The Doors to Newhaven

Chapter 3: Plan B

The next day in literature class I told Gage I'd go out for coffee with him. Class had just ended and it had taken me the entire hour and a half to muster the courage to say yes. 

"Yes? Well how does tomorrow sound then?" Tomorrow I didn't have any classes, it was a Saturday, there was no excuse not to go. 

"Yeah tomorrow sounds great." He gave me his signature crooked grin then began walking me out of the classroom. We ended up outside and then began walking the sidewalk together that led back to our apartments. 

"I hope you don't mind me walking with you" Gage said beside me, as our feet crunched the snowy ground to the same rhythm. I shook my head, not caring at all. I actually sort of liked his company...

We came upon our apartment buildings quickly and we stopped just before the stairs of me and Sophies apartment. 

"I'll see you tomorrow at 8 then." I bit my lip and nodded my head, unsure what to feel about the date ahead of me.

"Goodbye Gage." 

"Goodbye Belle" We both walked up our separate set of stairs and walked into our apartments at the same time. When I shut the door behind me, I let out a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding.

So...how'd it go?" I turned to the living room and sure enough sitting on the sofa waiting for me was Sophie. She was wide eyed and obviously desperate for information. 

"I told him yes, tomorrow at eight." She squealed and jumped over the back of the couch to hug me. I rolled my eyes but hugged her back.

"Its just coffee Sophie." I said to her...she pulled away and gave me a stern look.

"Your first coffee date ever Anabelle. Don't you dare try and make this a transparent matter. This will forever be one of your biggest moments." I inwardly sighed then pulled away from her, before making my way upstairs so I could do some of my literature homework. 

Thing was it really was a transparent matter. It was just coffee, and it probably wouldn't go further than that. I was Anabelle Withers, a wannabe writer, a book reader with an antisocial record and a girl with a comfort zone the size of jupiter. And Gage Bradley, well I didn't know much about him but I knew he didn't like literature, and his smile could make me weak in the knees. He was athletic and had a mystery about him that screamed out of my league. Truth was it wouldn't be long before Gage Bradley found out I wasn't anything magical.

*********

When I woke up the next morning I woke up at exactly seven. It was a natural habit of mine and I inwardly cursed at the early alarm clock wired inside of me. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes, I smelled bacon and eggs cooking in the kitchen below, and it caused me to get out of bed. Food was the second love I had next to books. Sophie knew that and was probably trying to get me out of bed so I could get ready for my date.

Pulling on my light purple robe over my flannel pants and tank top I brushed my teeth quickly in my small bathroom, pulled my hair on top of my hair in a messy bun and descended down the stairs. 

I called through my yawn as I shuffled into the living.  

"This isn't going to make me get ready any faster for my date Sophie. I'm going to take my own sweet time and I'm picking out what I wea..." I stopped in my tracks when the kitchen came into view. Sophie wasn't standing in the kitchen, in fact she didn't look to be present in the house at all. Instead Gage stood dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a brown sweater, cooking breakfast with one of my aprons tied around his waist. It was much too small for him but he didn't seem to care and when he saw me he gave me a crooked half grin.