Got through the first month of the school year. Check!
Loving all my classes. Check!
Immensely pooped out. Check!
Haven't seen or thought about Carter James. Nope!
Well, that's mainly because he's in one of my lecture classes. I don't think he even notices I'm in the class because he's never looked in my direction nor said hi to me. But I don't blame him there's like 200 or more students in the class. I didn't even realize he was in the class till after the first two weeks. I'm not taking it personal plus I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot who I was. But it's not like I even wanted him to remember me.
There's almost more than a week left till Halloween. But instead of going around for candy now, it's going around for alcohol. Not gonna lie I miss when it was candy.
The cool fall breeze is blowing my hair behind my shoulders as I walk to the library to get some studying done. I like to stay a week ahead so that if something comes up unexpectedly I won't be buried under work. L and Tate are the opposite, they wait till the last minute and still manage to do great in school. They've been like this since always. Liam on the other hand and is like me since he has hockey and parties to balance out.
I walk into the library and see the other students trying to study trying to meaning they're on their phones. I find a desk isolated in the corner. I always try to find the isolated desks so that I can stay in the zone. I take off my backpack and place it on the chair next to mine and put my chair on my chair. I take my class stuff and iPad out and go over my lecture notes.
I check the time on the corner of the screen it's a little past ten o'clock. I've been studying for two hours, I finished going over my notes and a project that's due in a week. Now I when I have free time I can do whatever I want which means sleep. I pull out my phone and check my messages and snaps. L and Tate texted me multiple times within the past twenty minutes.
9:39 Lena: I'm hungry you guys wanna get food?
9:39 Tate: YES
9:40 Lena: Teags?
9:44 Tate: I think she's studying and her phone is on silent
9:44 Lena: Well Teags if ur reading this meet us at wherever we eat.
I'm in the mood for food pshh when am I not. I pack up my things and fast walk to the restaurant that isn't too far from the library. Stars aren't visible in the sky because of the light pollution. It doesn't even look like it's ten o'clock. The sky is glowing but not naturally, it glows like it's charged electrically. When I stayed at my cousin's cabin up north at home the sky would be so dark, the only thing glowing were the stars. I used to be able to see the big and little dipper all the time. Now I forgot where to look for it since I can't see anything in the city.
I pull the door open to Andy's the cute family diner near campus where L, Tate, and I go for comfort food. I see L and Tate sat at the booth that we normally sit at when it's vacant. I slide into the booth next to L and drop my backpack on the floor underneath the table.
"Hey, sorry I was studying." I grab a mozzarella stick off of L's plate. L unlike me doesn't mind sharing.
"To be expected, you already finished the project for statistics I'm guessing." L grabs a mozzarella stick of her plate.
"Yes now we go to the bar this weekend and you'll have my full attention," I tell them. My eyes skim the diner trying to spot a waiter so I can order. After talking about our plans for the weekend a waitress walks up to our table. She looks our age.
"You guys doing alright? Can I get you guys anything else?" She asks sweetly.
"Actually can I get a strawberry milkshake and a grilled chicken flatbread with a side of fries." Fewww I didn't rehearse it in my head and managed to not stumble on my words. She pulls out her notepad from her apron and starts to write my order down.
"Yep, no problem." She clicks her pen and puts the notepad away in her apron.
"Thank you," I say before she walks away.
"So Halloween is soon what are you gonna be? Cause I'm dragging you to the Halloween frat party if I have too." Tate asks me popping a fry into her mouth. I hadn't thought about being anything. Since a lot of us are broke college students, and not wanting to waste our money on a costume you're only gonna use once. I'll probably make it easy and wear all white and buy cheap halo and wings. Or dress all black and buy cheap horns. Yep being a devil is cheaper I'll do that. I also would've gone to the party just because I got nothing else to do and Halloween falls on a Saturday this year.
"I'll just be a devil," I tell Tate. The waitress comes back with my shake and settles it in front of me.
"Seriously? Where's the creativity? Literally, half the sorority girls there are gonna be devils, angels, and cats." Tate rolls her eyes at me annoyed with my 'lack of creativity'.
