Constellations, Coffee & Chandler | q.h

eight

chapter 8
kind of romantic

| Quinn |

I'm desperately trying to ignore that Carson's sister was the same Chandler as my coffee shop Chandler. It's not working so far.

A wave of guilt passed over me as Carson gave everyone his off-limits speech, all the while Virtanen was in her bedroom. The two came out laughing, a swirl of jealousy joining the guilt consuming me.

I had somehow managed to weasel my way into going to the shop with her,

and Elias.

and Jake.

The opportunity to spend the night at her place seemed more comforting than going home, despite not even knowing what I was getting myself into. The fact that Jake has been sleeping at her place for days, weeks, months, years, made me desperately want to join. That, and the impending loneliness that my apartment now presented. I could feel the smile make its way to my face as I grabbed 2 cartons of eggs, placing them in my basket as Chandler just bribed us with breakfast.

I wasn't even paying attention as I watched Chandler grab bags of pasta off the shelf. I was just about to make a comment about how penne noodles weren't meant for alfredo when a lady nearly bulldozed over us in the aisle. Instinctively, my hand found Chandlers back, my breathing nearly stopping once I realized what I had done. I watched the lady as she continued past us, catching Jake's eye as he smirked down at me. Asshole. I could feel my neck heating up as I looked down, following Chandler as she led us towards the check out. I tried to stand a way behind her, but at the risk of her tiny frame getting run over again, I thought it was best to stick by her.

"I'll buy" I offer, moving forward, only to see the other boys moving in as well. Briefly fighting over trying to get to the machine, Jake quickly outsmarts us in using the actual card slot. Asshole. I did my best to grab most of the bags, but the guys reached to do the same, almost as if we were trying to see who could carry more out, leaving Chandler with Elias' bag of skittles.

I focus on the buildings towering over us as Elias points out how close Chandler's place is to our arena. 10 minutes, could be less during an in-between practice jog. "Everything important is within 5 minutes," Chandler laughs as I realize she couldn't care less about how close she was to the arena. "Ouch Chan," Jake pouts as we all pretend to be hurt by the comment. "You never watch our games?" Elias' face contorts into a look of confusion as we laugh at him. "You need to invite her to a game" I know the comment was directed at Jake, but had she not been Carson's sister, I probably would have been playing the hockey player card the next time I saw her in Margos.

"She really doesn't do hockey," Jake's voice goes a little stern as he clenches his hands around the bags, trying to shrug as if it's no big deal.

As soon as we got back to the apartment Jake practically shoved Chandler into the kitchen, I felt bad watching her have to cook for everyone. I tried to offer my help, but she quickly realized I had no idea what I was doing she sent me off to hang out with the rest of the guys. Jake circulated the guys through to meet Chandler, always introducing her as single. Mostly she rolled her eyes, but a couple of times her face did blush a little. Asshole.

Her pasta really was amazing, and the fact that I had passed this up a couple weeks ago was crazy. I wouldn't pass tonight up for anything.

"Thank you for dinner," I snuck up behind her, reaching around her to put my bowl in the sink. "Anytime," her voice sounded so light, like she was breathing the answer rather than saying it.