What If Its Us

Eyes Meet. Hearts Pound

"Oh my gosh! That just made me sound like i hate deaf people." He gasps. He begins to babble. "I don't hate deaf people, really i don't, no problems with them there, i was just asking because if you were deaf then you wouldn't be able to hear me-"

Thomas lets him prattle on and on. Lewis who is standing behind him is looking on with a slightly amused expression as he finishes his tangent and take a breath.

"I'm not deaf." Thomas finally murmurs and he clears his throat to make his voice sound deeper. "I'm just not sure what to get."

Alexander breaths a sigh of relief and grins adorably. "Well then i am required by law to recommend you the pumpkin spice latte."

Steaming cup in hand moments later Thomas moves towards James table with Lewis in tow. He doesn't even like pumpkin spice but he'd become way to tongue tied with that pretty barista and had just nodded and went along with it. He'd gotten way to trapped in those violet eyes to form a coherent thought.

"Thomas!" His friends James Madison stands up from his spot at the table to give him a one armed hug. Thomas returns it somewhat in a daze and seats himself across from him.

Giving him a perfect view of the counter, great.

"Thomas this is my roommate John Jay." Madison introduced him and Thomas shook the hand of the man who had a tight face and a broad forehead with brown hair.

"Nice to meet you." He murmurs taking a sip of his drink.

It's awful. But he can't find it in him to care, his eyes are on the pretty barista again who is smiling at the next person in line. A blonde girl with pigtails. His smile really is so pretty.

"So Thomas." James clears his throat and snaps Thomas out of his thoughts. "Who's your friend?" 

He takes a fierce swallow of the caffeinated drink before gesturing to Lewis. "This is Meriweather."

They shake hands all around and Lewis takes the giggles like a pro. 

"So what is everyone studying?" Meriweather asks once the idle chitchat has died down. 

"Anthropology and Neuroscience." He hears John say but his eyes are once again on Alexander. He's not blind to his charm and he smiles and cracks jokes with everyone approaching the counter but maybe that's just his usual attitude. 

He gives the customer their drink with a hearty smile and playfully swings his rag at Usnavi whose trying to stack cups.

"If you want to do that, apply for a job." He scolds him.

"No habla english." Usnavi shoots back.

"Consigue un trabajo!" 

"Thomas are you listening?"

He snaps back into the conversation as he realizes all eyes are on him. 

"I'm sorry what were you saying?" He asked sheepishly.

"John asked what you were studying?" James said looking at him quizzically with his own cup raised halfway to his lips.

"Oh uh." He shook his head to clear it and smiled at John. "mathematics, metaphysics, and philosophy."

John nodded seemingly impressed. "Wow triple majoring huh. You must be smart."

"Thanks." Thomas took another swig of his drink and gagged against the taste.

"Where are you today Thomas?" James asked, an amused expression on his face. "You've been staring off into space ever since we sat down."

"Oh uh." He fidgets with the wrapper on his cup ripping off a piece and balling it between his fingers. "I've just been a bit preoccupied." His eyes shoot up again to find Alexander who is pouring more coffee beans into a machine while Suzy the red head stands behind him watching. 

James catches the look and turns around in his chair to look as well. His face turns red and he bites his lip waiting for James to connect the dots.

He turns back around with a playful smirk. "Oh i see."

Lewis and John are tuned in now and turn towards them with interest. 

"You have?" Thomas asked trying everything to keep his composure. 

"What's going on?" John asks.

James hooks a thumb over his shoulder. "Thomas is checking out that pretty red head."

Thomas releases a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and smiled in what he hoped was a convincing way.

"You got me." he laughed holding up his hands. And the group chuckled.

"Well what are you waiting for?" James asked. "Go talk to her!"

And this is where Thomas started to panic, not that he would ever admit it because Thomas Jefferson did not panic. So he just breathed through his nose and calmly smiled at his friend.

"No way James. I just got here and the first thing i do in college is not going to be asking out some girl i don't know."

Alexander has turned to a customer now and is handing them a cinnamon bun.

"What are the odds you go talk to her?" James asked not willing to let the subject drop.

Thomas groans, he hates this game. "100." He says his voice firm.

James rubs his hands together evilly. "On the count of 3."

They both say 12 and Thomas wants to die. But by the rules of the game he has to do it. He takes another swallow of his drink which is now lukewarm making it even more disgusting and stands up.

Because he is not a coward. No matter how much his knocking knees tell him it's not true.

"Go for it Thomas!" Lewis murmurs as he rounds the table and approaches the empty counter where Alexander is wiping it down.

He clears his throat and Alexander looks up. "How can i help you?" He asks.

Thomas is most definitely not looking into his eyes, nope not at all he doesn't even notice how pretty they are.

"I'm." It sounds so stupid to ask. He's going to sound so shallow.

"You're?" Alexander crosses his arms and rests them on the counter. His facial expression his amused. 

"I'm uh- i mean that lady. The red head. I think i know her."

"Who Suzy?" Alexander looks over his shoulder into the back room she had gone into. "I mean she's a senior so i don't know but i can ask her."

"Oh no!" Thomas says a little to quickly and Alexander stops in surprise. He swallows.

"I didn't know she was a senior, she just looked like someone i used to know but i obviously don't." He backed away from the counter and crashed into a chair.

"Sorry i'm-" He picks up the chair and he can see Alexander trying to hold in a laugh. He straightens himself up and offers Alexander an exasperated look before he marches back over to his own table.

His friends are in hysterics.

"Thomas i thought you were like this ladies man!" James howls as he slams his fist on the table struggling to catch his breath.

John and Lewis are wiping the tears from their eyes and Thomas ignores them as he takes a swig of his now cold drink taking the awful flavor as punishment for being so stupid.

"I'm rusty." Is the only explanation he offers as he watches Alexander duck down behind the cabinet to conceal his laughter and he sighs. So much for first impressions.

Maybe if he's lucky he'll never have to see him outside of the cafe.