They were Roommates

Chapter 20

It's been a week since the diner and neither of us have mentioned what happened.

"I'm going to the library, you want to come," Miles asks me as he puts on a jacket.

He is also wearing that same hoodie from before we went to the diner. I didn't have the heart to tell him it's mine.

"Sure, just let me grab a jacket," I say as I start to rummage through my pile of clothes I need to put away.

"Here," Miles says, "Use one of mine."

He gives me a dark blue jacket that's hanging from the bunkbed. Well, at least now we are even in the exchanged of each other's clothing. I grab my library card and shove it into my... I guess Miles' jacket pocket.

                                                                    ✧ ✧ ✧

"Have you tried The Coffee Club here?" I ask Miles as we enter the library.

"No, I haven't," he says.

"You have to try it! Their drinks are so good," I say and drag him towards The Coffee Club.

I realize I'm almost forcing him to come with me to get coffee. I stop and let go of his arm.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to go if you don't want to," I say shyly.

"Wesley, it's fine. I would love to try some of the coffee from The Coffee Club," Miles says with a smile.

We walk side by side to the counter that has Hazel at it. They are wiping down their counter and putting cups back on the shelves behind them.

"Hey, Wes. What can I get for you today?" They ask me.

"A double latte for...two," I say.

"A double latte for one...wait a minute... a double latte for two?" they ask for clarification.

"Yes, Hazel, a double latte for two," I say.

"Coming right up."

Miles and I wait patiently for Hazel to make our lattes.

"Double latte for two," Hazel says as they give us each a mug with our lattes.

I look down at the foam, which is personally my favorite part of a latte, it has a heart design in it. I look up at Hazel and they just had me my receipt before going back to work. Hazel used to say that making designs in people's lattes was too complicated and they started charging people extra. I look at my receipt and there is no extra charge but there is a lovely note typed by Hazel at the bottom.

Good luck – Hazel

                                                                     ✧ ✧ ✧

Miles and I sit at what has become our table in the back of the library. Miles gets out a book and sets it on the table but continues to rummage through his bag.

"Whatcha looking for?" I ask him.

"Nothing, I just left my reading glasses at the dorm room," he says.

"We can go back and get them if you want," I suggest.

"No, it's fine. I'll just strain my eyes and read," he says as he opens up his book and brings it very close to his face.

"That's probably not very good for you," I tell him, "We could go back and get them. The dorm building isn't too far away."

"No, really it's fine," he says and his cheeks get a bit red.

"What?" I ask.

"Can you tell me what this line says? I'm already getting a headache from trying to read it," Miles says.

"Sure," I say.

He hands me his book opened a little over half way. I clear my throat with a small cough and read the sentence he needed. It's the first sentence of the chapter and it's white letters with a black background.

"'Kai received two comms between the time they left the elevator and the time they reached Dr. Erland's office – Cinder knew because she could hear the chime from his belt – but he didn't answer them,'" I read to him.

"Thank you," he says as he reaches for the book.

I pull the book away from his reach and caught the title on the cover, Cinder by: Marissa Meyer.

"Give it to me," he says with a slight harshness in his voice.

"No. We have exams coming up and I don't want you to have to miss them because you gave yourself a headache from reading," I say.

"But... but I need to read that book for my English class," he says with a pout.

"Then I will read it to you," I say.

I set the book on the table and begin to read it once again, "'He insisted on helping her down the hallway despite her protest that she could walk just fine, despite the curious stares of passersby.'"

                                                                  ✧ ✧ ✧

I don't know how long I read for but at one point Miles laid his head on the table and closed his eyes. By the time I was done reading the rest of the book he lifts his head and rubs his eyes.

"You finished already," he says with a yawn.

"It was getting interesting and I didn't want to wake you," I say.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was visualizing," Miles says.