Hate to Say I Told You So

Chapter Five

Time for the annual trip to The Corner Café to do homework. Collin looked at me between sips of his coffee when he said, "I hope you don't mind but I invited Heather to come along. I think she may have persuaded Ross to come." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down in a way beyond adorable. Almost adorable enough to hide that I held a little grudge he had invited someone else on our little trip.

I coughed to try and cover it up, "Well I don't mind for today, but I thought of this as kind of, you know, our little thing. A way for us to hang out."

Collin drank more of his coffee "Well it is but I thought I'd expand the circle. Heather and I have a class together and I know you and Ross do too so... I don't know Belle, this never seemed like a big deal to you."

Not a big deal? He and I had done this little ritual since we met. How could this not feel like a big deal to me? This time counted as my only uninterrupted alone time with Collin; the one person I could speak with who gave me an honest answer. The one time a week that guaranteed a significant chunk of time alone with someone who was first and for most my best friend.

"Of course it is, Collin. It's my one chance for getting angry. If we have other people here then I have to control it."

"More people to get insight from?"

"Collin, I don't want Heather in my personal business."

I didn't get a reply because the door burst open and someone cried out Collin's name and blew past me to throw her arms around his neck. Heather. Letting out a sigh, I sat down with my coffee and saw Evan give Collin a thumb up from behind the counter. Ross sat across from me and smiled.

"You wink at me, I spill this coffee in your lap." I said not looking at him and going straight to molar conversions.

"Well that's a warm welcome." He said with sarcasm.

"What? You want something like your sister just gave my best friend?" I

"Maybe not that nice, but something a little more excited might be nice."

I looked up from my chemistry notes. "Hi Ross!" I said in my best Valley Girl voice. It almost sounded like Heather. "Are you happy now?" I said in my normal voice.

"Ecstatic." He threw in a wink.

"You're lucky my coffee is gone." I snarled with a look I hoped looked somewhat scary.

"Eh, I kept an eye on you to know the right time." He gave off a half smile and winked again before starting on his homework.

...

Heather and Collin went off to their own little world, which left me alone with Ross.

Just as I finished my geometry, I felt something tickle my ankle. Looking down, I saw Ross' foot.

"Are you playing footsie with me?" I snarled.

"Why, I do believe I am." He said with a wink, he added a flirty grin for flair.

I rolled my eyes as I gathered my stuff and moved to the easy chair by the window, making sure to tuck my feet under me so footsie wasn't possible. Pulling out The Scarlett Letter I started to read just as Ross came and sat in the chair next to mine. He more of plopped down into it.

I tried to read, but I couldn't help but notice the way his fingers brushed up and down the spine of the book as he read. He leaned back in the chair, and I could see his chest rising and falling as he breathed. He wore a plain long sleeved t-shirt in an olive green and the waffled texture looked soft. Despite his just homework in a coffee shop, it seemed like he had taken care of dressing. Saraville Academy dress code called for guys to wear dress shoes, and I had noticed that Ross wore these tan wingtips. I noticed that he wore them again today. I didn't understand why he felt the need to dress well today, but it looked good. His brow furrowed and he pouted a bit as he read. Somehow, Ross Douglas made reading look like a seductive art, and somehow it worked on me. I still found him annoying since he seemed to flirt with me all the time, but when he kept quiet, he could look kind of cute.