Unlocked Heart || A Garrence/Mystreet Fanfiction

Chapter Two

I arrive downstairs, ten minutes before we were supposed to be at the café.

"Coffee and warm muffins," Laurence shoves a steaming travel mug in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other, "Oh, wait, how many sugars did you want again?"

It's an inside joke of ours, that we perform almost every time Laurence makes me a coffee, which is frequently. I respond, as usual,"You're all the sugar I need!" in a mock-crooning voice. I've never really thought about what that actually means, and how flirty it would sound to anyone who doesn't know us. I can't remember when we started doing it, but I don't think anything was meant behind it. At least... I don't think there is...

"Ok, well, Sugar needs you to hurry up and get your butt in the car." Laurence rushes me.

"Right, yes!" I stuff my feet into my white Vans and grab my coat, before following Laurence outside. The crisp September air stings my cheeks and makes me shiver, and I take a sip of the coffee in an attempt to keep warm.

"You can drink in the car," Laurence shoos me.

"Hey, where's Zane?" I ask as I climb in the passenger's seat.

"He took off already. Told me he 'wasn't going to wait around for you to drag yourself out of bed,' and that he 'would see you two lazy slackers at work'." Laurence starts the car and pulls out of the driveway.

"Sounds like the baby brother I know," I shake my head affectionately.
"What, rude and obnoxious?"

I shrug.

"I guess that's pretty accurate."

"He's not that bad, once you get to know him," I can't help but defend my baby brother, even with Laurence.

"I live with him," Laurence retorts, "I think I know far too much."

"Try living with him for 20 years."
Laurence shudders at the thought. I laugh, but honestly Zane isn't that bad. You just need to get a greater understanding of who he is, and what he really thinks, and then it's alright. Even if sometimes "who he is" is just a jerk. I'll admit, sometimes it's like living with a strange, emo tiger, but some tigers can be tamed with practice (and cupcakes).

We park outside the café and head inside, just in time. Aphmau rushes over to us, "Where were you guys? The café opens in five minutes!"

"We got caught up in... things." Laurence covers for me.

"It was my fault," I don't want Aph to be mad at Laurence unnecessarily, "I overslept. If it weren't for Laurence I probably wouldn't even be here now."

Aph looks a little pissed off, but shakes her head. "We'll, you're here now, I guess," she says, a little calmer, "Go and get changed, you two. Uniforms are at the back, in their usual place."

Laurence nods, and we go to get them. We both get changed in the separate stalls of the bathroom. As I come out, I see Laurence looking at himself in the mirror. "Irene, I can't believe we still have to wear these," he gestures down at the tux he's wearing.

"I think it's cute," I say, then realise how that could be interpreted. "I-I mean, I think the suits are cute, n-not the people in them, and I mean, they're not that cute, so really-"

Laurence interrupts me, "Relax, Garroth, I get it." He looks at me with his head cocked slightly to the side, "Why are you so jumpy?"

I turn away, pretending I'm tying my tie, but mostly it's hide the pink flush that spreads across my cheeks and on the tips of my ears. "Oh, I don't know," I lie, "I guess I'm not really awake yet."

"Are you ever?" he jokes.

I am actually struggling with this tie. You'd think after years of wearing it at  school I'd have gotten the knack, but today my fingers don't seem to be functional. I'm too flustered, and even as I try again it doesn't work, "Ugh, I can't tie this," I mutter, trying to get it even in the mirror.

"Here," Laurence reaches over. He reties the tie, fingers brushing ever so slightly against my neck, sending sparks through my body. I try not to flinch. "There," he says, "Much better."

I glance back in the mirror - he's right, it is. I'm about to say something when Aaron pokes his head around the door. "Aphmau wanted me to tell you to get your butts in there, because we're about to open."

"Right," Laurence starts for the door.
"I'll be there in one second," I say, "I just need to fix my hair."

"It looks fine, but whatever," Laurence calls behind him as he leaves.

I stand, looking straight on in the mirror. My blue eyes blink back at me, wide and a little shaken. As I run my fingers through my hair I try and stop blushing, but my neck still feels hot from where he touched it. Is this my life now? I think to myself, Getting flustered by someone fixing my tie? I don't know, but it's made me realise on thing: I'm definitely going to tell him today. Tonight, after dinner.

Time at the café inches by. I wait on table after table, but by 6:00 the crowd's pretty much thinned out to a slow trickle. Finally, the last customer leaves. "Well, I think we did well today, guys!" Aphmau congratulates everyone. "We saw more customers here than usual: a lot of them were regulars, but I saw a quite a few new faces."

Aaron's counting the money at the cash register. "They bought a lot, too!"

Aphmau does a celebratory dance, "What say we all go out for a celebratory meal?"

Kaitlyn and Kawaii~Chan, who were working in the kitchen, seem eager. Zane... not so much.

I'm about to agree, but then I remember my plans to confess to Laurence. If we go out now, there's a good chance that there'll be drinking, and I really don't want to tell him if he's drunk, I'm not sure how he'll behave. Worse, what if I tell him when I'm drunk? The image of a tipsy me gabbling some embarrassing drivel at him flashes into my mind. Neither of those situations are attractive. "Thanks guys, but I think I'll just head home. I'm not feeling too good."

"Oh, ok, Garroth, I hope you feel better," Aphmau says.

Laurence flashes a look at me inquiringly. He knows I'm not sick, but he mouths, "Are you alright?"

I nod back. "Can we just go home?" I mouth back.

Laurence looks very disappointed, but doesn't protest. "I think I'll head, too, guys," he says, "But thanks for the offer. Have fun!"

I follow Laurence out to the car, and Zane silently trails behind us, not interested in social activities, hoping to catch a lift.

Laurence unlocks the car and opens the door. Once we're all inside, (me in the front, Zane at the back) Laurence turns to me, "What was that about?"

I try to think fast, "Uh..." Nothing comes to mind, I can't tell him the truth yet. Think, brain, think! "I... I'm just exhausted, you know? Long day at work and all that."

I can tell that Laurence isn't convinced, but he doesn't press. "Ok," is all he says as we head for home.