The Last Page

Chapter 3

The next morning I have to leave early go to work at the coffee shop.

It's the same one we went to before the festival.

Cole's Coffee.

I'm actually pretty good friends with Cole. He's about 5 years older than me, blonde hair, blue eyes. The kind of man a girl'd die for.

Except he's gay and has been dating the same guy for 2 years.

Lucas is really nice too, but I can tell that he isn't when everyone is around.

I can't forget the one time I walked in to work and one of Cole's ocean blue eyes was swollen shut.

When I asked about it he told me it was some hate-crime.

I could tell he was lying, but I really wasn't sure it would ever be Lucas. That was until the angry phone call.

Cole has stepped out the back door, after someone rang.

It was around 4pm, I was closing up shop.

I turned back to wipe up the counter, and I could hear the yells through the wall.

"I'm sorry, Luke-"

His voice was cut off by someone who wasn't on speakerphone, but I could make out the words clearly.

"You said you'd be back early!" Then the person sighed, "I can't believe you lied- again!"

"Lucas, I didn't lie," Cole said, "I thought that I would have been done later than normal. When I came home a bit earlier, I didn't think I'd come home to you cheating on me!"

A few seconds later he walks back in, eyes clearly red with tears.

He noticed me and brushed his hair out of his eyes, "Thanks man, I appreciate it."

I gave a short smile and nodded silently, before turning the sign on the door.

Today, I walk in like normal and take one of the aprons behind the counter.

"Morning!"

I look up and see Cole standing with a big smile on his face.

"Hey, how you doing?"

"Pretty good," He replies and hands me some kind of card.

I read the front in my head.

Save the date!

"Congratulations!" I say, pretending to be excited.

Maybe Lucas is actually good to him. Maybe he's not lying.

I would've made a point to say it was a little soon, but I keep my mouth shut.

"I don't know you're address, and we've been friends for a while," he continues, "I thought you might want to come."

The date on the card is in winter, so maybe I'll go. I never have anything going on otherwise.

I give a smile and nod, "when'd it happen."

He hesitates, "- dinner a few nights ago."

"Congrats," I repeat.

——♥——

The shift went by slowly, people trickling in and out of the doors.

At about noon, I am bringing someone a latte and I hear someone clamber in the door.

"Coleee," someone slurs from behind me.

"Lucas-" I turn around and see his shaggy brown hair in his eyes -clearly drunk- calling out his fiancée's name.

"Where's Cole?" He turns his drunken stare to me.

"He went out," I say, "he didn't say where he was going, I thought it was to see you."

"He should be here!"

He tries to stumble past me, but I hold him back with my arm, "I'll get you an Uber, you're way too drunk to be out."

He puts his arm on mine, "No." Then pulls it away and uses the same arm to throw a punch at my nose.

When it makes contact I swear I heard a crack, by that might have been my body hitting the floor.

  "What the hell, man?!" I hear, my face stinging.

  I wiped my hand against my nose and I could feel the blood dripping, warm, against the cold floor.

  The red stood out against the light wood floor.

  While everything still seems like it's in slow motion, I feel someone bend down beside me.

  "Hey, are you okay?" A voice I don't recognize asks.

  I look up and see a young boy with chocolate brown skin and dark eyes looking down at me.

  He reaches out his hand and I take it.

  From what I can tell he's fresh out of high school.

"Thanks," I say and wipe my nose again.

"My name's Jacob, I could take a look at that," he says, "I'm a med student."

"Sure," I say, sort of surprised that this kid would be a genuinely good guy.

As I walk out behind Jacob, I see that Cole had returned and was yelling at Lucas.

I'd be in there helping him too, but my nose still stung.

"So what was that guy's problem?" He says as he opens up the trunk to his car.

"Drunk," I go to wipe it again, but Jacob stops me and places a wet cloth in my hand.

I press it on my nose and smile.

He gives me an adorable half smile and takes my hand away from the wound.

I shake my head and clear my mind.

He examines it for a moment.

"Well, from what I can tell, it isn't broken," he says, "but it's gonna hurt for a while."

"Thanks, again," I reply, "Ive gotta get back to work."

"Good luck!" He calls.