"What can I get for you?" He looked at the menu for a minute too long in my opinion before looking to me with a smile. The guy didn't even look tired. He looked ready to run a marathon. I realized his hair wasn't exactly 'curly' like Hazel's Annabeth's or even mine. It was more like small short beach waves. So maybe wavy is a better descriptor.
"Iced Caramel mocha... coffee, with two extra shots of espresso. One of my friends said I needed to try it." I nodded a bit and put his order into the machine. I told him his total, he paid, and I went to make his drink. He could have just said an iced caramel mocha, he really didn't need to add the coffee part.
"You know this drink already has two shots in it. That's four shots altogether." He just laughed and nodded a bit. I rolled my eyes when my back was to him and made the drink adding in his heart attack of caffeine.
I passed him his cup and he took it still smiling. "Damn, you didn't write my name wrong on the cup." He was clearly joking, but still. He can't just assume I'd spell his name wrong.
"You never even told me your name." He shrugged a bit still smiling. He took a sip and his face contorted to show he didn't like it. "It was your order." I wasn't gonna let him tell me it was shitty when he asked for it and didn't even really know what it was.
He nodded a bit and swallowed. "I know. Do you mind if I sit in here and do some work? I've only got like an hour and a half until my next class, so I won't be long." I gestured to the empty place and sat back down.
"No one's stopping you." He smiled again and went to sit down in one of the booths. He put on a pair of headphones and pulled out his computer to start the work I assume he was talking about before.
I picked up my book and started reading again while keeping the guy in my peripheral vision. His head bopped along to what I can only assume is one of the most recent pop songs like that stupid Shawn Mendes song. What was it called? Stitches? I'm not sure but it keeps playing everywhere and it's annoying.
He didn't really touch his coffee again which wasn't surprising considering his initial reaction. Having him in here with me in almost complete silence felt suffocating. It felt like I was being watched even though I knew I wasn't because I was the one watching him... now I sound like a freaking creep.
The hour and four minutes he stayed in the shop crawled by at snail-like speeds. Yes, he left at 1:10. When he left he tossed away his drink. Don't think I was offended, it's not like I've ever made one before. Not to mention I still got the money so I really couldn't care less.
The rest of the night was quiet, just how I liked it. No blonds coming in trying to OD on caffeine, no nothing. Just me and my book. I read until sunrise again, naturally, it was going to start raising later since fall was finally starting to set in. When my alarm went off and my co-worker hadn't shown up I just left. I worked my full eight hours and I deserved to get some dam sleep before my classes started.
I took the bus back to my dorm and did exactly that. Passed out until noon before getting up. Not because I wanted to wake up yet, but because my classes were earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One problem. My class actually started at noon. I skipped my shower, I could always fit one in later, grabbed my bag, and started running.
I was only 11 minutes late but I was so out of breath I was seeing spots and my lungs seemed to despise me. Everyone turned to me and I became painfully aware of the fact that I was wearing my work uniform still. I had been far too tired to change when I got home last night. That was two days in a row now that I showed up to class wearing an embarrassingly bright color. Only this time it was a vibrant green rather than orange. I apologized to the teacher and hurried to my seat shoving the apron in my bag all while still trying to breathe like a normal human being.
Everyone quickly forgot about my late entrance much like my class from yesterday with Jason. I felt relieved to be able to just sink into my nobody-ness and just be another student. Not an emo gay freak. Granted only one person knows about the second part but these things weren't said to me. Well not anymore, they just rang in my head constantly, partly from my own insecurities and partly from what I had gone through in high school before I found my little sister.
In college everyone's a freak on some level, no one is normal and no one ever has been. Whether it's the stand-out kind of freak or the wallflower kind, a freak's a freak regardless. Always has been always will be. It's an amazingly intoxicating thought. But it also makes me feel like shit because if normal is just a concept why was I the odd one out? Why had I been the one that was called a freak?
Thoughts like this pledged my mind until everyone started leaving and someone bumped into me quite literally shaking me from my thoughts. I had gotten sucked into my head again for an entire class this time. Stupid ADHD. I gathered my things and left the room. I had about an hour before my next class so I went home and took my shower and changed. It just seemed so much grosser to stay in them after running, like, a mile in 11 minutes so I wouldn't miss my entire class.
After I was clean and in fresh clothes I headed back to the school. On the way I got Monster energy, they're some of the only things that can keep me awake these days. Coffee's just too mild now. My phone went off with a text from Percy asking if I was doing anything. My mind started racing faster than even I could keep up with. Had Jason slipped up? Was he going to ask to hang out? Was he going to ask why I left the game so early last night? What did he want?
I calmed myself the best I could and told him I wasn't. He then video-called me. My heart rate picked up and my hands were beginning to shake. I stepped outside and answered him while I opened my drink so I wouldn't have to look at him. "What's up Percy?"
He laughed a bit causing me to look up now. "Dude, those things are gonna give you a heart attack one day." No, this is. I thought but just shrugged and took a drink. It was amazingly sour and just a little sweet. It never failed to remind me of genuine electricity.
"Good way to go. But why'd you call me?" He paused like he'd forgotten he'd done that. I could practically see the loading sign in his green eyes as he rebooted his brain.
He snapped and I thought he was about to shout 'EUREKA' but he restrained himself. "Hazel and Frank are working on setting up a haunted house at the college this year. Frank wanted me to ask if you'd be willing to help since you're big into grunge stuff and murder mysteries. Personally, I think you would just like all the scares they have planned." He laughed a bit and my heart nearly melted.
I just rolled my eyes and kept a straight face. "Well, that's rude." He raised a brow and just smiled before laughing and shaking his head. My heart didn't turn into a puddle this time as I saw a mess of blond, genuine curls in the corner of the screen.
"Dude, you keep a ghost on your front door year-round and made everyone call you the Ghost King after your sophomore Halloween costume. It's not rude, it's just right. Also, Rayna is running it obviously." I rolled my eyes again and drank more of my Monster. "You're eyes are gonna fall out of you keep doing that. Plus look at what you're drinking." I flipped him off which only made him laugh again and even snort.
"I'll think about it. For Hazel." I clarified and he raised his free hand defensively with a smile. That golden-like hair still seemed to taunt me from the side but I could never bring myself to be mad at the girl it belonged to. She was amazing, kind, intelligent, and everything Percy deserved.
"That's all I ask. Gotta go, love ya man." The call ended after that. He constantly told me he loved me, and everyone else for that matter. He had told me more than once that I was like a little brother to him. The more he said it the easier it got to hear.
The more he told me he loved me the less I let myself think he meant anything by it. He was just that guy, and it made him so much better, as a friend of course. I don't like him... I'm working on it.
Hey, guys, gals, and non-binary pals! It's me... ya boi... skinny-
Anyway- I am 100% in love with Will and that picture is only one reason as to why
What do you guys think of OCs? Myself, I'm pretty iffy about them when it comes to things like this. I'm considering making two (twins) that are me if I got split in half (I have split-dyed hair so it seems interesting to me) but I leave the decision to you
The first few chapters are written in advance so keep that in mind and just let me know because these two would be bat-shit crazy
Could be fun though
Let me know what you thought of the chapter
Have a great day/night!