Dunkin' Donuts

Chapter 2

(I haven't posted in a year... ahahahaha

hahha

ha...
ha.)

A thing about me: my love life has never been consistent.

And no, I'm not saying I automatically fell for the boy.

What I'm saying is, I had a general interest him... and I knew that with my luck things would go south automatically. And they did.

He didn't come back to the coffee shop for a least a week and during that week, my general dislike for myself took over and offered reasons why he didn't come back.

I pestered him. I was weird... I look like I haven't slept in years... My hair is basically a black bird's nest... And an entire plethora of more reasons.

The day he walked back into the shop, I was relieved. Maybe all those things weren't true...

This time, it was raining and he wasn't wearing anything to stop it. A hoodie, jeans, and boots were his protective attire. His blond curly hair was drenched into a stringy tangled mess that dripped onto the floor and stuck to his skin.

I resisted the urge to tell him to wipe his feet at the carpet and just tried oh-so hard to look natural but I guess he saw through my facade.

"You can laugh, Nico... I know I look ridiculous," he said and shook like a dog, splattering water all over the tables.

"I would be laughing if you hadn't just ruined our bustboy's day," I said and looked behind me into the kitchen.

Asleep leaning on the cleaning supply cabinet, Cecil who had been hired a week before snored.

I hopped over the counter and decided to clean off the tables for him. Sleep deprived workmates had to look out for each other, after all.

"So," I said while wiping down the corner donut decoration. "What's your order? And why do you get to know my name but I don't get to know yours?" I asked and sat down on one of the metallic coloured chairs.

"Solace. Will Solace," he said and turned around to me dramatically. "Medical Student by day, stressed out about school by night."

I chortled (yes, that's a word). "That's the most relatable thing I've heard all day," I planned on saying something else but the only thing that came to my mind was asking him why the fuck he didn't show up here for a week but I couldn't say that. Firstly, Jesus Christ, did that sound insanely clingy? And secondly, we didn't even know each other really...

He sat down at the table and wiped some of his hair from his eyes and forehead. "I didn't exactly come for coffee... but I'll take a regular with no sugar or creamer," he said kind enough to sound like he was saying please as well, and peeled off his yellow hoodie.

As soon as he said this, my interest was peaked and there was no way I was leaving the table without finding out what he was talking about. "Cecil! Wake up and make a HC to-go!" I shouted and chucked a syrup packet at his arm.

He stirred and finally woke with an extremely loud yawn and got work.

"To-go? Trying to get me rid of me already, Nico?" Will asked, flicking some water at me from his hands.

I pretended to consider this as I wiped the water from my cheek. "Ah... not yet. But it's mostly because the to-go cups have terrible insulation and so it'll warm your hands," I said and leaned back in the chair. "So, what'd you come to a coffee shop for if not coffee?"

Will looked down at the table with an uncomfortable looking smile as his cheeks reddened a bit. "Uh... Well..." He looked up and placed both hands on the table. "Look, I know I've only talked to you once, but you're like... one of my only options and I mean that in the nicest of ways. So every year, my friends throw this party 2 days before Christmas which would be... tonight... and well, you're expected to a bring a friend you made this year and introduce them to everyone and stuff," he said, eyeing me closely to see if I had a change in expression.

I did not.

"And I've been really busy this year so I haven't had much time for making friends and I can't show up alone, so would you please accompany me there... and pretend that we've talked for at least a bit longer than an hour?" He asked with a pleading stare.

I shrugged, but mentally panicked. I hadn't been to any parties in months... And what if I embarrassed him? "Um," I said scratching the nape of my neck. Well, if I said no his pride would probably be wounded, and if I said yes and embarrassed him, his pride would still be wounded.

What the hell.

"Sure, what time?"

Will beamed and beamed was damn good word for it. "Thank you so much! You've saved me from months of incessant teasing and pestering!" He sighed pleasantly and shrugged. "We have to be there at about 7:30. It's—uh—formal, I guess. You'll need a suit or whatever. Sports coat, whatever," Will said and looked like he was waiting for me to change my mind.

"Would you be offended if I said your friends sound pretentious?" I asked, all too politely. Which was weird... since when was I polite. Goddamn this boy for taking away my edge.

Will's dumb bright smile distracted me from damning him and he shrugged. "It's only because someone showed up in their underwear while someone else brought a purist date. It was a disaster so now everyone has to follow a strict dress code," he said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit apprehensive but I believed I was more interested than anything. I nodded and walked over to the counter to get the drink Cecil had made and sighed as he fumbled with the lid, almost dropping the scorching drink.

"Remind me to never ask you to make hot coffee again," I mumbled to him and walked back to the table with Will.

Will took the cup into his still damp palms and sighed pleasurably as the heat seeped from the drink to his hands. "You're a genius, Nico," he said sounding either sarcastic or grateful.

"I know." Unlike his tone, my mine was strictly sarcastic and biting; exactly how I liked it.

Will shrugged it off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So, uh, want me to give you a ride? I can come get you at around 5:00 and we can... hang out 'til 6:30 or whatever and start heading to the party. I mean, after all, we have to at least know each other a little bit in order to pass as friends, right?" He seemed hesitant and I could tell Will wasn't the social butterfly he seemed to be or perhaps I made him nervous, which would be weird considering I couldn't intimidate a fly.

"Right," I said, reassuring. "Well, I have to get to work now," I really didn't. "But here's my number." I took a pen from my khakis pocket and a used notecard and wrote the number down on the back of the card and slid it to his side of the table. I stood, smirking to myself because for once I hadn't made a fool of myself, and glanced back at Will who was staring back at me with another gummy grin.

"Thanks, Nico," he said, soft enough that I couldn't tell whether he was thanking me for going to the party with him or for giving him my number... I decided against false hope, and assumed it was for the party.

"No problem."