking soft as it fell in short, wavy tufts over his forehead. Gripped within his tanned slender fingers was a slim book about Reptile Habitats.

Upside down.

That would explain the confused look on his face.

I stood ahead of him speechlessly, my jaw dropped, and my eyebrows scrunched in disbelief.

In my silence, Isaac seemed to notice my presence, raising his eyes and smiling at the sight of me. He closed the book tenderly.

"Ah, Aspirin!" Isaac gushed quietly. "I've been waiting for you."

I blinked, finally registering the situation. This gorgeous asshole had planned to meet me here today after seeing me in this spot yesterday. He'd expected me to come back after I'd missed my nap. I swallowed my anger and took a deep breath.

"Why are you here?" I asked, clenching my fist to stop my voice from shaking.

He haughtily held up the book he had been reading. "I'm learning about reptiles."

I held a hand to my forehead, muttering a string of curse words under my breath. I seriously was not in the mood for this. All the nervousness in my body towards him had just been thrown out of my mind, his gorgeous face and 'out of my league'-ness being the last thing I was thinking about.