Drumming up love

A short 'conversation'

"Allie." I didn't know what to do, so I turned around and just stared at Cody, my ex-boyfriend, as he said my name.

"Al, can I talk to you?" He sounded so fragile, and the darkness under his eyes looked inhumane. I have no idea why he is back here after all this time. I haven't seen him in 3 years and out of nowhere he shows up at the same café Jesse and I are at. Oh right, Jesse is standing behind me watching the whole thing. I didn't know what to say to Cody, I was speechless.

"Please, it will be quick." I decided to follow him, to see what he could possibly have to say.
He took me to the back of the café where we were alone. I felt bad for leaving Jesse, I hope he doesn't think that he should leave, because walking back to campus alone is scary.

"How are you?" I didn't know what to say to that, just those three words can have so many different meanings.

"What are you doing here?" I didn't have the time for this whole catching up thing, I didn't want the small talk, I wanted this 'conversation' over.

"Allie, my Dad he- he was killed, and my Mom couldn't stand to be in that house any longer without him, so he moved down here to live near my grandparents." I did not think he was going to say that, shit what do I say now?

"Cody, I'm so sorry, your dad, he was such a good man, what happened?"

"Robbery gone wrong, I guess." He never broke contact with me while he was talking.

"Wow, did they catch whoever did it?"

"I guess the robbers got too greedy, ended up taking too long at the store and the cops came and got them all." So why does he want to talk to me, he didn't need to tell me this, we weren't together. I mean sure, I loved his dad like my own, but when you break up with someone doesn't that meaning break too?

"I'm really sorry for your loss Cody, it will get better I promise. Well, I really need to go now, I have someone waiting for me." I turned to head back to the front to meet Jesse, when I head Cody say something.

"You're looking well Al." Ugh, why did that make me stop and walk towards him?

"-and Cody, I heard you have a girlfriend." His face got all scrunched up when I said that.

"No I don't, who told you that?" He looked genuinely confused, and it was cracking me up.

"Ha, I knew that bįtch was lying, it was Ellie, she said you guys have been dating since the summer."

"You believed her? I would never stoop that low, I mean come on." He gestured up and down his body and then looked at me with his emerald eyes, like he was searching for my soul.

"Ok Cody, I really need to go now, my friend probably left because I've been back here so long. It really was good to see you, but I can't do this again, we're not together anymore." I actually had to put my hand on his chest to push him away because of how close he got.

"We can be." I knew where this was going. I will not fall for it again like I did junior year of high school.

"Cody, I've moved on, hell, I was even here with someone, but you were so oblivious that you didn't see him standing right in front of me!" I was getting mad now and I wanted to walk away before I did something I would regret. But he gently grabbed my wrist.

"That 'guy' out there doesn't have history with you like I do. I loved you, I might even still love you!"

"Cody, jeez you haven't seen me in 3 years, we both agreed to split, meaning you wanted it too. I can't do this right now, give me some time to at least process everything that just happened."

"My number is still the same." He left it at that and walked away. Damn, I was supposed to have the last word. Seeing Cody again made me remember all our late night dinner reservations, the Sunday sundaes we would make, and the countless laughs we shared. I didn't know what I was going to do now, but I decided to take it one step at a time. My first step will be finding Jesse.

*****

I ran outside the café to find Jesse standing and looking at his phone. I was actually shocked that he was still here after I walked to the back with another man.

"Oh thank god you're still here, I thought you would have left." I ran over to him.

"I would never leave a girl to walk back to campus alone, I'm a gentleman, plus campus is scary past like 11 in the afternoon."

"Exactly what I was thinking." We walked out to the sidewalk and started on the journey back to school.

"So, who was that guy back there?" He pointed back to the café.

"Oh, that's for another time." I looked right at him and smirked.

"Ha, you're good Blondie." He laughed shaking his pointer finger at me.

Thank you all so much for reading my book, I hope you are enjoying it! What do you guys think of Jesse so far? What do you think of Cody, Allie's ex? Do you like Cody or Jesse better? Don't forget to vote (hit the star at the bottom) and comment😘