The Secrets Among Us

TSAU Ch.30

|Audree|

After helping Delilah get ready for her date, it started to feel less like a self care day and more like a fulltime job as a love coach.

I decide to go out for a snack at the cafe on campus. I'm kinda in the mood for some company so I look through my contacts to view my options.

Zahaire's gonna be too busy getting ready...No way in hell am I going with that 'chad' guy from the start of the semester. Who the hell is 'Beeeeer Msnnm'? Oh god, how many numbers did I collect when I was drunk?

I scroll until I see Seans name.

Hmm. I could hang with Sean..he's a fun guy and isn't too hard on the eyes. Plus it's been a while.

I decide to text him.

Heyy! How're you?

Sean 💋 Hello stranger. Long time no speak, lol.

Sean 💋 Also I am good thank. Hbu?

I am also doing alright. We should meet up at the student cafe for some coffee or something later today.

Sean 💋 I would love to...but I have a shitload of work to do for my Chem class and I have to study for my Criminal Justice pop quiz that I have soon

Sean 💋 once everything chills out for me ill let you knwo

Sean 💋 I'll * know *

I type 'Ok sounds cool..I'll let you go now!' but roll my eyes a bit irritated. I erase the exclamation point because I feel like it is too much for the message and then I hit send.

Damn. Guess I'll have to go in it alone.

I let out a huff and began my walk towards the cafe. I put on some earbuds and play some music.

I walk inside and let one earbud out so I can hear the barista. They have on a nonbinary pin on with their pronouns on it.

"Hey, what can I get for ya?"

"Hi, umm. Can I have a thai tea with a slice of pound cake?" I say. "Ooh and can you put some of that caramel sauce on top of the pound cake."

The barista nods with a smile as they finish punching in my order to the screen.

She calls out to her coworker and she begins making my order.

I watch the girl move around the kitchen mixing and making different coffees and mochas.

I guess I stared at her for a bit too long because she looked back up at me and smirked at me.

I quickly look away and go on my phone.

"Alright, I'm leaving y'all here while I go on my break. I won't be too far away so call me if you need me!"

My heart flutters in my chest.

Wow...was that her voice? I think to myself.

It's both soft and silvery.

The umber skinned girl makes her way out of the barista area and into the lounge area near me.

She has her hair in medium passion twists. It's all held back with a purple bandanna.

The girl unties the bandanna that's holding up her hair, in doing so, her hair falls down just past her nape.

Since my order still isn't up, I take a seat at a nearby empty table and scroll through TikTok.

It's been a good five minutes-! How long does it take to warm up a piece of cake and place a tea bag inside of a cup?

After scrolling for a bit longer, I get up from my table with my eyes still on my phone screen.

I bump into someone and mutter a sorry as I look up from my phone screen.

"It's okay, I noticed your order was taking a long so I went ahead and made it myself." She winks at me.

"Oh! Uh...thanks." I shift my eyes.

I can feel my cheeks heat a little.

What the hell is happening? Why am I getting so flustered?

"No problem, Beautiful." The girl states.

I look into her eyes and they're a beautiful shade of brown. I find that, unlike most people, she isn't afraid to make eye contact. It's kind of alluring.

"The name's Ace by the way." She says as she points to her name tag, colored with the patterns of the lesbian flag.

"Oh, nice to meet you. My name is Audree." I smile and hesitate to go for a hand shake.

She extends her arm so I accept.

Wow. Her hands are so soft.

Ace looks around and then passes me, to where I was sitting.

"So uhh...all of the seats are kind of taken and I was gonna sit down and have lunch. So if you don't mind, can I sit with you?"

My heart skips once more at the proposal. I nod as I gulp.

I could just take this to go. But I kind of want to talk to her more.

I sip my tea and let out a delighted moan.

"This is really good, thanks!"

"Yeah no problem!" Ace states. "So do you go to school here?"

I nod my head and take another sip of my tea.

"You?"

"Yeah, but I'll be graduating soon! I only have nine more units to complete and then I get my degree."

Nodding my head, I stick my fork into my cake and take a bite of it.

My eyes light up.

"Now this-," I smack my lips. "This is amazing!"

Ace laughs at my reaction and we talk for the rest of her break.

Before she heads back to work, we exchange numbers.

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