17| Control
I woke up the next morning to a horrible headache, which was well expected from how drunk I got last night.
I groaned, realizing I'll have to get out of bed to get the Aspirin.
I turned to my nightstand for some water and found my bottle, a pack of Aspirin, and a note all sitting there.
I frowned in confusion, first taking the Aspirin and then picking up the note.
I blinked slowly to clear my vision a little bit and then read it.
'You are a very clingy drunk. I'm never taking care of you again -N'
Aw, he took care of me? Oh, no. I was drunk in front of him.
What did I do? Did I say something stupid? Do something stupid? Did I embarrass myself?
My phone started ringing so I answered it, folding the note and shoving it into my nightstand. "Hello?" I asked.
"Are you up yet?" Kendall asked.
"Yeah," I sighed.
"Do you wanna hang out at the cafe? I'll invite Brandon, he'll invite Nathan. Maybe the coffee will help with the hangovers," she said.
"I don't drink coffee but sure. When?" I asked.
"Say an hour?"
"Okay, I'll see you there." I got out of bed and went into the bathroom where I showered and brushed my teeth and then I came back out to grab my clothes.
I grabbed jeans and a sweater, we're like mid-September, it's going to get chilly, the evenings can be.
I got dressed and then left my hair down to air-dry. But it looked like shit.
So I brushed it and then put it in a braid, pulling some loose hairs out.
I grabbed my phone and keys and then headed out.
My mom was at work, she landed herself a job as head chef at a restaurant when we got here.
I was in no mood to make breakfast, especially because I was going to a cafe, so I just grabbed a lollipop.
I popped it in my mouth and then left, locking the house behind me.
I climbed into my car and then drove off. I got there within 5 minutes and then climbed out, locked my car, and went inside. I went to the counter first to get myself something to drink.
"Hi, what can I get you?" he asked. He seemed to be our age. And cute.
"Um, can I please get a... medium English Breakfast Tea with one pump of milk?" I asked, pulling out money from my wallet.
"Anything else?" he smiled.
"No, that'll be it, thank you."
"Take away or..."
"I'll be around," I smiled. I paid the amount and then went and sat at a table.
No one else was here yet. I was scrolling through my phone when my tea was brought as the doors opened.
I noticed Brandon, Kendall, and Nathan all walking in together.
Brandon entered with Kendall, Nathan wasn't too far behind them.
"Your tea," he smiled. I thought he was running the counter.
"Uh, thank you," I smiled.
"No problem, enjoy your drink." When he walked away and I looked down at my cup. There was a number written on it. A phone number. I stared at it, not really knowing what to do. And I didn't wanna look up because- what if he was looking at me?
"Hey." I snapped out of it and looked up as they made it to the table.
"Hey," I smiled. Brandon sat with Kendall in the other booth, so that left Nathan to sit with me. I scooted further into the booth, patting the seat. "Come on, strawberry," I smiled. He rolled his eyes, sitting beside me.
"What can I get for you?" a waitress came by. A waitress. He's not taking our orders. Everyone but me placed their orders. "And any foods?" she asked.
"Can I actually get a plate of hash browns?" I asked.
"I'll split that with her so can you double it up?" Nathan asked. She took our orders and then left. I stared at him in confusion. "I like hash browns," he shrugged.
We were all talking, mainly about last when my cup caught Kendall's eye. "Whose number is that?" she asked. I looked down at the cup, then at her.
"The guy at the counter," I cleared my throat, shifting in my seat.
"He gave it to you?" she squealed.
"He took my order and then came to give me the drink," I shrugged.
She turned around and looked at him. "Oh, he's cute." We all caught Brandon giving her a look. "For her," she mumbled.
"I don't know..." I trailed off.
"Why not? He seems nice, does he go to our school?" Kendall asked.
"Isn't that Micah?" Brandon asked Nathan. Nathan simply nodded, scrolling through his phone.
"Micah?" I asked.
