Since You Came

Ch. 7

"What would you like?" Dan asks me, walking with me through the line at the counter.

"Caramel Latte," I say.

He nods. "Alright."

We get to the front and he orders our drinks. I begin to pull out my wallet.

"No," he says, placing his hand over mine. He hands the barista the money.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he says, smiling.

We sit at a small table, facing each other.

"When did you move here?" I ask him.

"After I left in 6th grade, we moved to Denver, first. My dad got moved again, and after two years there, we moved here," he tells me.

I nod. "Do you like it here?"

"I have a lot more friends," he says.

I would be friends with him too, if I didn't know what he was back in elementary school.

"That's understandable," I say, smiling.

He raises a brow playfully. "How so?"

"Do I have to tell you?"

"I asked, didn't I?"

I sigh, blushing. "For starters, you're very nice and funny."

"And?"

"And you're really thoughtful and such a gentleman and easy to be around..." I hesitate.

"Anything else? At all?" he asks, smirking.

"Um, well, you're like..." I sigh, the red on my cheeks intensifying.

"What?"

"You're honestly super handsome," I say.

It was his turn to blush. "I am? I'm not... Cute?"

I laugh lightly. "Cute is so cliché. Cute is for boys. Handsome is for men."

The barista calls Dan's name, and he stands and brings back our drinks. "What makes me a man, then?" he asks.

"Why do you wanna know?" I say.

He shrugs. "I want to know what you think of me."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "You're such a mystery, Dan."

"What?"

"I can never know what you're thinking. Your face is unreadable."

He smirks. "Maybe, but you're not."

Heat rushes my cheeks again. "How so?"

"You're clear. Open. Vulnerable. I can see your emotions all over your face. You're confused, but flattered. Your face literally lights up when I talk to you, and it's really obvious when you blush," he says, his eyes bright.

"Oh, awesome," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm an open book, then?"

"That's not a bad thing," he says thoughtfully.

I shrug. "Whatever."

"Okay," he clears his throat. "Are you liking it here?"

I shrug. "I don't like anything about my life right now."

He frowns. "I'm sorry."

"It's... It's not your fault," I say, my face darkening.

Dan looks away. "Let's... Um... Hey. What's your favorite thing to do here?"