Part 19 (1/2)
Me: You on your way?
Avery: Did you beat me? Stalker.
Grinning, I chuckle as I write her back.
Me: No, weirdo, I'm about to leave now.
Avery: So...we'll get there at the same time?
Me: Or I will beat you.
Avery: Or I could beat you.
Me: Are you challenging me?
Avery: Duh.
Me: I don't back down from a challenge.
Avery: Of course, you don't, but this is a challenge you're gonna lose.
Me: Bring it.
Avery: Crossing the quad now.
Me: CHEATER!
”Dude, you going?”
Markus looks back at me as I slide my feet into tennis shoes. ”Yeah, I guess, since you obviously need a date.”
I scoff. ”My date is meeting me there.”
”It's okay,” he says as he shuts the game off and stands. ”You don't have to lie to kick it, bro.”
”Whatever, hurry up.”
”I'm ready,” he says much to my surprise before reaching for the door. Usually, it takes him hours upon hours to get ready.
”Oh. Cool.” I follow him up the stairs. It's only a two-minute walk to the food-court strip mall. The coffee shop is at the end of it, so I know I'll beat her to it. But just in case, I have a little pep in my step.
”Why are we walking so fast?”
Looking back at Markus, I point toward the food strip. ”Just want to get there.”
”Dude, really?”
”What?” I ask, confused.
”I've never seen you like this, even with Delanie, who I thought you were gonna marry. You didn't rush to get to her.”
I shrug. ”Because that was s.e.x. I told you this was different.”
”Whatever, dude.” He shakes his head. ”Have you talked to Delanie?”
I shake my head. ”Um, not for a couple of weeks. She just started that new job.”
”I heard she's coming down for a belated celebration of Baylor's birthday.”
”Oh? Who'd you hear that from?”
”She posted it on Baylor's wall.”
”Oh. Cool.”
And I know he expects me to be all excited, but really, I don't care. Delanie is a friend. We had fun, she rocked my world for a bit, but it ended. We both didn't see it going anywhere. It was good, hot s.e.x, but outside of the bedroom, we really did nothing but watch Netflix. She's funny and stuff, but we didn't click the way I wanted. I know everyone thought we were serious, but we weren't. Not even kind of.
She didn't make me feel even an ounce of what Avery makes me feel. Because of that, I know this thing with Avery is important. Real. I just hope she can get on my level, because this no dating s.h.i.+t is wack. I'll be d.a.m.ned if I'm going to be all caught up while she's playing the field. No way. I don't know what is going to happen, but I'm not going to let this girl go easily. I just can't.
”And you don't care?”
”Nope.”
”Really?”
”Dude, I told you. I'm in it to win it with Avery.”
”You don't even know the chick.”
I shrug. ”But I know what I'm feeling is real, so I'm gonna explore it. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I'm gonna try.”
”All right, Jayden.”
”Shut it.”
Before he can answer me, though, we are entering the coffee shop and I'm searching for her. I don't see her, and while that gives me a rush of victory, I wonder where she is. Did she stop to talk with someone on the way here? Was it a dude? Oh f.u.c.k, did I just ask that?
”Yo, Sinclair!”
Looking up, I see my boy Chase, who I grew up with. ”Bro!”
Shaking hands that leads into a manly hug, I grin as I pull back to meet his gaze. ”What are you doing here?”
He doesn't go to Bellevue, and I thought he was in Brazil or something. Living the life.
”Dude, my parents own this coffee shop, remember?”
”Oh, yeah,” I say as he shakes hands with Markus. ”So you run this place?”
”You know it. I'm changing the name to Chase Your Coffee.”