04. Cappuccino

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

0 4 . 

cappuccino

SEE YOU TOMORROW.

Those words haunted me for the rest of the day and all today. Isaac Hensick – the Isaac Hensick – intended to see me again today. And I was dreading it.

It wasn't that I didn't like him. I hadn't spent all this time watching him every morning in the café because I didn't like him. It was more that I didn't like myself when I was around him.

I was comfortable with Riley and William. It was like I didn't have to think around them. Everything felt natural. My heart seemed to quiet, and my legs seemed to stop jittering. My mind fell still. I was comfortable with my two best friends, watching Isaac Hensick from afar in the quiet café on Main Street.

I was comfortable being a wallflower, away from any kind of attention or drama.

I had spent forever curious about him, watching him sketch and drink his cold, black coffee and bite his lip in confusion when he became so engrossed in his drawings that the world around him seemed to fade out of his focus – I didn't know how to actually interact with him.

I'd never even considered the idea that this day would come, the day he'd actually speak to me, much less recognise me from the café.

I'd always thought I was watching him through a one-way mirror, watching him from my own little bubble, but could it be possible he had been watching me too?

I almost laughed at the thought. It was impossible. He'd always been so engrossed in his thoughts and drawings, I had never even seen him speak to Vivienne, just giving a grunt of thanks whenever she topped up his coffee.

Around Isaac, I was something else. I was awkward and uncomfortable. My mouth turned dry and my heart hammered in my chest. I hated it, and I dreaded seeing him again.

My peaceful life as a wallflower was beginning to crumble.

So far, I hadn't seen him at all today. I had gone to the café early, aiming to get in there and out before he arrived. In fact, today I had seen him less often than any other day.

Okay, maybe it was due to my amazing stealth skills, but it felt like I was just delaying the inevitable.

My heart raced as I made my way to my locker after my chemistry lesson.

What was his deal anyway? I kicked a ball to his hangout spot and suddenly I see him everywhere. Was he teasing me? Was he trying to make me seem like an idiot, anticipating his appearance all day only to not see him once? Was this his cruel version of revenge?

Maybe I was overthinking it.

"Aspen?"

I blinked, moving my gaze up to my locker to see my best friend's grinning face. She leaned nonchalantly against the locker beside mine. I let out a sigh and began to open my locker, shoving my chemistry books in and pulling out my modern history books.

"Hey Riles," I yawned. "How was..."

I paused, internally groaning as I tried to remember what class she'd told me she had.

"Biology was great, thanks," Riley joked, stepping away from the locker. "You seem like you have something on your mind. What's up?"

I looked up to see her brow furrowed, her eyes flickering between my own in confusion. I let out another sigh. I was probably just making a big deal out of nothing. There really was no reason to tell her what was on my mind.

I blinked my tiredness away, shaking my head, and sent her a sloppy grin to ease her worries.

"Just chemistry homework," I replied, partially telling the truth. "Where's William?"

"Cafeteria. It's pizza day, got to get some before it runs out and we're stuck with mash," Riley smiled, accepting my excuse and moving the conversation along.

She heaved her bag higher up on her shoulder and nodded towards the cafeteria, her long blonde ponytail whipping the air. "Speaking of which, we'd better hurry too."

I shook my head with a gentle smile. "Not today, I'm headed to the library. Got less sleep than usual."

Riley chuckled. "Party animal."

"You wish."

We both let out a few giggles before Riley turned towards the cafeteria. "See you at history then?"

"Of course," I smiled before turning towards the library.

I began walking, letting out another yawn as I shuffled down the halls.

It was true. I'd had the worst sleep in a long time. Paired with my usual nightmares and anxieties, my mind had been crowded with Isaac and his sickening green eyes. It bothered me that he was suddenly speaking to me.

It was almost like a premonition of a bad event.

I pushed the heavy wooden doors of the library open, getting hit by a sudden gush of warm air. The smell of old books flooded me as I treaded on the rough blue carpet, the wooden boards creaking under my weight. My eyes drifted to the teacher's desk where Mrs Harvey lifted her withered eyes from her book to me as I sent her a curt nod.

She simply scowled and looked back to her ancient book, tattered at the edges, causing me to roll my eyes and quietly snake my way through the aisles of books towards my spot.

I read the spines of books on my way through the non-fiction aisles, passing books about Humpback Whales and 100 Facts about Tadpoles as I walked towards the reptile section.

As my window seat came into sight, I stopped in my tracks.

Sitting on the carpet in front of the windowsill I called my nap spot was none other than Isaac Hensick. His figure sat cross-legged, his hair looking soft as it fell in short, wavy tufts over his forehead. Gripped within his tanned slender fingers was a slim book about Reptile Habitats.

Upside down.

That would explain the confused look on his face.

I stood ahead of him speechlessly, my jaw dropped, and my eyebrows scrunched in disbelief.

