All Planned Out

Nine (Alex)

I agreed to go along with Charlotte to see Stuart at the coffee shop only because she asked and maybe slightly to make sure she did't do anything crazy. Those are the only two reasons. It had nothing to do with Stuart himself.

Nothing at all.

Yet I still caught myself looking over my reflection in the tinted windows of the cafe as we walked down the sidewalk. I had never before been so self-conscious about the way I looked. I'd never had the need to try to impress someone before. Charlotte doesn't care what I look like.

Not that I'm trying to impress Stuart.

Not that I apparently need to.

The place is busy, but not busy enough to stop Stuart from immediately noticing us the second we are in the door. As we waited in line, I told myself that, yes, he would obviously notice us because we are customers and every single employee glances toward the door every time it opens. He is stationed at some kind of machine, not moving, and as we got closer and closer to the counter I had to repeatedly stop myself from constantly checking his way to see if he was watching us.

Or watching me.

When we reached the counter, Charlotte calmly asked for a cappuccino. I said nothing.

"Could you spare a couple minutes to talk to me?" She asked Stuart, who I only realized when he handed her a cup that he was the one making her drink. "I need to know about those videos you were talking about."

"They're just skateboarding videos." He said. "It's not a big deal."

"I want to see them." Charlotte popped up onto her toes and leaned her body against the back of Stuart's machine. "Where can I see them?"

"I'm not sure she wants people she knows to see them."

"If I'm going to be her new camera operator then I think maybe I should see some examples of what I'm going to have to do."

A sound came out of Stuart's nose that was not exactly a snort but was not too far off. "You really are into her, aren't you?"

Charlotte bobbed up and down a few times while taking a sip from her cup. "Just want to be a good helper."

"I'm sorry. That really needs to be something she shares with you." He paused. "Which she might do, uh, since you want to be a good helper."

"I wish you were being more of a good helper right now."

"Um...okay, uh, look. Uh, remember what that guy at the park said? The guy on the bike?"

"He was a weirdo."

"That's the only clue I can give you. Sorry." He pouted. "I hope you understand." His eyes flicked to mine and then back down to Charlotte. "Thanks for taking over, by the way. I know you have, uh, ulterior motives and everything but I was sick of getting barked at."

"I just—"

"—Is she really that bad? She didn't seem that bad." I said, cutting off Charlotte before she leapt the counter. I could see how frustrated she was getting.

"Oh, she'd definitely keep herself more in line around you. You're family."

"We, uh, aren't as close as you might think."

"Family is family, man. And what I meant was that if she went too hard you'd just tell her mom and get her in trouble."

"I definitely wouldn't do that."

Charlotte gurgled between us. "Could...could I do that? If she yells at me, I mean?"

"She will yell at you. You have to accept that. You just need to not let it get to you." While Stuart had only maintained eye contact with us, he had continued to make and hand out drinks. "Now if things get physical..." he said, then laughed, "...never mind, you might want it to get physical."