Pretty Please - Riley McDonough Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Avery's POV

"You have to listen to this!"

I rolled my eyes. "For the last time: I don't care."

"You've never heard them. They are so good, trust me."

"Last time it was One Direction, this time it's somebody else."

"C'mon!" My best friend turned fully next to me and looked into my eyes. "This band is better."

I stared back at her. Her dark brown hair fell over her brown eyes. "Sure it is."

"Can you even give it a try?" She made her puppy face.

"Okay." I leaned back on my car seat. "Who was this band again?"

"Before You Exit. They are so amazing!"

"I've never heard of them." I looked at the coffee house. In five minutes I'd had to get in and work. On Saturday. I hated to work on Saturday. Everybody else was having fun hanging out with their friends or boyfriend but not me. I was making coffee.

"I told you. Okay, just listen." She plugged her phone to the stereos of her car and started to play the song. "Listen to his voice. So amazing."

The singers voice was good indeed, but I was not going to admit that. I sighed deeply.

"Now it's Toby's solo!" She had to pause for a while. "Did you hear that? He's amazing."

"I'm not death."

"And Riley... He's so nice and hot and just... amazing."

I knew what I was going to give my best friend for Christmas: a thesaurus. I nodded. "I'm sure he is, but," I opened the car door, "I'm going now. Can you pick me up?"

"If you promise to listen to my music."

I groaned and shut the door. She was a pain sometimes.

She opened the window and shouted. "I'm not going to pick you up!"

I turned around.

"Because Sky is."

Oh. "Okay, bye then."

She smirked. "Have a nice Saturday."

I fought the urge to show her my middle finger. That was a battle I didn't win. I left her laughing to her car as I ran across the parking lot.

My boss raised his brows when I walked in from the back door. "Did Sky give you a ride?"

"No, that was Ellie." I sighed. "I wish it had been Sky. Ellie is obsessing over some band. Again."

"Girls have a habit to do that."

"Not me." I smiled and took my apron. I waved at my boss and walked behind the counter. My boss was nice. He was actually pretty young. He had a nice wife and a son who was sometimes here begging me to give him muffins.

I looked around the coffee house. There were only few people sipping their coffee and talking to each other. I put my elbows on the counter and leaned on my hands. The feeling I got in here was so calming. Nobody bothered me. Everybody was so nice. It was a small coffee place I worked in. It was great that I didn't bump into some of the very annoying people from my classes.

As someone opened the door the little bell above it rang. I lifted my gaze and saw a boy, about my age, walking towards me. Our eyes met and I swallowed hard. You should've seen him. He was hot. So hot I hid. I actually bent my knees and hid behind the counter. Yes, I'm that pathetic. I could hear his steps getting closer, but I didn't rise.

A shadow leaned over the counter. "Hey?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. Why had I hid? I wanted to hit myself. I took a deep breath and got back on my feet. "Oh, I didn't see you there." I smiled a little bit as I glanced at him. You have a boyfriend, idiot, the voice in my head said. Oh shut up, I can still think he's hot, I said back to it.

The boy tried not to laugh. "Is that why you hid behind the counter? Because I was pretty sure you looked at me."

I felt my cheeks flush but I kept my facial expressions neutral. "Well, even though I maybe did", I said calmly, "I still came and said something. I'm being nice."

"Is your idea of nice to hide from the customers?" He leaned on the counter.

"I don't know what kind of upbringing you had, but..." I cleared my throat. "I think I'm nice. At least right now", I added quickly.

The boy grinned. "Sure."

"It's my job, you know."

"What is?"

"To be nice. It's a part of my job. My boss used to tell me to act like my customers were my relatives."

"Does it work?"

"It depends. Like, my grandmother hates me, so I'm not nice to her." I rolled my eyes.

"Why does she hate you?" He frowned.

"I don't know. It's her problem." I had no idea why I was telling this to a stranger. " You know what pisses me off the most? That she acts like she likes me around everybody else, but when it's just the two of us? The nagging starts. So I decided to be twofaced asshole as well." I flashed him one of my best fake smiles.

He stared at me for a while. I looked back to his hazel eyes. He nodded once like he understood my point. "Wow, you're being honest about this."

I shrugged. "Well, I don't see you as my grandmother."

"I'm flattered."

"You should be."

There was a silence for a moment. We looked at each other, not saying anything.

I was the first one to open my mouth. "You know what thing I'm not usually honest... no, straight about? When I want people to order."

The boy knew I meant him but he pretended to be interested. "What do you say then?"

"Something sneaky like that to get you... ummm, them get themselves back together and order."

The boy gave me a light smile. "I see." He gave me his order that was three coffees. I made the coffees. He gave me the card you collect points to so you get one free coffee. His was almost full.

I looked at the card and then back at him. "Oh, you come here often?"

"Everyday, if I have the possibility."

I put the coffees to the counter and gave his card back. I waited him to give me his hand so I could give back the change. "Then why haven't I ever seen you?"

He took the coffees. "I usually come earlier."

"Why?" I didn't know why I asked. I really wasn't that interested, but this happened to be my most interesting conversation today. And Sky could be the most boring company if he was in the right mood.

"Because last night I stayed up late with my... bros." He grinned to the last word.

I wondered if he met actual brothers or just his buddies or something. "Oh, okay. Well, have a nice day." I saw another customer coming to the counter.

"Thanks." He dodged the man who was behind him.

"See you", slipped out of my mouth.

He turned to see me. "We will?"

"You said you come here everyday, right? Your sleeping schedule is obviously messed up already, so yeah. I think we will see, someday."

He stared at me and then spoke slowly. "Maybe we will." Then he turned around and walked out of the door.

Jesus Christ. I let out a deep breath. I was not used to talk to attractive strangers. Especially not to nice ones. Usually when I met good-looking guys, they were idiots. And they knew they were hot and acted like everybody was attracted to them. But not him. He was different in some way.