"Oh yeah, what are you gonna be then?" I raise my eyebrows at her.
"I'm gonna be nothing! I'm gonna wear all white and stick a piece of paper on me that says 'Error 404 Costume Not Found'." Tate smiles at me proud of her costume idea. Kind of dorky but she doesn't even have to pay for anything. Dang, I should've thought of that. "What are you gonna be L?" Tate asks.
"I'm actually gonna visit Phillip in Boston so you guys will have to bear a weekend without me." L steals a fry off of Tate's plate. "Don't miss me too much." L teases us.
"Oh we won't" Tate snickers at L. L glares at Tate taking a tiny piece of a fry and throwing it at her. "I'm just kidding geez, but have fun with Phillip don't forget to tell him to wrap it up." Tate chortles again this time L takes a whole fry and throws it at Tate. Tate's catches the fry not letting it go to waste.
***
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I spew profanities hopping on one foot trying to put my sock on. "Fuck me for choosing to do an eight AM class!" I woke up because we stayed at Andy's a little later than usual and then I decided to watch some Gilmore Girls. It's only one episode I told myself. One episode my ass! I ended up sleeping at three in the morning and woke up twenty minutes before class starts. Anyone who knows me knows I hate being late, it's like doing the walk of shame except it's into a classroom. Class starts in seven minutes crap! I run to my car and throw my things into the backseat and head to class. This class is like a five-minute drive from the dorms. Luckily I get to the building without any red lights and have two minutes till class starts. I hastily grab my bag and speed walk out of the parking lot. I turn to put my water bottle in my backpack pocket and I run into a firm chest ouch! more like a wall.
"Oops I'm sorry," I say turning to face the wall, I mean person. When I look at his face it's none other than the Carter James.
"It's all good, Teagan." He smiles at me. The sun shines on his face making his eyes twinkle.
Before he can say something I tell him "Well see you later I'm gonna be late for class." I walk away and open the door to the building. Thankfully, I walk into class right when the professor announces she's going to get started. I take my seat next to my friend Ben in this class. I didn't know Carter had classes at this building. Huh, he did remember my name.
Class went smoothly and the professor surprisingly didn't assign anything for homework. I'm walking back to my car when I feel a breeze brush past my back and Carter appears at my side.
"Hey," Carter says to me and I respond with a simple hi. "So are you going to the Halloween frat party next week?" Carter asks casually walking with me to my car. Why does he wanna know?
"Yeah, I've got nothing else going on." Great, you just made it sound like you have no life. Although I technically don't have one. Geez, I need to get a job or join a club. "So did you need something or?" I try to ask not sounding snarky.
"Ouch Teagan already trying to get rid of me again?" He smacks his hand against his chest acting hurt "I'm hurt." I don't know what to say so I just laugh. I'm surprised he remembers our conversation. Well, it's not like he does much talking when he's with other girls. Wait why am I thinking about him with other girls? No! Teagan snap out of it!
We reach my car I stand awkwardly next to the car door. Ugh, I hate small talk. So awkward. "But seriously do you need my notes or something for Professor Smith's lecture class?" I look at him pointedly. The wind is blowing his hair around so he rakes his hand through his hair to push it back. That was hot. No! Bad! He knew what he was doing don't fall for it.
"So you are in that class I wasn't sure. I thought I saw you in the class. But I don't need anything." He crosses his arms over his chest making his biceps bulge through his blue and white Yale hockey jacket.
"Yeah, I'm just that invisible." I try to joke but fail miserably so miserably. My phone rings, I look at the dimly lit screen and see Lena's name written across it. Saved by the 'bell' I guess. "Well, I gotta go. Bye." I press the button that unlocks my car and get into the driver seat tossing my bag into the passenger seat. I slide my finger across my screen to answer L's call before it goes to voicemail. Carter walks to the car in front of mine and he drives a shiny black Jeep like a lot of other people at this school. I put my phone on speakerphone while I back out of the parking lot.
"Hey what's up?" I ask L through the phone.
"Nothing much, I'm bored wanna go eat or study at a cafe?" I turn onto the street and head back to the dorms.
