The Boyfriend Checklist

Chapter 3: Ego the Size of a Giant

Chapter 3: Ego the Size of a Giant

I'm sitting in Noisette on a Saturday morning, sipping my caramel latte as I started on a new book. Just right down the street of the house; my go-to cafe whenever I needed my coffee fix. 

Other than the occasional churning of the coffee machine, nothing seemed to be out of the blue in the relatively quiet shop. The warm coffee scent flooded the room, making me seemly at ease as I drown myself yet again in another romance book. From the corner of my eyes, I observed the movement of the door as customers streamed in and out of the shop. 

Focus. I reminded myself as I took another sip of the heavenly latte, giving my complete attention back to my book. 

A couple of minutes later, a feeling of unease course throughout my body and I squirmed about in my seat uncomfortably. My eyes rolled over the same sentence repeatedly, and for some reason, nothing made sense. Frustrated, I looked up, trying to get a breather. 

As soon as I raised my head, my eyes locked with a pair of azure eyes staring straight at me, sending chills down my spine at the intensity. 

Jake Evans.

God dammit, not him again. 

I furrowed my brows and raised one of them curiously, as if asking him what he wanted. The corners of his mouth twitched as he smirked at me, throwing me a wink across the room. I rolled my eyes and returned to my book, refusing to be bothered with his childish game. 

A whistle resonated in the café and deep down, I knew it was directed right at me. I glanced up from my book subtly and saw him waving eagerly at me, catching the attention of the rest of the people in the room. My cheeks flushed from the added attention and I promptly buried my head in my book. 

Another whistle pierced through the air. I peeked my eyes out from my book and shot him a piercing glare, hoping that he got the message to stop. The corners of his lips curled up and his eyes twinkled with glee, enjoying every bit of my embarrassment. 

Pretending as if I have no idea who he was, I reached for my latte and took a sip, returning my attention to the chamber of wisdom on my hands. 

A while later, after a few pages of reading, I looked up from my book towards his table and he was gone. 

Good. Peace at last. I thought as I returned to my book, reading intensely and getting deeply immersed into the story knowing that there won't be any disturbance. 

"So whatcha reading?" His voice rang loud and clear as he plopped onto the seat opposite me, putting his drink on the table and resting his chin on his hands.

I glanced at the table he was sitting previously and looked at him. 

"I thought you were sitting there a moment ago," I remarked. 

He shrugged his shoulders, and replied, "Oh you know, things change, people change..."

What. On. Earth.

I'm completely blown away by his lack of continuity to my comment. Does he not know how to converse properly given the fact that he is so well-spoken?

"Right..." I replied with an obvious lack of emotion in my voice. 

He ignored me and turned his attention to the title of the book I'm holding on to. 

"Paper Towns," He commented out loud. "I heard that it's a rather good book, though a bit overrated don't you think; that people are all reading it now because a movie came out?"