This Old Coffee Shop - A Before You Exit Fanfiction

Chapter Nine; It's not just the two of us anymore

-Carter's Point of View-

I tapped my foot slightly and kept looking for different things to do on my phone, clicking every app multiple times to only find myself exiting them. Main point of this? Avoid eye contact. The waiting room was unusually quiet as Toby and I sat awkwardly on our phones and Riley and Connor carried a conversation where I could hear names being thrown around. 

"Carter?" A young female nurse opened the door. I raised my hand slightly, finally locking my phone screen.

"Um Clara would like to speak to you...alone..." She continued. 

I felt goosebumps rise over my skin and I stood up quickly, striding hurriedly down the endless comical white hallway, towards her room.

I cut a quick corner and entered Clara's room. 

"Okay spill.." I said crossing my arms, annoyance spilling over me as I stood firmly in the middle of the room, eyeing up Clara. 

"Carter I can explain. It's-"

  "Are you trying to get these boys killed!? If anyone knows what Jordon will do, it;s us! Plus I don't think-" 

"Carter!" Clara raised her voice which was unusual, especially at this given moment.

"I can handle this, okay!" She sounded unsure.

  "No! You can't handle this! You tried to and now look where you are!!!" 

There was a pause. I found her biting her lip, holding onto the edge of the cot she was laying on.

"You're making me mad Carter." Clara wasn't one to hide her feelings from me. 

"Yeah that makes two of us." I spat.

All I could hear was the chatter of nurses from within the hallways and the beeping of the heart monitor. 

"We need to help these boys, their in it now...there's no way out. If we leave them now, God knows what will happen. But if we stay...-Carter we're stronger as a team.." She whispered bravely.

Hot tears rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped them away, hating when I cried.

"What about our team, Clara!" I screamed, scaring her. "Since middle school, it's been you and me! Not some three boys who come out of no where! What about our plans!" 

Tears were forming in Clara's eyes, but she wouldn't allow them to spill. She bit her lip again.

"There's nothing wrong with a bigger team Carter, calm down!" 

"Fine....fine you go on and have fun with your little 'boy-toys' because as long as they're in...I'm out.." I turned and stormed out the door. My thoughts were clustered as I walked back towards the waiting room to collect my things.

The only time I cry is when I'm angry...I've never been truly angry at Clara.

Although regret echoed in my head I continued, bursting through the double doors, causing all three boys to rise and spoke out with a simultaneous "what's wrong, what happened, where are you going."

But I continued till I was out of the front entrance, far enough to not return, but not too far to forget. As soon as I turned the corner, out of the sight of every employee, guest and any one, the tears came out. Not just a few, a flow. I couldn't handle it. I collapsed onto the bench and buried my face in my palms.

I heard foot steps turn the corner and I quickly wiped my face and stood up, turning my back to the soothing voice. 

"Carter!" Riley's voice shouted, inches away from me. 

"Go away!" I growled angrily, stomping my foot in frustration. 

"No." He stopped right in front of me, grabbing my wrist and spinning me around as he caught his breath. 

"Please.." I became weak, begging him, my eyes red and my vision blurred.

"You can't do this Carter..." He chanted.

"You don't know ANYTHING about me! You can't tell me what I can't and can do!" I was on a repeat, bawling my hands into fists as I became angry once more. 

"Well I know enough that you can't keep pushing people away because you want to keep up this stupid 'big-kid' ego! And you sure as hell can't handle this alone!" He shouted back in my face.

  I stared at my shoes. Riley's eyes softened as he kept his eyes locked on me.  "You can't push us away..not now.." He grabbed my hand. I nodded my head and squeezed his hand then released.

"Do you want to go back in?" 

I shook my head in disagreement. "I'm going home..it's been a long day.." I shrug my shoulders, still staring at the ground. 

"At least let me drive you.." He offered. I looked up and couldn't say no.

Riley took my hand, leading me to his car. 

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We're back!

And let me say, Alicia and I have been very very VERY busy, but now as it is summer and we have pretty much nothing else to do, we will be updating way more often.

Sorry for such a long wait, and thanks to Alicia for writing this chapter. (: