Stuck On The Puzzle

The Café - Chapter 2

Another violent knock at the door. "Fuck sake what is it with people banging their fists on my door!" I grunt as I get up to let them in. Matt laughs and I stick my fingers up at him whilst reaching for the door handle. "Afternoon."
Jasmine says leaning against the door frame. I hug her, "How are you?" I ask. She smells nice, like some sort of Hollister spray. "Really well thanks Nat, yourself?" She hangs her denim jacket up on the coat hanger. "Yeah good thanks." I say smiling. She spots Matt sitting on the sofa eating (still). "Alright Matthew?" Jasmine and Matt didn't exactly have the best relationship. Matt got drunk once at one of my parties and started making small remarks at her, negative remarks. Usually he wouldn't act like that but when he was under the influence of alcohol he was almost a different guy. "Jas." He says acknowledging her presence. He doesn't look or make eye contact. I break the awkward silence, "So, should we hit the road?" I ask grinning towards Jasmine. "No need to take the car, it's about a 5 minute walk!" She says. Matt stands up stretching. "Mind if I join, don't half fancy a cuppa me self." He says grabbing his leather jacket and slipping it on. I look over to Jasmine and she sighs, "Sure. Mind if I quickly use your loo Nat?" "No problem." I reply opening my door and letting her through to my bedroom. It was a pain having the bathroom in the bedroom with no other way of getting to it. My bedroom was messy but she didn't care. It was only when I had people interested in my photography come round and they ask for the loo. They had to walk past my messy bedroom filled with random bits of course work, empty cups and band merchandise scattered around.

We're about a minute away form the coffee house and I spot a nice camera in a small antiques shop. "Jas come take a look at this!" I say staring at it. It was a 637 AF Polaroid camera. She looks over my shoulder, "What's that?" She asks. I roll my eyes, "A camera you dick." I mutter, "Must be 200$, at least."
"Well, best start saving." She says patting me on the back and skipping off down the road. "Christmas soon." Matt says. I turn around and he winks. I walk beside him and cling onto his arm, "You get me that for Christmas I'll think about getting you those vinyls." I say. He holds his pinky out. Without hesitation I grab it with my own and he smiles, "Deal." He replies chuckling to himself.

We ordered two coffees and a tea for Matt. I had a huge chunk of carrot cake and Jas and Matt had a blueberry muffin. I finish the last sip of my coffee and put it back down on the table, "Now that was a gooden'." Matt nods agreeing, "We should come here more often." "It's only about 7 minutes away from uni too." I say. Matt stands up searching his pockets. He pulls out his wallet, "Just popping down the shop to grab some cigs." He says. I nod and he walks out. I watch him walking down the street. He runs his hand through his hair and ruffles it. I've always thought he's good looking, but I could never like him in that way or have any different feelings towards him. I'd known him too long. Jasmine waves a hand in my face, "Nat? You're day dreaming again. There someone on your mind?" She says winking. I shake my head violently. "Not at all." I say almost laughing. The hot guys at uni were way out of my league. I wasn't really sure what my type was. "What is it then?" She questions me. "Nothing, I was just craving a cigarette actually now Matt mentioned." I say. She tuts at me, "You need to stop Nat. It's gross." She admits. I nod and agree with her. It wasn't as if I smoked like a train. I had the occasional cigarette, better than having 20 a day. "So how's your love life." She says breaking the silence. "What love life." I scoff almost laughing. She frowns, "Come on you must have tonnes of boys after you." She exclaims. "Yeah they're all lining up outside my fucking door!" I say laughing. "What's your type. I'll find someone." She says starting to get a little excited. "Jas you're not Cupid." I say. She folds her arms, "Come on, what's your type!" She beams. I stop and think. What actually was my type. I shrug trying to give blunt answers. "Give me a certain thing you find attractive about boys. What's your ideal man?" She won't stop asking questions.
"I guess I like boys with brown eyes." I say. "Right now we're getting somewhere." She says sitting forward in her seat. "Jas you're getting way too excited-" "Now what kind of hair? Brunette? Blonde's nice? What about black?" She interrupts. "Black, brunette I don't know." I say chewing my nail. I usually chew my nails when I'm nervous. "Right so, a guy with brown eyes, black or brunette hair." She says. She saying it like I'm ordering a boyfriend online. "Jas why are you doing this?" I ask. She flicks her hair to one side, "Because I want to find you a soul mate." She says. We're interrupted by a young man, "Are you finished ladies? May I take your cups?" He asks. I look up. "Sure, thank you." I say smiling. He smiles back. "It's a really nice coffee house here." Jas says. He thanks her and takes away our plates and cups. I get my phone out and check it. Nothing. No texts or calls. What was the point in checking my phone now a days, I didn't have any friends. I look up and Jas sits there grinning from ear to ear. In confusion I look around the room and then back at her, "What?" I ask. She raises an eyebrow, "He's into you." She says. I nod my head and give her a sarcastic look. "Go and get his number." She says. "Jasmine!" "What? Go on, you've got this." "No, I don't just randomly approach guys!" I reply. She shakes her head, "You're so hard to work with." "Who's idea was it to ask me all these questions about dating and boys?" I say reminding her. She leans back in her seat and stays quiet for the rest of the time until Matt comes back.

