I don’t think I’ll be here much longer. Thea came to see me and told me she actually told our mother she didn’t want to go ahead with the wedding.
Nate
With you there by her side, she can do anything. She’s lucky to have you as a big sister.
Me
I miss you, Nate. I hope you know that
Nate
I do, but I also hope that you know how much you’re missed here too
I react to his message with a heart, lock my phone, and, for the first time in a while, I feel like myself again. The old me. The one before Pete and before I let my parents get into my head.
Today I’m going to do something for myself, so I'd best get ready.
**********
I’ve been wandering around town for the best part of two hours, my feet ache, my back aches, and I’m starving. Thankfully, there’s a nice little café that seems quiet, so I quicken my steps and duck inside, right as the heavens open.
I find a seat in the corner next to the window and dump my bags before I head to the counter, where a pretty girl stands texting on her phone. She looks up at me when I clear my throat, her expression bored.
“Yeah?” She has a bit of an attitude. No wonder this place is empty.
I smile anyway. “Could I have a large vanilla latte, please, with one of those cinnamon buns?”
She rolls her eyes and huffs out a breath. “Yeah, I guess so.” She gets busy making my coffee and places a cinnamon bun on a plate before sliding it over to me.
I hand over my money, she gives me the change, and then she gives me my coffee. I look at the change in my hand and place it in the empty coffee cup on the counter with the word ‘tips’ scribbled on a sign in front of it. She looks at the change, then back up at me; her lip trembles.
I tentatively ask. “Want to talk about it?”
She shakes her head. “Not really…but thank you.” I nod my head once and smile at her, and as I walk back to my seat, she says. “I appreciate it.”
My fingers pick at the cinnamon bun mindlessly, while the world passes by outside in the pouring rain. Children are splashing in the puddles while their parents try to hurry them along, people are rushing about, not wanting to get drenched, and then you have the odd person who doesn’t mind the rain.
Like the man walking towards the café with purpose.
The man who looks familiar.
He stops at the window where I’m sitting and throws back the hood of his jacket, smiling like an idiot.
My idiot.
Nate.
I’m out of my seat and outside in no time, laughing in the pouring rain as drops bounce off my body.
“Nate, what are you doing here?” I’m laughing, but I’m so close to crying. Not through sadness but sheer happiness that he’s here.
He shrugs. “We haven’t ticked anything off your list in a while.”
My brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
He steps towards me as he slowly raises his hands, one on either side of my face, his thumbs rubbing circles on my cheeks. His eyes drop down to my lips before flicking back up to my eyes.
He moves his face closer to mine, agonisingly slow, his breath is hot across my skin. “I mean this, Shortcake.”
