We Are Infinite

t h i r t y - t h r e e

k a d e  /  t h i r t y - t h r e e

She's here, again.

I don't know how, or why, but Mia is here, at Acorn Avenue. As I throw the final punch at my opponents nose, a guy from a neighboring city who was, admittedly, quite challenging, I end things off quickly with Miles and the guy.

There's a cut along my cheekbone, but I ignore the metallic sting of blood, heading to where Mia is. She steps out behind a wall, into the dim lighting of the streetlight, clad in black jeans and a black tee. A smile crosses my face when I see that she's wearing my jacket, but it hurts the cut along my cheekbone to smile, so I don't.

I don't know what to say to Mia, but as soon as we're near each other, she gasps. She takes another step closer to me, and my breathing goes still. She doesn't see the effect she has on me, though, her fingers grazing along the cut on my cheekbone. We don't talk, she just leads me to her car, where she proceeds to clean up the cut, her fingers cold but gentle against my cheek.

I sigh, closing my eyes. I lean my head against the car seat, and Mia breaks the silence. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

Mia sighs, her hand falling from my cheek. "I was supposed to meet . . . Kade. Lawson. He cancelled on me, but I decided to check out the café." She shrugs, "And then I saw you."

I sigh. Lawson again. I keep my voice neutral, though, void of emotion, when I speak. "Hope things are going well with loverboy."

Mia pulls away from me, and instantly I regret saying that. She's hurt, it's obvious in her voice, "You know I don't like him like that."

I shut my eyes tight, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean . . . "

Mia sighs, "Its okay. You wanna get something from the café with me?"

"With you? Sure. It's on me," I say, wondering what she'd say if she knew that I'd do anything if it meant being with her. Even for just five minutes.

Mia and I walk into the café, which I've been to a few times before. It's cozy, with tiny square tables with scented candles everywhere, light bulbs that hang low from the ceiling. Mia and I don't hold hands, and I feel the emptiness. I wonder if she does too.

I lead her to a table in the center of the café, and I feel a sting at the fact that we're not headed to a corner table. Those are the couple tables; somewhere Mia and I can't go to because we're not a couple.

Seeing her like this, showing up unexpectedly, it surprisingly hurts.

Mia and I have just finished ordering; a hot chocolate and a cinnamon muffin for her, a coffee and a chocolate muffin for me. Our legs touch under the table, twice, and she doesn't move hers, which makes me tell myself not to get my hopes up that something could happen between us, after all.

Having to watch it all crash and burn after, I'm not ready for that.

And then the café door opens, and a guy walks in. He looks familiar, and then I realize where he's from. He's one of the guys on Greytown's soccer team.

Mia looks like she's seen a ghost.

. . .

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ooh. who do you guys think just walked in? let me know in the comments 😊