"Yeah, sure I'll pick you up, go ask Tate if she wants to come."
"She's asleep and that's like poking a hibernating bear, let's just bring back a coffee for her." Tate really isn't a morning person. Hence why she doesn't have any morning classes or classes on the weekend. She packed all her classes from Monday to Friday the earliest class she has is at twelve.
"Okay, bye I'm like a few minutes away." L hangs up first. We're probably gonna go to a cafe because I spend way too much money on food and need to pace myself. Once I pull into the dorm lot I text L that I'm outside. A minute later I see her jogging to the car with her backpack.
"So were you late to class? You were doing your occasional morning routine where you wake up swearing." L laughs at me.
"Just barely. Ugh, I forgot why I decided to do an eight AM class." I leave out running into Carter literally because she'll just make a big deal out of nothing.
"Well it's too late to drop so you're gonna have to wait till next semester." L pulls down the sun visor and applies lip gloss. "I think you said something to get you motivated in the morning." Curse me for trying to be motivated before ten AM. I pull into the local cafe that almost all Yale students go-to for some coffee. I actually really like this cafe because of how much natural light there is. During noon they don't need any lights on since it's so bright outside. Well except rainy days then they turn on some lights.
"You go find a spot and I'll order," I tell L opening the door to the cafe for us.
"Okay, you know my usual." L walks past me finding a spot towards the back. I patiently wait in line on my phone. I scroll through my Instagram feed. Looking at the same pictures of sorority girls at parties last weekend. When it's my turn to order I put my phone away and get my usual iced tea and L's usual espresso. Before I can pull my card out to pay someone else beats me to it.
"I got it." The guy says his voice is familiar. Wait a minute. Let me guess, It's Carter isn't it? I'm starting to think I'm in a cliche love story maybe if I'm lucky I'll get a love triangle. I'm kidding. Mostly.
I turn around and my thoughts are proven correct. "Thanks, but you don't need to pay for me." Honestly, I don't like it when someone pays for me, even my friends and family. It makes me feel greedy. I'm not given enough time to give the cashier my card because she's already taken Carter's card. I'll buy him his next coffee. The cashier gives back his card and we move down to the pickup area. "So you following me now or what?" I quirk an eyebrow at him.
"You're welcome, I wanted to. Actually, I was here first so are you following me?" Carter stands next to me. He already has a coffee in his hands so he was actually here first. But what is he waiting for? He wanted to? Generosity and Carter? Well, Tate did say that he isn't a "bad boy" and he hasn't acted like a total asshole to me. I haven't seen him with other people other than his friends. So he could still possibly be an asshole that does nice things only because he gets something out of it. "What are you thinking about?" He asks me.
I look up at him, the sunlight is hitting his fair tanned skin. I don't know how I'm just noticing the tan freckles sprinkled over his nose bridge and cheeks. I make contact with his incredibly clear blue eyes with molten mercury stripes. I've never met anyone with eyes like his, they're so fascinating and captivating. "What do you mean?" I answer with a question looking away.
"You have this constipated face you do when you're quiet and I guess you're just stuck in your thoughts." I whip my head back to glare at him, he's smiling at me.
"What are you talking about? I don't have a constipated face!" I slap my hand against his chest which just makes him release a husky laugh. "How do you even know I have a 'thinking face'" I didn't even know I had a thinking face. "You've only seen me twice."
"Well you are quiet and quiet people tend to stew in their thoughts. And you show a lot of emotion on your face sometimes when you're quiet." Am I really that easy to read? "Also, both times you've made that face." I stand there struck. "So you've been keeping count on how many times you've seen me?" I roll my eyes at his cocky question.
"Now why would I wanna keep count of that?" The barista puts my tea and L's espresso down on the counter. I grab them and thank her. "Well, thanks for paying." I walk away from Carter hoping he won't follow and sit at the table L chose. It's far and you can't see the counters from here so she doesn't know that I was talking to Carter.
"Here you go." I give the espresso to L. She already has her class stuff out. I pull out my homework that I have to finish. But I'm too stuck in my thoughts to study.
I don't have a constipated thinking face. Do I?