0 9 .

vienna

"ARTHUR ANDREWS IS HAVING A PARTY!"

I sighed, closing my locker to find Riley's bobbing blonde ponytail beside me.

"That's great," I smiled, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"I know!" She squealed, her tiny hands wrapping around my arm and squeezing tightly.

I yelped, whacking her hands off me and rubbing the sore spot she'd left behind. "I don't know why you're so excited, it's not like you're invited."

"She's right," William appeared next to me, his shaggy black waves falling over his eyes as he shrugged at Riley.

"Wow, thanks for your support guys," Riley snapped, narrowing her eyes at us.

We sent her a shrug and she sighed, crossing her arms. Her lips pursed for a few seconds before a wide grin broke out on her face once more.

"I've got it!" She shouted, suddenly bouncing up and down again. She spun to me with a newfound sense of vigour. "Isaac Hensick!"

I blinked, my cheeks already beginning to heat at the sound of his name. "What about him?"

"You're practically best friends with him now, he can get us invited to Arthur Andrews' party!"

I shook my head with a snort, "No way. I am not asking him. I don't think I'd even call us friends, much less 'practically best friends.'"

William raised his own hands up, stepping closer beside me. "And I am not going to some trashy party full of drunk teenagers."

"Oh, come on!" Riley whined, her eyes turning large as she pleaded. "Arthur Andrews will be there. And he's so –"

"Dreamy," William interrupted, rolling his eyes. "We know."

"That doesn't mean I'm asking Isaac, though."

"Aspen!" She whinged, her voice nasally and drawn out.

"Riley!" I mimicked, screwing my eyes up to mock her.

She pouted at me, crossing her arms over her chest before sending a look to William, as if begging him to help her.

I turned, rolling my eyes and walking down the hallway. Students had already cleared the halls, desperate to get home for the day or already late for their club meetings. I was desperate to crawl into the warmth of my bed and binge watch The Office for the twentieth time.

"Aspen," Riley spoke again, her voice suddenly deadly serious. "If you do this one thing for me, I will never ask you for anything again in my entire life."

William snorted at this, causing Riley to send him a glare.

"Riles, do you really want to go that bad?" I asked, turning to face her as I walked.

She nodded eagerly, her eyes bright with hope. "I have never wanted anything more in my life."

I sighed. Her puppy-like enthusiasm was incredibly hard to turn down.

"Fine."

She screamed, her squeal piercing my ear and echoing down the hall as she bounced on her toes, pulling me into a tight hug. I peeled her off of me with a chuckle.

"That doesn't mean he'll say yes, though."

"Oh, he will," Riley grinned, throwing an arm around William's shoulder who turned bright red in response.

I rolled my eyes at his innocent love for Riley, shaking my head at the two. He made it so obvious. Every brush of her skin on his, he lit up like a Christmas tree. He was lucky Riley was denser than he was.

"So, movie night at mine?" I said, throwing my own arm around William's other shoulder.

He faced me with a grin, "Only if we're watching The Office."

"You guys know me so well."

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I shouldn't have agreed to this.

I stood outside the café, my breath fogging up the glass as I stared in. Vivienne sent me a strange look from the counter, but I was focused on someone else.

Isaac Hensick.

Isaac sat in his usual corner, his usual coffee by his hand, his usual pencil scratching on paper. Despite becoming somewhat acquaintances over the past few weeks, we still rarely spoke at the café.

He was always too engrossed in whatever he scribbled into that little black book, and I was always too tired – or nervous – to even try.

I sighed, my hand moving to grip the door handle and pushing it open. The bell announced my arrival as I stepped in, inhaling the warmth of the café and the bitter smell of coffee.

"Ah, Aspen," Vivienne smiled when I reached the counter. "I was wondering when you were going to come in."

I sent her a meek grin, pulling my bag to my chest to take out my wallet. "I just have some things on my mind."

"Some things, or someone?" Vivienne wiggled her brows at me, her eyes flickering between me and Isaac.

I scoffed at her. "I don't know what you mean."

"Your cheeks tell another story," she teased. I blushed even further at that, my ears turning red. Vivienne's smile grew wider, her eyes lighting up with delight.

I rolled my eyes at her. "You're lucky you're the best barista in town."

"Oh, you love me," she laughed, handing me my coffee in a warm take away cup and a paper bag of biscotti. "Have a good day, Aspen. I hope that something gets out of your mind and into your bed."

I sputtered, my eyes growing wide, causing her to howl in laughter.

"Thanks, Viv," I muttered, taking the cup and paper bag, handing her the exact change before turning to face Isaac.

Isaac hadn't even noticed I'd walked in. His brow was furrowed as he sketched, his fingers wrapped so gently around the pencil, it was like it was floating across the paper.

