Is Anyone Out There?

Chapter 3

We walk past the parking lot and just keep on walking. I am glad that I'm not the only one who walks. Everyone else has a shiny new BMW's or Mercedes, not even kidding. I don't understand why Jake wants to go anywhere with me. Even if he hasn't heard anything yet, why doesn't he see what everyone else sees when they look at me? "So, Kitty," Jake says, breaking the silence of my thoughts.

"Kitty? Now I have a pet name, great," I roll my eyes. This guy barely knows me and he has given me a nickname. Does that mean something good? ... Or is it just another thing to mock me about? What if him being nice to me is just something set up by all the other kids at school and I'm falling for it? Oh god... I really hope not. Maybe I should just turn around and walk in the other direction.

I hear Jake laugh, but I miss his smile because I am looking at the ground. Dammit. "Yes. I think it's cute," I drop the conversation there, I don't particularly like nicknames, I have enough of those already. I resist the urge to look at him as he chuckles and try to ignore the sudden rapid pumping of my heart. Did he just call me cute? No. No because this is all fake, all made up, all a scheme to get me to open up a little bit and then crush me right back down. It's happened before. It doesn't need to happen again.

I learned from an early age that I couldn't trust anyone. Not my "friends", not my parents, not anything living. The only thing that I could, and still trust is my music. It helps me to escape from this dump. "We're here," Jake says, pushing open a door so that I don't run into it. I blush deeply. I had been so deep in thought that I hadn't even acknowledged Jake the whole time we had walked here. I felt kind of bad that I had just ignored him the whole time. But, if this really was a trick, then he deserved it.

I walk inside of the little cafe and smile. As soon as the door swings open, I am hit with the aroma of coffee, hot chocolate, and a sweets all rolled into one. It's amazing. It is pretty empty, only one or two people, but it's warm and comfy. There aren't really tables, just big couches and chairs around different coffee tables. It has the aura of a home away from home. Even the low lighting adds to that.

"Don't you love it?" Jake leans down and whispers in my ear. His hot breath fans out against my skin, tickling me slightly. I nod. I do love it. I haven't even tried anything yet and it's just amazing. I have found my new place where I will spend all my time away from home. Yes, I might run into Jake, but maybe that won't be so bad. I just won't sit with him when that does happen.

I nod. "Yeah, it's amazing," we go up to the counter where this little old lady is sitting on a stool and reading a Home Living magazine.

"Hello there," she smiles at us and hops off of her stool. "What can I get you two?" she asks.

I stare up at the menu with wide eyes. There is so much! I have no idea where to start. "One of everything, except for the drinks. One hazel-nut caramel hot chocolate and a pumpkin coffee," Jake orders.

"Since when can you order for me?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips.

"Since I showed you this awesome place and want you to have everything awesome that they have to offer," Well, I can't argue with that. He takes out his wallet and pays for everything and then leads me to two chairs in a back corner of the room. I sink down in one of the fluffy, soft chairs and watch as Jake does the same.

"It is pretty awesome," I say, taking another look around. From the chairs we are sitting in, no one really notices us, but we see them. I like it, a lot. I feel protected and shielded from everyone.

"I know! It's my favorite place to come, it's so perfect," Jake smiles wide and I see a glint in his eyes. My heart practically melts, but I can't show that. I can't open that up to him.

"It is," for a moment, we both just look at each other. And then that is broken by Jake clearing his throat. I avert my eyes quickly as a blush creeps up my cheeks. Stop it, Katherine. You can't fall for him, you can't fall for anyone. They will just hurt you in the end.

"So, tell me about yourself," I say, hoping to fill the awkward silence that has settled down around us.

Jake starts playing with one of his bracelets as he talks. "Well, I moved here about a month ago and found this place," he said referring to where we were at the moment. I need to find out what the name of this place is and where it is located. "And I hate our school," he finishes up with a slight nod of the head.

I almost laugh at the last thing he said, but I stop myself. "That's all I get?" I wanted more than that. I want to know who he is. At lease I know that he is new and that he definitely hasn't heard about me, so I can actually be his maybe, possibly friend.

He chuckles softly. "There isn't much to know, I'm not a very interesting person," he smiles at me and his eyes crinkle. It's so cute.

"You're interesting to me," I mumble. He doesn't have anytime to say anything to that because the little old lady comes with a tray full of sweets and two huge mugs. She sets them down on the table and tells us that if we need anything, just ask.

I stare at all the food. It's crazy how much there is, and it all smells so good. Jake hands me a mug. "Take a sip of that," he tells me.

I smell it before taking a huge gulp of it. The flavors dance across my taste buds. It's chocolate and then a hint of hazelnut and to top it off, some caramel. I take another sip and smile."That is amazing,"

Jake chuckles softly, pushing the other mug over to me. "Now try this one," I take the mug in my hands and lift it up to my mouth. The liquid from this mug washes away the taste of the other drink. It has a spice taste to it, this one is the pumpkin drink that he ordered.

"I like that one better," I say, pointing to the first drink I tasted. I pick that one up again and drink some more. When I put it down, Jake has a camera. He snaps a picture of me, laughing wholeheartedly. "What are you doing? Delete that!" I lean across the table trying to grab the camera out of his hands.

"But it's cute," he takes a napkin and wipes my face. "You had whipped cream," his mouth forms into another smile and he continues laughing. He turns the camera around so that I can see the picture. I have whipped cream on my upper lip and on my nose. I am looking at the camera with a surprised expression on my face.

"Okay, hahaha. You've had your laughs, now get rid of it," Jake just shakes his head and puts the camera away. I slump back in my chair and pick up a random piece of cake off of one of the plates. I take an angry bite of it and chew. I thought that he was going to be different, but he will probably just post that picture on facebook or twitter and then I will just get laughed at even more.

"Kitty," Jake wines. "You just took my favorite!" I smirk at him. Payback.

I take the other half of the cake and hold it out to him. "Do you want it?" he nods eagerly and reaches out for it. "Nope!" I giggle and take it back, dropping the last piece of it in my mouth. Did I just... giggle? I better not have giggled. That would be weird.

"Nooooo!!" Jake does that little pouty face again and then an evil gleam sparks in his eyes. He takes the mug of hot chocolate from right in front of me and downs it quickly. He sets the empty mug down and smirks at me.

"Jake!" I shriek and jump out of my seat. I take another random piece of something, hoping that he really likes it like the other cake. I wave it in front of his face and then as he shoots up out of his chair, I run away holding the cookie close to my body.

"Kitty, that's my second favorite," he calls, chasing me around the cafe. Luck is kinda on my side then! I figure that it's okay for us to be chasing each other because everyone has left and the old lady is in the back. It's just Jake and I now.

I stop a little ways away from him and lick the whole flat side of the cookie. "You evil little-" he stops mid-sentence and lunges for me. He wraps his arms around my waist and spins me around. "Give it up! Give me the cookie!"

I squeal as he spins me. "Never!" He keeps spinning me faster. "You're going to make me siiiiiick!" We hear the ding of the door opening and we freeze like we have been doing something wrong. He sets me down quickly and we take a step away from each other like nothing had just happened in-between us. A buisness-y looking man walks in and up to the counter. 

I think something really did just happen...