We're walking back to the building and Jas left to go back to hers. Me and Matt decide to go down to this old abandoned railway we visit sometimes. I like using it for my photography, it's interesting and I love exploring it. We usually go down there and listen to some music. We're discussing women. Matt has always had this crush on a girl called Leah at uni. Every lunch he'll try and get in the lunch que and start a conversation with her, ask her how her day is etc. I look up at him taking my eyes off my feet whilst still attempting to make sure I don't slip on the damp wood. "You've gone a pinkish colour in your cheeks." I say laughing. "I always go this colour when I talk to her, I can't stop it I look like an idiot as well." He says. I feel bad for him. His last relationship didn't go well either. He's been single for a good year now. His ex Sarah was lovely until she started seeing someone else. She accused Matt of seeing someone else too, even having something to do with me when she knew fully well that we were best friends and best friends only. She was forgotten, only brought up occasionally to be taken the piss out of for being such an idiot. We stop at the spot we usually sit at, on the bridge. We swing our legs over the edge and lean against the bar. He reaches for his lighter and cigarettes. "Fancy a smoke?" He asks flicking the lighter. "Yes." I say quickly. He smirks and passes me one and the lighter. I light it and inhale deeply on the cancerous stick. I know Jasmine would grab it and throw it in the river if she was here right now. The smoke escapes through my nose and I tap it against the metal work of the bridge getting rid of the ash. I pass his lighter back and he lights his own. "Just out of interest, how many do you smoke a day?" I ask. "Only about two or three." He replies. "You used to smoke a lot more." I say. He nods looking into the distance. Only shrubs and trees surrounded us. It was slightly cold, and the temperature was dropping slowly. The sky was full of pastel shades of red and orange.
It looked breathtaking at times. "The nights are drawing in now." I say taking another drag. "Sky looks great though, might take a quick picture actually." He says standing up again. I look up at him, concentrating. He's holding his phone steadily in his hands and balancing his cigarette in-between his lips. He takes a couple, "They always look so shit on camera, I need my canon." He says shaking his head analysing his shots. Matt was in my photography group too, he was amazing. Every single picture he's ever taken has been perfect. He's very creative too and can see a potential shot anywhere. Most of the time when we're out he'll carry his canon with him. I have one too, but the cameras decent on my iPhone. Most of the time I'll edit my pictures on photoshop afterwards to perfect them.

We spend the next half our or so listening to some Wolf Alice and smoking, talking about girlfriends and boyfriends still. "Ah, it's 6!" Matt says standing up and putting out his cigarette. I do the same and sweep my hair back whilst tugging my cardigan over my shoulders again. He helps me up and we start walking back. "Looking forward to uni tomorrow?" I ask. "You bet." He says in a sarcastic tone. He links arms with me and we walk almost in sync. I smile to myself. He made me happy, and I was grateful for having him my whole life. We eventually near the end of the railway and come back out onto the road. It's only about 15 minutes from here to my apartment now. "Thanks for today Nat, I enjoyed the coffee. You want to try and go there tomorrow during lunch?" He asks. I nod, "Sure. See you tomorrow." I say hugging him. He was warm and I buried my face into his shirt. He wraps his arms around me and rocks me gently from side to side. After a few seconds he kisses my forehead, "Love ya." He says stepping back to walk back down the street to his apartment. "Love you more." I say laughing. And within a few seconds, he vanished into the cold black night.

// Hey guys. Thanks for reading so far! I hope you're enjoying it. Please bare-with me I have loads to write but not much time. I've got mock exams coming up in the next two weeks, so I'll be revising for them too. But I'll defiantly be uploading at least once a week! I've got a few ideas for the story so far, but I could do with some more. So feel free to comment something you'd like to see happen in the story or any ideas! I will be grateful. Thankyou! //