We hadn't spoken since our art class a few days ago. His leather jacket sat in my room all those days, waiting for me to build up the courage to approach him myself. And now it sat in my backpack.

I guess in a way, Riley was doing me a favour. She'd given me that push I needed.

I pulled out his jacket from my backpack, clutching it so tightly in my hands that my knuckles turned white. I was nervous.

I sucked in a deep breath, straightening my back. Here goes nothing.

I walked over to Isaac's table, placing his jacket in front of him with a soft thud. His green eyes moved from his drawing to my face. I swallowed thickly and smiled at him.

"Hey, Isaac." My voice was shakier than I had anticipated. He had this uncanny effect on me where my throat grew tight and my heart pounded. It was like I didn't even need my coffee when I was around him – he woke me up just fine on his own.

A smirk appeared on his lips, and his voice came out in a husky drawl. "Aspirin. Fancy seeing you here."

It was a joke. I knew it, but I was too nervous to laugh. Instead, I made a choking sound that somewhat simulated laughter and he quirked a brow at me in response.

"Your jacket," I stammered out in an attempt at recovery, nodding to the leather pile of material that lay on the table. He made no move to take it. Heat crept up my neck.

"I see," he spoke simply, arching a playful brow at me. "I was wondering what you were doing with it."

"Well, I didn't know if I should wash it, or if it was dry clean only. I mean, I thought, maybe I should ask you or give it back straight away, but then I felt weird, but then I never asked so I never actually washed it, and –"

"Aspirin," he interrupted me, shutting his notebook and grabbing his jacket. He pulled it on in one slick movement. "It's fine. Thanks for giving it back. I would have been fine with it if you kept it. I have a hundred like it."

"Oh," I said stupidly.

He smirked at my response, moving to lean on one hand. He looked stupidly sexy like that, and he knew it by the smug look on his face. I shifted my weight to one hip and clenched my fists, swallowing thickly.

It was now or never.

"So, Arthur Andrews is having a party Saturday night since his parents are gone for the week."

I hadn't even opened my mouth to speak yet. He had brought it up first. I stood there, speechless, and he spoke again.

"Do you want to come? You can be my guest."

"Yes!" I squeaked, almost cutting his sentence off.

He reeled back, his eyes wide, a playful grin on his lips. "I didn't know you liked parties so much."

"It's not that," I chuckled awkwardly. "Riley is desperate to go. It's actually one of the reasons I came up to you today."

He raised a brow at me. "So, it wasn't because you love my company?"

"Don't get cocky," I teased, rolling my eyes.

He smirked at me, "I'll show you cocky."

"Isaac!" I gasped, whacking his arm. I spun, scanning the café wildly to see if anyone had heard him. He laughed loudly at my reaction, a lazy grin drilling dimples into his tanned cheeks. He lifted a hand to catch my hand on his arm, and he held it there.

"Your friends can come," he said, his voice almost as loud as my heart beating in my ears. "I'll see you there too, though, right? Saturday night. I'll text you the details."

I fought to stop a blush from creeping up my neck. He wanted me there. His hand released mine and I found myself missing the feeling of his calloused palm resting over my fingers.

"Well?"

I blinked. His palm sat open in front of me.

"What?" I asked, furrowing my brow at him.

"Your phone. How else will I get your number?"

"Oh," I mumbled, fishing my phone out of my pocket. I unlocked it and dropped it in his hand.

He took the phone, quickly entering his details and sending himself a text message so that he could receive my phone number. He held it out to me, and I sheepishly took it back, our fingers brushing. A tight pressure grew in my chest and my skin tingled where we'd touched.

"Thanks," I smiled, gripping my phone.

"You'd better go, don't want to miss first period," he teased, smirking stupidly at me.

I nodded. "I'll see you, then."

"See you, Aspirin," he replied with a wide grin before turning back to his notebook, peeling the cover open and picking up the pencil again.

I sighed, turning to leave the café. I pushed the door open, the wind hitting me hard. I shivered and began walking, still processing what had just happened.

Isaac Hensick gave me his phone number.

My eyes widened. Isaac Hensick gave me his phone number. I unlocked my phone, sliding through my apps to open the text message he had sent to his own phone.

To: Big Cock(y)

I'll see you on Saturday ;)

I blushed immediately, spinning back to look at Isaac through the window. He was already looking at me, his green eyes bright and his grin wide.

He sent me a wink, and my phone buzzed, alerting me of another text message.

From: Big Cock(y)

You love me.

I rolled my eyes, quickly changing his contact name and typing a message in reply.

To: Isaac

You wish.

I could hear his laugh from where I stood, so this time, I sent him a smirk and turned to walk to school.

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a u t h o r ' s n o t e

Thanks again for all your lovely reads and comments and votes, it means a lot! Next chapter is the party! What do you think will happen?