Crashing to Fall (Student/Teacher) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 1: Surprise Savior

I stood from my seat at the table near the bookshelf and edged over to it again, slipping this week’s reading back into the shelf. My boss, Andy, was at the counter, counting change. I wasn’t supposed to be taking the books, but since he started the ‘Take one, Leave one’ shelf last month, I couldn’t help myself. According to him, he didn’t want us ‘robbing the customers of the book that changed their life.’ Yes, because ‘The Klingon Hamlet’ is really going to inspire people to mix it up.

I grabbed one at random and slid into the hallway leading to the bathroom, out of sight. I glanced at the title. ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ was in my grasp. I’d heard good things about it. Hopefully I wouldn’t get caught with it and have it taken away...I stole a peek at the front desk. Luckily, Andy was nowhere to be found. I slipped out of the corridor and hustled to my sweater, folding the book up in its fuzziness.

Slipping out of my ‘top-secret mission’ mindset, I set to work on scrubbing the counter down. During the last few minutes before closing time, we either got an overload of last-minute buyers, or a flood of nothing. Tonight seemed to be the latter.

As I made my way around the U-shaped counter, I wonder what the book was about. I hadn’t gotten a very good look...There were a lot of good reviews, though, from what I saw. It must be there because someone wanted to spread the excellence, not get rid of the stupidity. And the cover was well worn; must have been a loved copy. Jesse would love it...

Just as I reached the end of the counter, the set of bells on the door jingled, and I let out a slight sigh before pasting a grin on my face and turning to greet them with Andy’s required, “Welcome to Coffee and Cream, how may I help you?”

Of the group of five, the boy in front flashed a dazzling white smile. “Five smoothies, please.”

I nodded, waiting for the specifics. I realized they were from my school as they decided individually. There was Lana the head cheerleader, Jamie the second-head cheerleader, Owen the quarterback, Jackson the linebacker, and Ben the kicker. I only knew this because they refused to take off their uniforms during the football season. Based on Ben and Lana’s intertwined hands and matching orders, they were the couple. And Jamie seemed to be squeezing the life out of Owen’s arm, so that was either a twisted friendship or a fling. Poor Jackson, all hands to himself.

As they listed off their two Banana Berries, two Strawberry Slushies, and a Peachy Pleasure, I waited for the backstory to come to the surface. Nothing is ever as it seems when it comes to popular people.

I told them I’d be right with them, and they headed to the far table. Keeping an eye out, I started on the smoothies, making sure not to make too much noise for fear of losing the conversation.

“So, Jamie, you gonna be cheering at the game next Friday?” Ben inquired, fiddling with a couple of sugar packets. I almost yelled out when he tore them open and poured the contents on the table. I sighed slightly, dismayed at the destruction of clean tables. Thankfully, I wasn’t the boss. Or my fellow, less respectable 4:00-8:00 employee that always cleaned up after I’d gone home.

“You betcha! This is gonna be one helluva Homecoming!” She giggled playfully, but pulled her straight face back out when she saw Lana’s back-off glare.

“You know it. I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to play with you jumping around over there, though...” Ben said with a sultry smirk at Jamie.

I stifled a snort and turned back to the blender as I heard Lana’s hand thud on Ben’s chest, and he grunted an ‘ow’ before feigning a laugh. Obviously, there was more going on with Jamie and Ben than Lana wanted to know...

Owen piped in with, “No, but did you hear about the snow we’re supposed to get for Homecoming? At least a foot...”

“Not during the game, though, right?” Ben said, genuine worry in his voice.