"He's on the team," Nathan answered.
"Oh, he's a soccer boy," I nodded.
"You like soccer boys?" Brandon asked, smirking at me.
"Yeah," I shrugged, "I like athletic guys in general."
"But she likes soccer boys the most," Kendall answered for me.
"Why?" Nathan asked.
"What do you mean, why? I don't have control over that," I chuckled.
"Yeah, you do," he argued, "It's in your control who you like."
"For the record, you are a soccer boy. So is Brandon, why are you insulting soccer boys?" I asked.
"I'm not insulting them, I just don't get why they're your type," he shrugged as our food was brought.
"What should my type be then?" I arched a brow at him.
"Not a soccer boy. At least not one from our school because every guy on the team is a dick," he shrugged.
"You're on the team," I retorted.
"And I'm a dick," he nodded, sipping on his strawberry milkshake.
"Well, strawberry," I cleared my throat, resting my elbow on her shoulder, "Then stop being a dick."
"No thanks," he replied. I rolled my eyes, turning to the other two, and we were all talking, then the conversation broke off, and Kendall and Brandon had their own. I eyed Nathan while he stirred his milkshake.
"Have you smoked today?" I asked. He looked up at me but didn't answer. "Strawberry," I said slowly, pulling his milkshake away. "Have you?"
"Maybe."
"How many?" I asked.
"Three."
"And will you give me the other box?"
"No," he answered.
"Okay, just... cut down on it. From tomorrow, you can only have two a day, then one, and then ta-da!
Zero, zilch, nada." I slid his milkshake back over to him while looking out the window, noticing a lot of older couples coming in and out of the cafe.
It's cute. It's like that Sunday kind of love, you know?
"Are you gonna call him?" I turned to Nathan when he asked me that.
"Who?" I frowned in confusion.
"Micah," he replied. I looked at Micah who was taking the order of an elderly couple, smiling, getting a lot of love from the lady as she ruffled his hair.
"I don't know, maybe," I shrugged.
"Why? Is he not a nice guy?"
"I don't like people in general, so you're asking the wrong person," he mumbled, looking out the window.
"I trust you. And your opinion," I cleared my throat, "Is he not nice?"
"He's fine but... I don't know. He's just fine," he answered.
"Then I won't call him."
"What? Just because I said that?"
I nodded, "Yeah." He looked at me in confusion. He looks cute when he's confused. "Oh, and just for the record, being my friend means you're gonna have to take care of me quite a bit at parties when I'm too drunk to function, I'm afraid you'll have to do it again," I chuckled.
"Haha, no," he deadpanned.
"I couldn't have been that bad," I laughed.
"Has anyone ever told you how clingy you are when you're drunk? You have to be babied the whole time," he scoffed.
"I am a baby," I sang, linking my arm with his. And once again, he didn't pull back. "Nathan," I sang, resting my head on his shoulder.
He chuckled, running his hand through his hair before looking down at me. "Yes?" he sighed.
I sat upright, "Shit, I forgot to tell you," I facepalmed, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "I emptied out half the attic if you need to crash there anytime." I pulled back and looked at me.
He stared at me before smiling, letting out a laugh. "You mentioned that last night."
"I did?" I asked, in confusion.
"Yeah, I'm sure you don't remember because of the alcohol in your system, but you did," he nodded, laughing. He's laughing. He's genuinely laughing.
"I like your laugh," I grinned, "It's pretty." I pulled my arm out of his and drank my tea, ate my hash browns.
"You mentioned that last night too," he whispered.
"Jesus, is there something I didn't mention?" I laughed, turning to him.
"Will you come outside for just a second, Kendall?" Brandon groaned. We both turned to them, realizing that they were arguing. Kind of. She sighed, standing up and walking outside while he slowly slid out of the booth and followed, shooting me a look.
"Oh, my god," I mumbled.
"What?" Nathan asked.
I laughed, watching them. "He's gonna kiss her. Like right now."
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