If you recall from earlier, I said that the Universe always has it out for me. She likes to stick hot metal stakes into my skin and slowly twist them—just to put me in agony. She also likes to scratch me with little toothpicks—just to piss me off. Point is, there's no winning.
So it should come as no surprise that I ran into the Adult Teletubbies the next fucking day.
Let me set the scene. I was in Trader Joes, doing my weekly grocery shopping, when I heard the worst sound I could've possibly heard.
"Andromeda."
I knew who had summoned me before I even turned around. With an audible groan and a stomp of my foot, I pivoted on my heels to meet the perpetrator. British Bitch Boy.
Jake.
He was wearing a flannel that was unbuttoned halfway, with black jeans and those fucking sunglasses. This time he had gum, not a cigarette.
"Oh lucky me. I was really searching for a way to make this day a million times worse. Just found my golden ticket!" I sarcastically exclaimed, pointing to his face. He didn't even grin. In one ear, out the other.
"Don't get confused—I didn't want to run into you either." His snide demeanor was less intense than it was that night at the diner. Probably due to less alcohol consumption and it being 10 in the morning, but he seemed to be less insulting. So far.
"Great! So can we end this conversation or-,"
"If it isn't Tiny Dancer," suddenly Josh appeared from fucking nowhere and pulled me into a hug. I sort of stood there like a dead fish, confused as hell, until he stepped back to look at me. He was smiling from ear to ear.
I was thankful that it wouldn't be just Jake and I in this awkward run-in, but the fact that I had now seen these boys 2 days in a row was alarming to me. Why were they here?
"W-What are you doing in town?" Seriously. I'd never seen them around before and now we interact twice in less than 24 hours?
"We actually just moved here," Josh said, his hands still grasping my shoulders. "Do you live close?"
"No shit, I literally work at the diner," Rude, Andromeda. You're being rude. "Sorry," I corrected myself. "But yeah, I live in a building right around the corner. Walking distance." At this, both Josh and Jake whipped their heads to look at each other with wide eyes. It was like they were talking with their minds. Some unspoken psychic thing.
"What?" I craned my neck toward them.
"It's just," Josh giggled. "Jake just moved into a building right around the corner too."
Oh, you're fucking shitting me.
The asshole just nodded slowly, obviously thinking the same as me. The Universe and her wicked ways.
"Halstead Apartments?" Please no, please no, please no.
"Yeah." Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck.
I sighed dramatically, telling them everything they needed to know, before turning back toward the fresh cheeses I was looking at.
"Looks like we'll be seeing more of each other, then." For Jake to initiate conversation and not be a dick while doing it...that was incredibly new. Alas, I couldn't act like a naïve forgiver, so I simply shrugged without turning to face them.
"Guess so." My fucking luck.
"Hey," a hand gently fell on my back. I knew it was Josh, so I turned to look at him. "It was really fun dancing with you last night. I haven't had casual fun like that in a while."
"Yeah, it was a good time." Things could not be more awkward right now. Jake was observing us, and I knew he was practically burning a hole in the hand that was still pressed to my back. I could tell by the way he was chewing the inside of his cheek and fiddling with his own hands.
"Well I was just thinking I could get your number," Jake's head snapped up at this. "It might be nice to know someone in town." Despite my—still prevalent—annoyance toward the Fab 4, I agreed to give out my digits. If anyone other than Josh asked, I would've said no. But because he was the most welcoming, I caved.
Anything to get them to leave me alone faster.
After an exchange of number and an uncomfortable fist bump from Curly Boy, the interaction was finally over. I thought. Jake came up behind me less than 15 seconds later, placed a hand on the small of my back, and said the most out of pocket shit.
"Whose hand feels better."
He didn't even give me time to process his stupid statement before slipping away into the crowd of overzealous grocery shoppers.
I stood there, in utter shock, for what felt like several minutes. How is it that last night he was a complete dickwad, and this morning he's being a flirt? Men.
Wait until Ashryver hears about this.
