5. Cole
CHAPTER 5
COLE
It feels good to be back on campus. I stroll into the Aldridge Café where Teddy and I agreed to meet before classes start. I ate breakfast before I left the apartment, actually shared some eggs and bacon with Zoey, but I could go for some coffee.
Surprisingly, I’m not minding her company at all. It hasn’t been a full week yet, so that could change, but so far she’s way easier to deal with than I know Teddy would have been. Not that I don’t like Teddy, obviously I do since we’re friends, but he can be a lot to handle. Like a toddler that’s had too much sugar.
I order a black coffee with one creamer and find Teddy at a table already with one of those frozen coffee drinks with whipped cream on top.
“Top of the morning to you, hey.”
I furrow my brows as I pull out a chair and sink my body into it. “What kind of accent is that supposed to be?”
“No idea.” He sips on his drink, making eyes at a girl a few tables over. “How’s the new roomie working out?”
“Better than you.”
He feigns injury. “I’m hurt.”
“Mhmm, you look real torn up about it.” I indicate the girl he’s checking out with a nod of my head.
He grins, setting his drink down. “It’s going to be real boring without me.”
“Now that I can agree to. But Zoey’s great.”
“Nice to look at too. Great tits.” I reach across the table and smack the back of his head. “What was that for?”
“For talking about my roommate like that. Respect her.”
He puts his hands up, gesturing for me to calm down. “My bad, but even you have to admit they’re nice.” He gestures to his own chest like he’s holding a handful.
“Teddy,” I growl a warning.
“I forget you’re a nice guy,” he grumbles, stirring the whipped cream into his frozen coffee. “And with sisters too.”
“What’s that mean?”
He cracks a grin. “Just that you’re extra sensitive.”
“Don’t be an ass,” I warn him.
He looks over my shoulder and his smile grows bigger. “Yo, Mase! Come join us.”
Instantly, I stiffen and Teddy frowns when he notices giving me a sheepish look.
Mascen’s shadow falls upon the table. “Morning.” He lifts his coffee to his mouth, watching me over the rim. No doubt he’s trying to gauge my reaction to him.
“What class do you have first?” Teddy asks, filling the awkward silence.
Mascen rubs his jaw, facing Teddy, but his eyes move in my direction every few seconds. What does he expect? A surprise attack like I’m going to jump up and brawl in the middle of the coffee shop. Not likely.
“I’ve got a chem class.”
“Brainiac,” Teddy mutters under his breath. He’s not wrong. Mascen is a talented athlete, and could easily go pro with baseball, but he doesn’t want that. Instead, he’s pursuing sports medicine.
“What about you?”
“News writing and reporting.”
“Damn, you mean I’m going to be all alone in communications? Figures. Stupid majors separating us. I’m going to need another one of these if I’m going to survive.” He slips out of his chair, going to place an order, and Mascen takes his place.
“Teddy told me he bailed on rooming with you. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I regard him for a moment before I answer. “What good would that have done?
I know what he’s going to say before he does, so I’m not surprised when he replies, “Because I can help you.”
“I’m sure Teddy also told you he solved my roommate problem. It’s all good, man.”
With a sigh, Mascen stands, adjusting his baseball cap before he picks up his cup. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry. And you know me, dude, I don’t apologize for shit. And I’m not saying I’m sorry for loving Rory, just for hurting you.”
I wave my hands. “It’s water under the bridge.”
He arches a brow. “Is it?”
He doesn’t give me a chance to answer before walking out, lifting his hand in goodbye to Teddy.
Teddy struts back to the table, another frozen coffee in hand but I’m already standing and grabbing my backpack to sling across my shoulders.
“Don’t tell me you’re leaving already. That’s no fun.”
“Gotta get to class, dude.”
“Fine, pizza for dinner?”
“Dinner?”
He looks at me like I’m the dumb one. “First day of class celebration, duh.”
I shake my head over the fact that he actually used the word duh in a sentence. “No parties.”
“No, not a party. Promise. Just a few of the guys.”
“Don’t forget Zoey lives with me now. I can’t have you infringing, because it’s not only my space.”
“Only a few people, I promise.” When he winks I know I’m fucked.