if by chance | ✓

19 | role of a journal

[ 19 ]

C O R A

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"Want a sip?" Archer offers as he passes the leaf green Mountain Dew disposable can to Nathaniel.

I shake my head in denial, retreating to my Tupperware container full of mac and cheese. I had no appetite, thanks to the heated argument between mom and dad that I happened to overhear this morning, before I left for college.

There was a Applied Science Seminar at White Oaks, so we were all supposed to stay back and help organize stuff. We were doing the same but then it began to rain like hell broke loose. We thought it would come down to a drizzle in about half an hour but turns out it only accelerated.

"I wanna go home. They'll just cancel the event in a while, mark my words." Nathan groans.

"You're just lazy" Amber snorts, earning an eye roll from the dark haired boy. She was leaning against the wall, absentmindedly playing with the hem of her skirt.

"Where's Riley? Oh, don't tell me she's fucking around with Luna" Archer says, tossing off the soda can into the Use Me resting close.

"I'm exactly going to tell you that" Amber laughs. I wondered how she could act like nothing happened when she was perfectly aware of her brother being with Noah. If I were in her place, I would have probably chosen to dig my own grave.

"When did they ---"

"Only last month. Arch, did you really think they could stay away for more than a week?" She snickers, rolling a ginger lock around her index finger.

Archer shrugs and then turns around to look at me. There, there.

"Yo Eastwood? You alright?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, yeah?"

"No really, you seem a bit off" Nathan adds. Damn, now all the focus was on me. I should have seen that coming. I mean --- I'm the kind of girl who blabbers twenty four-seven, staying silent is really not my area of expertise.

"Guys I'm alright. Just tired" I sigh, shoving another forkful of mac and cheese into my mouth.

Eating was a distraction.

"Classic excuse for anyone who's not okay" Amber snorts.

I shoot her a glare, a clear warning that I don't need to talk about it. Obviously not right now in the middle of a college cafeteria where people are always hunting for gossip.

Amber gets the hint and returns to the conversation with Nathan while Archer walks away to answer a phone call. I figured I had nothing better to do than make my exit.

There were two new messages from Rhys when I open my cell to check the time. He had written wanna grab a coffee? it's okay if you don't want to.

Coffee with the nerd, works fine. I chuckle before typing a reply.

me : starbucks. i have an evening shift.

He replies almost instantly, as if he had been waiting for me to go online.

rhys : sure. five thirty?

me : sounds good.

And then I make my way out of the cafeteria and into the bathroom to have a good five minutes crying session over something as trivial as my parents fighting. But you might not call it trivial because it isn't often Iris Eastwood and Stefan Cahill fight. Well, unless it's a serious issue.

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"So that's basically it. Rory has always been a troublemaker." Rhys concludes, taking a giant bite of his grilled chicken burger. He was fully aware that he was eating Burger King at a Starbucks booth without ordering anything from the latter but I guess that's one of his weird specialties.

He had been going on about how his sister Aurora --- Rory --- has applied to the universities that were located as far as one could go from London, and hence that resulted in kind of a huge argument with her father.

I listened without a word, as I always do when people needed to rant, simultaneously serving coffee and English muffins to regular customers. In spite of the bad weather, they never fail to visit Starbucks.

"Can I ask you something?"

Rhys looks up at me, wiping his hands with a napkin. He looked like a kid.

"Uh yes?"

I pull out the chair in front of him to sit down, my back aching from all that barista job I had been doing for the past couple of hours.

"Why are you suddenly talking to me? Okay that came off wrong ---" I exhale, "Why not Noah or Luna or Juniper? They are your friends, like --- I don't know, I wanted to ask you the previous night but I guess you were sad. Is it because Eugene's not here and you figured I would be the second best emotional outlet?"

I pause, there was this strong feeling in my gut that told me I was being unnecessarily rude but I was exhausted and couldn't help the cause.

Rhys doesn't say anything for a while.

"No."

"No what?"

"Coraline, I talk to you because you're interesting. You're different than most people. And you're a great listener. And I'm not just saying this to calm you down --- you really are." He states in a matter of fact voice.

"Well, it sounds like you're trying to calm me down." I snigger.

"And you're right, I can always go talk to June and Luna. Or even your twin. But I talk to you because," he runs his tongue along his lower lips, "I like doing so. And I'm not a huge talker, unlike you. So if I'm sharing stuff with you, it's because I feel comfortable."

He stops to catch a breath, his cheeks flushed.

I look away, not knowing what to say. From the behind the counter, Isaiah motions me to come over and help him with the orders. The rain had ceased and I could see the vermilion sky casting it's orange glow over the city.

"Sorry, Rhys --- I just am tired of playing the role of a journal. I'm sorry I shouted at you."

"It's alright. And I'm sorry if I blabbered too much and wasted your time. You should get back to work." He says, getting up to leave.

"Wait you're leaving?"

"Yeah, gotta get back and complete some homework."

He still looked like he was hurt and taken aback. A part of me felt massively guilty for being so rude but I don't say anything. The air between us had gone back to the same kind of awkward it was maybe a month ago. I could believe it was already a month.

"See you then." He mutters before walking out of the café.

Damn Cora, you owe him an apology.

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a/n : didn't expect myself to come up with this chapter in time lol.
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