polaroids

| cafe expedition |

This was the fifth cafe at which they had ordered hot chocolate with cinnamon. Rue was pretty sure Avery was trying to kill her with an overdose of cocoa and spices. He'd insisted that they take photographs of at least six different ones before finalising on one.

They had decided to alternate between each cafe, one cup for Rue then one for Avery and so on.

This time, it was Rue's turn.

She walked up to the counter, groaning as Avery tried not to laugh behind her. She didn't even bother to read the menu of beverages.

'One hot chocolate with cinnamon spice, please.'

'Alrighty, here's your bill,' said the man behind the cash register. Rue handed him the money and waited for them to prepare her chocolate-y hell. She had never thought that a day would come when she would be dying not to drink hot chocolate.

'Okay, here we go,' she added as she took a few pictures of the beverage on her digital camera. (Yes, she owned more than just her polaroid).

'And now, ladies and gentlemen, our very own Rue Hawthorne shall drink a third cup of hot chocolate!' Avery said, pretending to be a commentator. 'Will she survive this final cup?'

'For the love of God, Avery...'

He simply laughed.

In a few minutes, she was done drinking her hot chocolate, thanking her stars that it was her last cup. She'd be off the drink for weeks now, she thought. She could feel Avery staring at her every now and then, out of the corners of her eyes.

Rue looked up at him and she could feel the sunshine radiating outwards from his smile onto her face.

Diverting her attention back to the empty cup, she chimed 'Uh, we should get going now, don't you think?'

'Sure. It's time for my doom now.'

She couldn't help but let a smile poke out from the corners of her lips, hiding it from his gaze. But Avery was observant and he'd accomplished his task of getting her to smile.

And he loved every second of it.

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