In my silence, Isaac seemed to notice my presence, raising his eyes and smiling at the sight of me. He closed the book tenderly.

"Ah, Aspirin!" Isaac gushed quietly. "I've been waiting for you."

I blinked, finally registering the situation. This gorgeous asshole had planned to meet me here today after seeing me in this spot yesterday. He'd expected me to come back after I'd missed my nap. I swallowed my anger and took a deep breath.

"Why are you here?" I asked, clenching my fist to stop my voice from shaking.

He haughtily held up the book he had been reading. "I'm learning about reptiles."

I held a hand to my forehead, muttering a string of curse words under my breath. I seriously was not in the mood for this. All the nervousness in my body towards him had just been thrown out of my mind, his gorgeous face and 'out of my league'-ness being the last thing I was thinking about.

"Can you please-" I paused to suck in a shaky deep breath. "Can you please read that somewhere else?"

Isaac opened the book up again, giving me a slightly amused look, his eyes glistening with mischief and his cheeks dimpling with his arrogant smirk.

"I like this spot."

"Find another spot."

"Make me."

I met his eyes and he sent me a challenging grin. Tension swelled in the air and I swallowed thickly at the undertone to his voice.

I broke eye contact first, releasing a shaky breath.

Desperation washed over my body at his words. It was like the fatigue hit me all at once. I let out a loud sigh. I knew this fatigue wouldn't hit me again tonight. I knew I'd have to spend another sleepless night suck in my thoughts.

A second later, he spoke up again.

"You can still nap here. I won't bother you."

I rose my eyebrows, staying silent as I searched his eyes, considering his offer. His gaze remained steady on mine, his eyes hardened, and smirk gone. What was the catch? Why was he being so stubborn on this spot? Couldn't he just move and let me sleep in peace?

"I swear," he spoke, his voice grimly serious as if sensing my hesitance.

I stayed quiet, still staring at him as I weighed the pros and cons of this situation.

Pros: I'd be sleeping next to a super cute boy.

Cons: Well, anyone who's seen me sleeping before would know why this is a con.

"Are you going to stand there all day? Cause lunch is going to be over soon."

My eyes widened. He was right. My heart swelled. I had gotten a combined four hours of sleep over the past two days. I was desperate for a proper nap, and it seemed like the library in the middle of the day was the only place I was able to ever get a bit of continuous shut eye.

I took a step forward, causing Isaac to smile a lop-sided, boyish grin.

"Just... Just don't disturb me," I said finally, the defeat evident in my weary voice.

He nodded, his annoyingly cute smile plastering on his face. His eyes lit up with delight as I crossed my arms and marched towards my cushioned seat.

I curled on top of the windowsill, using my backpack to support my head. Isaac sat quietly at my feet on the coarse carpet, reading about crocodiles with a triumphant smile. I rolled my eyes, attempting to get comfortable – attempting to ignore that the Isaac Hensick was sitting beside me.

Sitting so close that I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

I watched him for a moment, listening to the quiet turning of the page when he'd gotten enough of the Dwarf Crocodile and its taxonomy, until I was sure he was sufficiently distracted. I pursed my lips before closing my eyelids and taking a deep breath.

I was finally going to be getting some sleep.

I let my mind wander into random thoughts, trying to fall asleep, but something just didn't feel right. A chill ran down my spine and goosebumps rose on the back of my neck.

I slowly peeled my eyes open to see Isaac's shining green eyes scanning my tired face, a wide schoolboy smile on his face, his dimples poking holes into his cheeks, his shining teeth flashing from beneath his plump lips.

My cheeks turned to fire while Isaac stayed grinning at me, not at all phased that he had been caught watching me sleep.

Or at least trying to sleep.

"And don't watch me while I sleep," I sputtered, red and flustered. He flashed me a wink and turned back to his book.

I rolled my eyes, shutting them and attempting to fall asleep once more. I could feel the drowsiness begin to overtake me. Sleep began drawing me in, my mind turning silent and my heartbeat slowing, when I was suddenly brought back to the surface by Isaac's voice.

"Did you know that the Americas are home to more species of salamander than the entire rest of the world combined?"

My eyes flew open, my hand immediately wiping a spot of drool on the corner of my lip.

He smirked at me.

"You're cute when you sleep," he joked, pointing at his mouth to mirror where I had just wiped. "You drool, did you know?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, embarrassment flooding my body, my cheeks only flaming a brighter red and creeping up my ears.

"Don't disturb me," I seethed through my teeth, closing my eyes once more.

I began to drift off to sleep again, the last image in my mind being the dark-haired boy reading about shingleback lizards sitting at my feet.

A shiver ran crept up spine.

"And don't watch me while I sleep!"

He laughed.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

a u t h o r ' s  n o t e

Thank you for 100 reads!

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net