Chapter 18 #2
“Usually I just get a drip coffee with oat milk and two sugars, but today calls for something different,” Alex comments, studying the menu as well.
Pumpkin spice chai latte. Apple crisp macchiato. Cinnamon latte.
“I don’t know what to get…” I say, trying to focus. I’m used to ordering a latte or picking something from the much simpler menu at the Honeycomb.
“I already gave you a recommendation…” Alex says.
I snort. “That sounds too advanced for me. I want something simple.”
“Get a pumpkin spice latte, then.”
“A what?”
Alex fully turns to face me. “You’re kidding.”
I shake my head. “I certainly am not.”
He snorts. “I can’t believe you’ve never had one. Anyway, just let me pick for you.”
I hesitate.
Alex seems to notice. “What, you don’t trust me?”
“What? No. I just… it’s out of my comfort zone,” I joke.
The truth is, I do trust Alex’s recommendations most of the time. He’s a barista. He knows his way around a coffee menu better than I ever will.
I shake my head. “Whatever. I’ll go get us a table. I trust you with my drink order, Ace.”
Alex salutes me as I find a spot in the corner by the window, complete with fluffy pillows.
When Alex returns after ordering, I realize this must be the kind of cafe where they bring the drinks to your table.
“What do you have to work on?” I ask.
Alex sighs. “I’m editing an interview I did for my broadcast journalism class, and it’s over an hour long.”
I blink. “Whoa, you have classes for broadcasting?”
He nods. “Yeah, it’s cool, even though audio interviews aren’t really my forte. I like being in the studios, though. They’re cool.”
I think about how different Alex’s life must be from mine, jumping from building to building, talking to all kinds of people, doing interviews, and learning about so many different subjects.
I barely talk to anyone, and I mostly keep to myself. He seems like much more of a social butterfly than even I was back when I was on the team and going to frat parties all the time.
“And journalism is still something you want to pursue for a career, right?”
He nods. “Yeah, for sure. But I want to be more specific with the kind of journalism I do. I like observing the human condition, but I’d rather do it from a distance, like I’m on the outside looking in. Kind of like creative nonfiction.”
I lick my lips and nod.
I get it.
A barista walks over and sets two drinks on our table.
I look down and see a latte with a tulip pattern poured into the foam. I’ve always wondered how baristas manage to do that.
I clear my throat. “I guess it’s time for me to try my drink.”
Alex wiggles his eyebrows playfully as he watches me take a sip.
The drink is sweet, but the spices balance it out, and it feels like the coziest thing I’ve ever tasted.
I lick my lips. “Wow, it’s actually really good.”
Alex smirks. “It’s a pumpkin spice latte, which I got because I knew you’d like it.”
“I really do like it.”
Alex crosses his arms in triumph. “You should always listen to me, Logan. I’m always right.”
I roll my eyes. “Sure.”
I take another sip before setting the latte down and opening my laptop.
I can already feel my shoulders loosen as I settle in.
Here, I feel like I can be more myself, especially around Alex. I’m glad we decided to go somewhere away from campus.
I notice the veins on the inside of Alex’s forearms as he lifts his mug and takes a sip of his drink.
I swear those veins are new.
“I guess it’s time for us to actually concentrate,” I say.
Alex pouts playfully. “Oh, I thought we were here to chat?”
I snort. “We’ve already done enough chatting. You probably have better things to do.”
Alex frowns. “Uh, for one, I actually really like talking with you, and two, I’d rather be studying with a friend than trying to focus while my sister sings, blasts music, and makes me fail miserably.”
I chuckle, picturing Alex in his room with his headphones on, wrinkling his nose and furrowing his eyebrows in concentration, only to huff out a frustrated breath when he loses focus.
“After what you said about your mom and stuff, I just don’t want you to feel like I’m being a distraction—”
Alex’s expression softens. “Hey.”
His dark eyes meet mine.
“I don’t see you like that. We’re just hanging out and hopefully getting some work done. That’s not a distraction.”
He smiles at me softly before opening his laptop and setting up his study space.
I think about what his life must be like, taking care of two people and carrying so much weight on his shoulders.
He probably doesn’t get much time to breathe.
I put on my headphones, and Alex does the same.
He gives me a small smile that makes my hands tremble as they hover over my keyboard, but I try to ignore it.
There’s something about Alex that makes me feel like I belong, like the past few months of breakups and injuries don’t matter quite as much.
I just really like being around him.
After a couple of hours and a few lattes, I’m able to create an entire timeline of the Renaissance. I manage to annotate each section with important events and their influence on Western civilization, and it feels like I’m actually learning something.
