Coffee & Nerves (boyxboy)

[11] A Turtle Driving Distracted

I'm a jittery mess all through AP Literature. I stare out the window and watch the clouds move across the sky, blocking the sun. I stay distracted by the dark clouds until the bell rings and jolts me back to reality.

I scramble to pack up my bag, hoping to leave for the parking lot in a timely manner to stay ahead of the rush. As I'm being swallowed by the crowd in the hallway, someone yells, "Spencer!"

I whip my head around, trying to locate the person who yelled my name.

My eyes land on Jack, who is waving frantically at me, trying to get my attention. I try to not notice how his tee shirt raises with the action, exposing the grey elastic band of his boxers and the 'V' line of his lower stomach. But I definitely notice it.

I move against the swarm of students to reach him.

"What is it, Jack?" I ask with a hint of annoyance. I flick my eyes toward the clock on the wall and tap my foot impatiently. "You're gonna make me late."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion, "Late for what?"

I roll my eyes. "Meeting up with Max, you dimwit."

Jack is clearly not affected by my insult as he rambles on, "It'll take him long enough to get dropped off by the bus and tell his parents where he's going. Then he'll go from his house to the cafe, which will only give you more time to take me there."

My eyes squint as I cock my head to the side, "...and why would I do that?"

Jack shuffles back and forth uncomfortably, "Because the friend that gave me a ride here this morning ditched me." He's avoiding my eyes, wringing his hand around the back of his neck nervously.

I sneak in another eye roll now that he's not looking and mutter, "Doesn't seem like much of a friend to me."

Jack's eyes light up, "So you'll take me?" He stops rubbing his neck, allowing his arm to drop down to his side, bouncing off his body a little. He's buzzing with eager anxiousness, thrumming, with fingers now cascading in a pattern like waves crashing onto shore then receding with the tide. I'm watching this nervous drum of his fingers on his leg.

This weird feeling overtakes me as I notice the veins in his arms, staring at them...

I drag my eyes away from him and my throat begins to stop working as a blank stare crosses my face.

My throat is dry for some reason.

Raising my eyebrows and snapping out of my daze, I manage to push out an incredulous scoff, "I never said that..."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret it. He slumps his shoulders in defeat and the hopeful expression leaves his face. I almost miss it. Miss him being like that.

I sigh.

"...but sure I'll do it," I say, trying my best to sound neutral and indifferent about it, but it's hard when that expression returns to his face.

With that I turn on my heel, my back facing him. Now that I'm turned away, I can't stop the smile that creeps onto my face.

I slip in and out of gaps that appear within the sea of students with ninja-like expert ability, forcing Jack to follow me in a clumsy scramble.

By the time he catches up, we've made it outside and I've cleared my face of any trace of smiling.

We're walking silently toward my parking spot located by the stadium when I hear Jack mutter a certain word that starts with 'sh' and ends with 'it'.

I turn to him with a questioning look on my face.

He tilts his head back and points upward, saying, "Look at the sky."

When I do, I see the swarm of clouds that turn the sky dark. They block the sun from my vision and I blink rapidly, trying to process the abrupt darkness. My eyes squint, readjusting to the lack of light, just as I see a big fat raindrop falling onto my face.

There's no time to wipe my glasses because it starts to downpour. Jack and I run while doing our best to shield ourselves from the gusts of wind blowing sheets of rain at us.

When we reach my car, we're completely soaked. I'm shivering, my hand shaking a bit as I fumble to put my key into the ignition. I turn on the car, assessing the situation.

I glance down at Jack's shoes that are dripping mud and water all over the floor. Although I send him a look of annoyance, it doesn't really bother me. What does bother me is how the downpour of rain made his white tee shirt stick to him and become see-through. Allowing me to see things that I was not mentally prepared to see.

Let me make myself perfectly clear. I'm against distracted driving; I made an official pledge to never drive distracted and the clenching of Jack's tight ab muscles is almost a worse distraction than texting.

Oh my god, Spencer, you can't break your promise. You shouldn't be driving distracted.

I really shouldn't, but it's hard not to at this point. Am I doing this? I'm really doing this. I'm driving distracted.

Mother would be ashamed.

----

AN: Before you hate at me for a short pathetic excuse for an update--

I was writing this chapter, getting close to 2,000 words, not even done with the juicy part I was in the middle of writing. So I split it into two chapters. Yes, this is an odd place to stop. But I chose the best possible option out of the selection of really bad options given. So this might be bad, but it could be worse.

This chapter was just a little under 1,000 words, but the next one will have at least 1,400 words, probably more, and you will LOVE me because it's getting

J

U

I

C

Y

FOR REAL THIS TIME

So I changed the cover...

The old pictures on it were of generic coffee stuff and scenery

Now it's got Jack shirtless and Spencer stuck in his sweater, along with some coffee stuff. Tell me what you think!

If anyone's actually reading this:

Do you want me to post the second part (the next chapter) today/tonight?

I have it 95% done and will write the rest and publish it, but there's no point in doing so if no one's there to read it when I post? If that makes sense lol. Cause if I'm going to double update, I want there to be someone to appreciate it.

Yikes sorry I know that makes me sound stuck up and snobby I swear I'm not

Love,

Leah