The Coffee Connection [ON HOLD]

[15] Even So Far Away.

THE COFFEE CONNECTION.

: : chapter 15 : :

Song of the chapter is Alive by Krewella.

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The next day as it happened, 'Operation Zashley' didn't quite work out the way Sam had wanted it to.

He dismally gazed around as he, along with the five others, sat at a diner which was on the way to the golf course. All of this, while the stormy weather made its presence obvious.

"I really wanted to play golf," Sameer grumbled before taking a big bite of the cheeseburger in his hands.

At Sameer's words, Ashley looked up from her smoothie with the intention of glancing at Sameer but instead, she got distracted from her original mission and ended up noticing how Zac was gazing at her from his seat, which was bang in front of her.

Apparently, Zac hadn't realized that he'd been staring at the brunette too blatantly.

Ignoring him, Ashley looked away and turned her attention towards Jayden, who spoke up right then.

"Hey, what if we go to this miniature golf park- indoor, of course- which is just about half a mile from my apartment? We can still sort of go golfing," he suggested, knotting his eyebrows together.

"We can't go to a public place otherwise we would be mobbed because I'm with you guys," Zac pointed out wryly before moving his gaze away from Ashley to sweep a glance around the table. "What?!" he exclaimed as everybody else gave him looks. "I'm sorry people around the world know and love me?"

Ashley suppressed an un-ladylike snort before taking a deep breath and calming herself.

Sameer glanced between the two of his closest friends. "We all can play pool at Zac's place!" he exclaimed loudly as his 'cupid gears' clicked into place. "What do you guys say?"

Zac agreed. "Yeah, all of us should head to my place for some pool," he repeated Sam's words, passing a meaningful look to a particular brunette.

Ashley ignored his look before turning her attention elsewhere. She had a conflicted mind; she really wanted to spend quality time with everybody apart from the one man she hated, but she couldn't quite go to his home and avoid him. That would be plain selfish.

Once each one of them finished with whatever they had ordered, the group shuffled out of the diner and made their way towards where the two cars were parked; the cars that belonged to Zac and Jayden.

Ashley's conflict with herself hadn't been taken care of, yet. As the brunette trudged towards Jayden's car, her mind was still somewhere else while trying to figure out the right thing to do.

She was rudely jolted out of her reverie on feeling a slight pull of her arm. Ashley glanced over to her left side to see Zac walking alongside her, his fingers lingering on her forearm.

"Hi," Zac forced out with a small smile.

Ashley frowned and looked away before continuing on her way towards Jayden's car. "What do you want?"

Zac sped up his footsteps in order to match his pace with that of Ashley. "Listen, you can come over too, you know? Just because you hate my balls for cheating on you doesn't mean you aren't welcome to come over and play pool today, with these guys."

"Right, okay," Ashley mumbled in a low, final tone. The last thing she wanted right then, was to talk to Zac.

"So, are you coming?"