My limbs buzz with caffeine from the latte, while I feel relaxed from the warmth and comfort it brings.
I look out the window and notice rivulets of rain pattering on the glass.
The glow of the lightbulbs dangling from the ceiling feels even warmer against the darkness brought on by the rain clouds. It makes me settle in further, my shoulders relaxing after being hunched up for the past hour or so.
I tap the table to get Alex’s attention and point to the window.
He looks over, notices the rain, and smiles. He takes off his headphones. “Studying in a cafe while it rains is the best. Appreciate it while you can.”
I snort. “You really take this stuff seriously.”
He frowns in mock offense. “Of course I do. It makes your drink taste better and helps you focus more. Trust me.”
I smile. “How’s your interview?”
He sighs. “Almost done, but I have to go home soon to make dinner.”
I drop my pencil. “Oh, that’s okay. I should probably head back soon, too. I need to get a workout in before I eat, or else I’m just going to crash on my bed.”
Alex snorts. “You athletes and your workout schedules. I’ll never understand.”
I put my laptop back in my bag. “Hey, the rituals are intricate.”
Alex and I leave the cafe but stop under the awning. The rain is really coming down now, pelting the pavement outside with huge splashes that almost look like hail.
“I know the car’s right there, but I almost want to wait it out,” Alex says.
I laugh and take off my jacket, holding it above us. “I’ll be your personal umbrella.”
Alex looks up at me and the jacket dangling over our heads. “You’re such a gentle giant.”
My cheeks burn as Alex’s smile meets my eyes.
“Okay, let’s go. One. Two... Three!” I yell, and we both sprint toward his car.
I hover over Alex as he unlocks it and opens his door, making sure he doesn’t get soaked before he climbs in.
The moment he does, I run around to my side, still holding the jacket over my head, and dive into the seat. I ignore the twinge in my knee; the rush of it all is far more worth paying attention to.
Alex lets out a long breath. “Wow. The rain is so crazy. I didn’t think it was going to be like this.”
I sigh. “Yeah.”
He looks at me, his head resting against the seat. “Thanks for covering me,” he says softly.
I pant and swallow hard. “No trouble.”
Alex laughs and puts the car in drive. For some reason, I want to tell him that I want to protect him from everything. That he deserves someone who can take care of him since he spends so much time taking care of everyone else.
That he deserves someone to hold a jacket over him so he doesn’t get wet.
But I stay quiet.
He shifts the car into drive and cranks the windshield wipers to maximum speed, and even then, they barely keep up with the rain.
“I’ll try to get as close to your dorm as I can, okay?” Alex says as he backs out and pulls onto the road.
I nod. “Thanks.”
He turns at a stoplight just as his phone starts ringing.
He almost ignores it, but does a double-take when he sees the caller ID and answers, putting it on speakerphone.
“Hey, Nay.”
“Hi, Alex. Where are you?”
He frowns. “I’m just in town. Why?”
“I walked to the library, and now it’s pouring rain. I don’t want to walk back, and since Mom can’t—”
“It’s okay. I’m on my way, okay, Nay?”
“Okay. Thanks, Alex.”
He hangs up.
“You don’t have to drop me off now. You can go pick her up since your house is probably closer. I’m not in a rush.”
Alex chuckles. “What? No. I’m not going to make you wait even longer to get back.”
I reach out and gently touch his arm. “It’s no rush,” I say softly.
He looks down at my hand before meeting my gaze.
Then he quickly returns his focus to the road and makes a U-turn at the next light.
The rain patters against the windshield, and I watch it, mesmerized, as Alex drives through the storm.
A few minutes later, he pulls into a parking lot and parks in front of a building.
I watch as a girl sprints from beneath the awning and climbs into the back seat.
“Hey, Nay,” Alex says, turning to look at her.
She sighs. “Hi.”
I glance back and smile at her.
She has the same eyes and eyebrows as Alex—the same look that makes it seem like she’s always asking you a question or daring you to answer one yourself. Pink hair clips hold back part of her black hair.
“Who are you?” she asks.
“Nay,” Alex chides.
I chuckle. “It’s okay. I’m Logan, Alex’s friend.”
I hold out my hand to shake hers.
She looks down at it, then back at my eyes, but she leans forward and takes it. Her hand is small and damp in mine, but I can feel her warmth anyway.
“Nice to meet you. I like your hair clips,” I say.
She smiles shyly at me. “You too. Uh—nice to meet you too.”
I laugh at her correction. “You think I should get some pink hair clips? Do you think they’d look as good as yours?” I ask, pushing a hand through my long hair.
She giggles. “I think it might work. Your hair is almost as long as mine, but much wavier and thicker.”