Cold Hearted

Chapter Nine

Thursday.

I could make it one day couldn't I? Just today, and then I could vent to Gabby.

James snored so loudly that I heard it from his couch. His one bedroom apartment had seen many parties, sleepovers, and sadly, tears. It was the only place free of adults that we could go to.

James' parents lived somewhere in Europe, always being the glitzy and stuck up type of people. According to what I remember from my elementary school days, they were loaded. So it was no problem for them when they decided to shun their only child and move across seas to get away from him.

After about ten more minutes of trying to ignore James' snoring, I gave up and rose from my lounged out position on the couch. Unlike Everett's house, James' home was stuck with a certain color scheme, if you will.

The drapes were a nice cream color and the couch was a maroon red. Everything else matched those colors and it looked very sophisticated. Much better than I imagined my home ever looking.

My room was still cluttered with stuffed animals and stickers from when I was thirteen and didn't know how much I'd regret putting so many posters up. Now there were holes in the walls from where old band posters once hung.

I decided to make myself some breakfast. I had work in three hours, so I had plenty of time.

--

"Thanks! Come again, ma'am!" I grinned at the woman who had just left Pat's Pastries. She waved at me, carrying her muffin and hot coffee out into the lightly falling snow.

I thought of the snow storm Everett and I had gotten stuck in. The hotel room.

His muscular back.

"What are you day dreaming about? Let me guess, is it Mr. Grumpy?" Callie asked me, as cheery as ever. I ripped my thoughts away from Everett's naked torso and laughed shyly.

"No, just-" I stopped, trying to think of something else.

"No use lying to me, Em. I'm not as dumb as I may seem. I know when someone's got a crush," she giggled, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

Crush.

Did I have a crush on Everett?

I mean, I guess by normal standards, yes. But there was so much more to him than just that. I couldn't sum up my feelings in the word "crush".

I shook my head. "There is no way I have a crush on Everett Sanders," I scoffed. Callie just shrugged her shoulders as if to say, Whatever man, but you know that boy looks hotter than the sun.

Callie's shift ended an hour before mine. I could see the sun slowly dropping lower into the sky as I prepared to take on this last hour alone. James had called in saying he didn't feel too good, so I'd bring him home some of his favorite cookies.

The bell dinged, signaling the entrance of a customer.

I looked up from my phone, spotting a flustered looking Everett standing awkwardly in the middle of Pat's Pastries.

"Did your mom order something? I wasn't told. Do you mind waiting? It'll only take me a-" I began.

"Has he done anything?" Everett asked suddenly. His cheeks quickly tinged a light pink and I took in the rare moment of seeing Everett blush.

"Um, what?" I asked, stepping towards the counter.

He stood not to close but too far away to look like he was going to get something. It was a weird spot to be in which only made him stand out more to me. I noticed he was wearing black basketball shorts and black Vans. To top it all off, he was just in a black t-shirt.