Don't Go There

the funeral

[a/n: this fic was recently rewritten entirely. if the comments don't make sense that's why!]

       Time flew as you guys sat together. People came and went, tables filled and emptied, and still you two sat, relearning everything you both could about each other. His mother had called for his father to come pick her up an hour into you guys' catching up, and you could've swore she said something about knowing we'd end up together as she left. Alex had hushed her in embarrassment, and for his sake you'd pretended to be oblivious to the interaction. Back at the table, his phone went off every now and again, but he acted as if he didn't even feel or see it. His attention was fully on you. Because of that, you felt bad when you had to finally look at your phone after it had buzzed a few too many times in a row. Aunt Juniper was freaking out a little in your messages, spewing all the worst case scenarios possible that could've happened to you on your trip to this cafe.

"I really hate to do this, but, Juniper's kind of worrying herself sick," you tucked your phone into your backpack of a purse as Alex nodded with understanding. "I don't want to be rude and stay out the whole first night I'm in town."

"No no, yeah I get it," he stood, and to your surprise, came around to pull out your chair as well.

"Thanks," you tried to fight a blush. You hoped it worked.

Once you were up with your coat back on and car keys in hand, Alex said, "Sorry, didn't mean to keep you so long."

"You didn't, I was having fun."

"Me too," he crookedly smiled. "I missed you, Y/N."

You smiled at the ground, heart soaring, and couldn't manage to say anything. You'd really missed him too.

"Great coffee order by the way," he added playfully as he shrugged his own coat on. "Next time it's on me, alright?"

"We'll see," you replied, excited at the thought of a next time. You thought about him the whole ride home.

∼

    Great Aunt Clara's funeral went by in a blur of sniffles and teary eyes. It was chilly even inside, and smelled like leather and cleaning products. You were thankful the service was closed casket; you didn't think you'd be able to handle the alternative. There were more people there than you'd thought given it being such a small town, but you figured later that they must be people from the assisted living home she'd been in the care of. Aunt Juniper had come with you of course, and though she stayed living in the same town as you guys' shared aunt, apparently her visits with her had ended once you'd moved away and they weren't close at all.

After the short service, there were small snacks and drinks like tea, coffee, and water offered in the downstairs area. You made the mistake of taking a chance on the coffee, and regretted it immediately. There were grounds all throughout it, and it tasted like unsweet, rusty water. You tried sneakily dumping it into a nearby large potted plant.

"Hey," a gentle male voice said from behind you. "I'm sorry, but, is your name Y/N?"

You whipped around and hid the Styrofoam cup behind your back. The guy who'd spoken had stood a couple feet in front of you. He looked about your age with voluminous sandy blond hair that lay on his shoulders, and sky blue eyes accented with a hint of pink eye shadow just below his waterline. Seemed unusual, but it really worked for him; you liked it.

"It is," you forced a smile, hoping he was oblivious to your horrible manners.

"Michael Langdon," he held out a hand for you to shake. "I was one of your aunt's caretakers at the home."

"Oh," you shook his hand with your remaining free one and returned his shy smile. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well," he agreed. "I'd only seen pictures of you from when you were just a kid, but that's how I recognized you. It's nice to see the updated look."

"Yeah, I didn't come around as much as I would've liked," you spoke quickly, trying to find anything to say. His last comment almost felt flirty, which was understandably awkward.

"Well if you're anything like she was I'm sure you're great," he went on. "I got pretty close with her toward the end." You bit the inside of your cheek as he reached into his suit pocket, fumbling around for something. Seconds later he pulled out what looked like a business card and said, "If you ever need someone to listen, a shoulder to cry on, maybe exchange stories about lovely Clara, I'll be available."

You took the card, seeming to have no other option; Michael looked relieved that you'd accepted it.

"Hope to hear from you," he subtly winked as he turned to walk off. Once he was a few feet away and no longer watching you, you looked over the small card in your hands. It had his name and number on it, and nothing else. So he was flirting.

∼

    Back at Aunt Juniper's, a couple days went by that you only left the couch for necessary things like using the bathroom and eating. Despite not being close with aunt Clara, Juniper understood and didn't give you any grief for how you were acting, like you knew your parents would have. You could go home any time you wanted, but because of that aforementioned fact, you definitely would rather be where you were than at home.

"Babe, why don't you go around to some of your old favorite spots?" Aunt Juniper suggested after a third episode of the show you were watching auto-played. "You don't have to I mean you can definitely just do what you're doing if it helps.. but getting out might do you some good, you know?"

Initially, you wanted to shoot her idea down: all your previous favorite spots around here were children's parks... because you were a child when you last lived here. But then, you remembered that a certain brown-eyed boy owed you a chai latte. Your spirits were instantly lifted, and your heart sped again-- you chose to ignore that. Out with Alex it was!

Except, shit, we'd never exchanged numbers. The only way you knew to reach him was to go to your old neighborhood and knock on the door of the house behind yours.