I Adore You // Braeden Lemasters

Chapter 8: 1980s Horror Film

"Oat milk?"

"Yeah I like oat milk." He laughed. "What's wrong with oat milk?"

"Nothing," she said, sipping her tea. "I'm not judging."

He looked at her with a smile.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He said looking away.

"Come on, you can't do that. Tell me." She laughed.

He sipped his coffee and set it down on the table, shrugging.

"Nothing. You just look really pretty today."

She watched his eyes, smirking. Then she looked down.

"Well thank you. You know, sometimes I think you're so nice that it has to be too good to be true. Right? I mean who can be that nice?"

"Would you rather me be mean?" Braeden joked.

She smiled. "No."

Suddenly a familiar face walked into the coffee shop. He froze when he saw her. Then he slowly approached her. Natalie's heart began to beat rapidly.

"Hi," he said with an awkward smirk. "Are you that mad at me? You won't return any of my texts."

Braeden put his hand on Natalie's, sensing she was nervous.

"I guess I see I've been replaced already." Mikey said, giving Braeden a dirty look.

"What do you want from me?" Natalie pleaded. "Please just leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

"Come on," he said. "We were just having a good time, we were drinking-"

"That doesn't mean you get to start tearing people's clothes off, man. No means no." Braeden spoke up.

Natalie looked at him anxiously, not wanting him to get involved.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?" Mikey said, getting closer.

Braeden stood up.

"She said she wants you to leave her alone, dude."

"Who do you think you are? This has nothing to do with you, bro." Mikey got in Braeden's face.

"Stop it." Natalie said, getting teary eyed.

"I'm just a friend." Braeden said. "But it doesn't matter. Just leave her alone."

Mikey looked to Natalie and gritted his teeth. He looked Braeden up and down then turned around and left. Braeden sat back down.

Natalie was high strung. Tears had welled in her eyes. She bit her lip and stared at the ground.

"Are you alright?" Braeden asked.

She nodded and avoided his eyes. "I'm just embarrassed." She shrugged and then buried her face into her hands.

"Why? There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

She let out a sigh. "I just hate that I ever wasted my time with him. I wish that night never happened."