30 days challenge

11

7 - five pet peeves.

Her p.o.v

''Five pet...'' I narrowed my eyes at the paper, ''what is that? Thieves?'' I studied the paper the teacher had given us, my mind almost running a marathon trying to progress what the hell was written on it.

''Peeves, actually.'' He corrected me, holding in a laugh.

I looked up at him and then back at the paper I was holding. Two seconds later, I pushed it away from my hands and groaned loudly. Maybe even too loud, seeing as a lot of people at this café was staring at me. I tried to stare back, but the way the guy working here was looking at me creeped me out, so I turned my attention back to him.

''Why did I choose psychology? Why oh why?''

Marcus picked up the paper I had pushed to the middle of the floor, and brought it up to his face. 'Come on, the questions aren't that bad.''

I cocked an eyebrow as if challenging him. ''Can I...'' I stretched my hand out to reach for the paper, ''look at this.'' He gave it to me immediately, and I studied it with a fake smile plastered on my face.

''Listen now.'' I tell him, sweetly. ''Do you sleep with your closet door open?''

Marcus cringed, ''I didn't say they were good, I just said that they weren't that bad,'' he says emphasizing the word that a little stronger. I lean back against the booth that we were sitting in, inhaling deeply, both annoyed and frustrated.

Not only was I stuck with Marcus, my one and only ex – best friend. We used to be really close friends during elementary school and middle school, but it wasn't long through high school that he chose the popular crowd over his helpless and ugly girl.

We were seniors now and it's been exactly four years since we drifted apart. Despite seeing him around, it felt like it was the first time I could take a good view of him. I didn't like to admit that he had changed to the better, but he had. He was even taller than I remember, and he wasn't the shy boy I once befriended, suddenly he was confident, cocky and well...attractive.

''Look, we can just meet up tomorrow or something, if you don't want to do it today.'' He suggests.

I bite my lip, actually considering that option, but that meant that I had to meet him again, and once is just enough. I shook my head, and grabbed the paper and fished up a pen from my backpack. ''Nah, let's just do it today.''

''Okay, let's see. First question, pet thieves.'' I voice out, but stops once I hear him chuckle.

''Five pet peeves, Celine.'' He explains once again.

I don't look up, knowing my cheeks are pink out of embarrassment. ''That makes more sense.''

His p.o.v

Her hair falls off her shoulders and lands on top of the table as she leans closer. The way she reads the paper, makes it look like she needs glasses, but I knew that it's just her method of reading and understanding the content.

She looks up from the paper and leans back, her eyes look out the window, her mind trying to clean up so she can think of her pet peeves. Her eyebrows are cutely gathered to the center of her t-zone as she thinks of what annoys her.

Suddenly she looks back at me with full force, ''What are yours?''

I point at myself, ''Mine?''

She nods, ''Yeah, your pet peeves.''

I chuckle, ''Easy.'' I grab her pencil and scribble down a few things on the paper. After I'm done, she slides the paper towards her as she reads what is written there.

'Homework's. Teachers. School. Sluts and shitty cafeteria food.''

Celine looks up from the paper, her eyes twinkling in amusement as her lips curves up. ''I don't think that's very smart to write down, Everett.''

The feel of her voice calling out my last name, sent a shock of emotion over me. For the first time in a while, she had actually called me by my last time, just like she had done when we used to hang out. Even though we had been sitting at this table for over an hour, this was the first time in a very long time, my arms had an urge to wrap themselves around her. It was the first time in a long time that I...realized how much I had missed her.

But I was an asshole, and it's probably too late to that now, so I ignored the thought and shrugged instead, even if there was a slight chance she might've already seen the look in my eyes.

''I don't care. Now, what are your pet peeves. Write them down.'' I say, nodding towards the paper. I cross my arms in front of my torso, and watches as she scribbles down.

After a while of thinking, she finally slides the paper over to me.

''Don't read them loudly, it might offend someone,'' She warns, using her finger to point to the creepy cashier.

I chuckle, before turning my attention to the paper.

'Loud chewers,

People who doesn't cover their mouth when they cough,

Misspelled signs,

slow cashiers,

People who talks over you constantly.'

When I look up, I find her looking out the window, her eyes watching the kids playing at the playground on the other side of the street, a warm smile appearing on her lips.

Liar, I thought.

Even after all these years, I still distinctly remember how she stomped her toe when she saw someone leave a table without cleaning properly after themselves.

I remember her groaning loudly when people sneaked in line.

I remember her grabbing my cigarette that I didn't plan on smoking, throwing it away and yelling things at me.

I remember her rolling her eyes at people that complained all the time.

I remember her calling me whenever her friends was late for appointments, and ranting about how much she hated it.

None of those above made sense.

That's not her.

That's not Celine.