Say you'll stay - Channing Tatum

P.20

"Are you even listening?" She looks at me with a frown as my gaze is stuck on the two people on the other side. "What are you looking at?"

"Sorry." I apologize, shaking my head lightly. She seems to let it go and pulls up her phone instead. A faint crease forms between her brows and she's fast to excuse herself to make, what it seems like, a phone call.

I give her a small smile as reassurance that it's okay before I watch her walk away with her phone pressed against her ear.

My gaze lingers on Madison until she disappears behind a corner and I turn to look back at Cynthia and Julian. She's holding up a shirt against her chest and he watches intensely.

I stand there and watch them together.

They can't change what they've done, I get that, but they can certainly decide what they do now, and this isn't it.

An uncomfortable knot has formed in my stomach. Does Channing know that they're spending time together?

A few minutes later Madison returns with a smile on her lips. She breathes in deeply and looks at me. "Ready for that coffee you promised?" She nods her head in the direction we're supposed to go.

"After you." I gesture for her to go ahead.

People are still blocking the area, making it hard to move through the mall. She's practically pulling me with her as I take in peoples faces. With all these people in one place, and the places being so many, what are the odds that I saw just them? 

"What are you having?" She asks and looks blackboard up and down.

I do the same, reading the different types of coffee written in white. Espresso, Cappuccino, Caramel Macchiato, the list goes on.

"You're very quiet today, B." She suddenly says, concern clear in her voice. I turn to look at her. Her eyes stays on me but her fingers are fiddling with her wallet.

"I'm sorry, I have a lot on my mind."

I can feel her eyes on me. "What are you thinking about?"

"Many things, but mainly that I'm moving out and the apartment I want I'm afraid I won't get."

It feels like I've had this exact conversation too many times now, and I have, but with different people.

We move forward in the line.

"What can I get you?" The cashier asks us once it's our turn. I pay for our coffees before moving to the side. 

"You're moving! You are going to get your own place no matter if it's the one you've been looking at or somewhere else." She smiles widely, as if it's the first time I've told her this. "And that estate agent better scare away the others who are interested, telling them there's mold or something."

I laugh and sneak my arm around her waist.

My phone suddenly starts to ring. "Speaking of the devil."

She gives me a look and I answer. The warm voice on the other side of the line brings me back to the day I went to look at the apartment. He welcomed me the second I stepped out of the elevator, only adding to the feeling that came soon after. The love, and the want for something I thought was out of reach. 

We're quick on the phone and I listen carefully to his words. Madison is standing close, her hands holding our coffees'.

"Yes, thank you. I'll see you soon." I say before I hang up.

She hands me my coffee and waits for me to tell her what it was about. "I'm really sorry M but he asked me to come by right now and look at it again."