My Coffee Boy

|four|

I was back at school. Ugh. I didn't feel like I could face Cole again. The weekend was a nice break, and it was starting to feel like a reality. But then I had to pull myself back into the real world, and understand that yes, I had to go to school, and yes, I had to see Cole.

"So, he kissed you?" Jenna asked as she filled up her mug with the schools nasty coffee.

"Yes!" I clapped my hands together. "It was so sweet!"

"Oh my god," Jenna smiled. "I'm so happy for you. Look there he is!" Jenna pointed to Grayson, who was walking over to me.

"Hey," I said as he wrapped his arms around my waist. Grayson planted a long kiss on my lips, and when we pulled apart I looked to my left where Cole was standing by a row of lockers, glaring at me.

"You should probably talk to him," Jenna said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "I'll come with."

"No," I said. "I should do it alone." I walked over to where Cole was standing, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I see you're already moving on," Cole rolled his eyes. "It's been three days."

"I kind of need some support right now, Cole." I could feel my voice start to rise. "I don't know if you forgot, but you're the father of my baby, and I can't do this alone."

"So you just get a new boyfriend," Cole said.

"You left me!" I ran my hands through my hair. "I can't believe you."

Coles face reddened in anger, and I couldn't react by the time he grabbed my arms and threw me against the lockers. I screamed in pain as I hit the tile floor, and I stood up with tears in my eyes.

"I'm sorry-" Cole started.

"No!" Grayson stepped in between Cole and I. "Do not talk to Beverly again."

"O-Okay." Cole stepped back.

I collapsed into Jenna and Grayson's arms, not crying, but shock taking over my body.

"Beverly!" Jenna nearly threw her coffee across Starbucks. Grayson, Jenna, and I all had met here after school, just to calm me down. "He literally tossed you against the lockers like you were nothing!"

"So?" I rolled my eyes. They were making a huge deal about Cole throwing me.

"You need to do something about it, Bev," Grayson said.

"Look," I started. "I appreciate y'alls concern, but I can't blame Cole for throwing a tantrum."

"What?" They cried in unison.

"This has to be hard on him," I explained.

"Beverly." Grayson reached out to grab my hand. "This is harder than you. You need to do something about this."

"I can't get Cole suspended!" I cried. "He's the father of my child, not a piece of trash!"

"Beverly." Jenna sighed, face in her hands.

"I hate to break it to you Bev," Grayson said. "But you can't go around throwing your pregnant ex-girlfriend against lockers and get away with it."

I got home and collapsed onto my bed, my head spinning. I was trying so, so hard to be okay with Cole, but he made it so hard.

I pulled out my phone, which was ringing, wiping my runny nose.

"Hello?" My voice was scratched from crying.

"Beverly?" Oh my, Cole. "Have you been crying?"

"What?" I sniffed. "Of course not."

"We'd been dating long enough for me to know when you're upset," Cole said.

"Why are you being nice," I said. "Please stop."

"What?"

"Why are you talking to me, Cole?" I felt tears fill my eyes. "You just threw me against lockers in front of the whole school, and you think you can talk to me?"

"I told you I'm sorry," he said.

"That's not going to cut it!" I started crying again. "I need to go."

I was about to press end when I heard Cole start to protest.

"I want to be involved Beverly." Wow. He just spit that out.

"No," I flatly said. "Not a chance."

"Come on!" He cried. "I'm the father, I deserve it."

"You don't deserve anything." I tried to stifle my cries. "I can't believe you right now."

"I apologized!" Cole sounded annoyed. "What else do you want from me?"

"Space," I said. And with that, I hung up the phone, then curled into bed, sobbing.

The next morning I woke up with a headache, as if I was hungover. I looked in the mirror. Yikes, bad move. I was wearing blue pajama pants with Care Bears on them, and a white tank top with stains on it. My hair was matted, and my face was streaked. I'd never taken my makeup off the night before, so my mascara was clumped and runny, and my foundation had lines running down the cheeks.

"Dear Lord," I said to myself, pulling my hair into a ponytail.

I walked down the stairs, rubbing my head. When I got down and greeted my dog Biscuit, I finally noticed Grayson and my mom sitting at the kitchen table.

"Um." I stood there awkwardly, as they turned to look at me. Mom looked at me sympathetically, eyeing my outfit.

Grayson jumped up immediately, a worried expression on his face.

"Beverly!" He cried, running over to me. "What happened? Have you been crying? Was it Cole? Are you hurt? Is the baby okay?"

"Grayson, Grayson." An unexpected smile formed on my face. "It was just Cole trying to get back into my life. But I'm okay."

"Thank God." Grayson pulled me in for a tight hug, and over his shoulder I saw Mom give me a wink.

"So," I said, as we pulled apart. "What brings you here at six in the morning?"

"McDonalds breakfast." Grayson grabbed my hand and brought me over to the table. "An essential for someone with as much stress as you."

Grayson handed me a mocha, then pulled out two orders of hot cakes and sausage, along with an egg McMuffin.

"Oh my God!" I laughed, then kissed Grayson. "Thank you."

In that moment, I realized how incredibly thankful I was for meeting such an amazing boy.