I Believe in You

Coffee Date

I got up early and dressed in a pair of pale blue jeans and a white and black flannel three quarter sleeved button up shirt over a white tank top with my grey tennis shoes.
Hi. It's Meghan. I'm hoping it's not too early to meet up. I know we said noon. I texted the number Conrad wrote on my hand.
Absolutely not. I've been waiting for your message. :) He responded almost immediately.
Okay. I'm going to leave now. I'll be at the coffee shop in like 20 minutes. I sent throwing my cross strap purse over my head.
I'll be there. ;)
I smiled at the message, pocketed my phone and left my bedroom.
"Where are you going?" Chloe asked startling me as I opened our front door.
"Dammit Chloe! You scared the fuck out of me." I exclaimed trying to catch my breath.
"You didn't answer the question." She raised her eyebrows at me.
"I'm meeting Conrad for coffee." I relented under her gaze.
I rolled my eyes as she smirked at me.
"I want to be in your wedding party." She gushed.
"Oh my God, Chloe. It's just coffee." I sighed walking out the front door.
My heart pounded in my chest as I walked into the coffee shop. I caught sight of Conrad when he stood up at the table he'd chosen in the corner. He wore a pair of jeans and a black long sleeved shirt.
"Hi." He smiled at me as I walked up to the table.
"Hi." I smiled shyly at him.
"Shall we?" He motioned to the counter so we could order.
I nodded.
"Hi, Meghan. The usual?" The red headed barista asked me.
"Yes, please, Brittany. Thank you." I smiled at her.
"Cinnamon, maple latte." She called back to her coworker.
I went to pull my wallet out of my purse but Conrad stopped me.
"Allow me." He smiled at me and ordered a vanilla white mocha before paying for the coffees.
"Thank you." I smiled at him.
"Of course. It was my idea to get coffee it's only fair I pay." He smiled at me as our drinks came up on the counter.
"Can we walk?" He asked.
"Of course. I'd prefer that honestly." I answered.
Conrad held the door open for me and we walked down a path through the campus.
"You said your dad is the district attorney for Georgia. Tell me about the rest of your family?" He asked as we walked.
"My mom is a marriage and family therapist. I have an eighteen year old sister who's in college for home health aides and works at a fast food restaurant in near her school. I also have a twelve year old brother in the seventh grade who's addicted to video games and ignoring his big sisters." I chuckled.
"If I may, how old are you?" He asked glancing at me.
"I'm twenty three." I answered.
"How are you about to graduate medical school at twenty three?" He asked.
"I started my premed program in running start during my junior and senior year. By the time I graduated high school I only needed another two year's worth of credits to be able to apply for medical school." I explained.
"So, you'll be twenty four when we graduate?" He asked really watching me.
"Yes. That's right." I answered shyly.
"I'll be twenty eight." He mused.
"Some of our classmates are in their forties." I reminded him.
"Yeah, that's true." He smiled at me.
"Your turn. Tell me about your family."
"Ah. My father is a businessman in... Texas? I think. My mom passed away just before I turned eighteen. She battled an aggressive form of leukaemia for four years before she passed." He smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry, Conrad." I looked at him.
He shook his head.
"I joined the Marines and left for Afghanistan just after the funeral. I haven't seen my father since."
I wasn't sure what to say after that and he could tell.
"So, why did you leave your last medical school? It's a little odd to leave one school in the middle of your degree." He asked.
"The truth? My father worked a high profile case and took down some corrupt politicians in Georgia. They hired someone to follow me to try to get him to back down. Instead I changed schools with no notice. My records are completely sealed and he got convictions on everyone he was targeting." I answered breathing a little easier. I hadn't told anyone about the reason I'd transferred in.
"That had to be terrifying." He said closing the distance between us as we walked almost protectively.
"It was but when your father is the district attorney you learn that it's a possibility from a fairly early on." I sighed looking around.
"You're hypervigilant." He observed.
"Most of the time. I lived on campus at my last school too and a fair amount of the pictures that were sent to my father were taken through the dorm windows." I answered looking up at him.
"You're so easy to talk to." He mused.
I nodded.
"I haven't told anyone why I transferred before."
"I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me." He smiled again.
"Something about you makes it easy."
I shivered slightly as the wind whipped around us and dark clouds began to roll in.
"Come on. Let me walk you home?" He asked steering me gently back towards the dorms.
I nodded and walked beside him.
"What's your favorite animal?" He asked as we walked.
"What?" I asked looking at him.
"I was just thinking that we talked about some serious stuff and it'd be nice to talk about something lighter." He explained.
"Oh. Of course. Hmm... my favorite land animal is a panda bear and my favorite sea animal is a shark." I answered.
"Ah. Any specific type of shark?" He asked.
"My absolute favorite thing is when great white sharks breach but shark week as a whole is awesome." I answered.
He chuckled.
"What about you?" I asked as we walked into the common area outside the dorms I lived in.
"Oh, uh... I guess I like wolves and orcas." He shrugged.
"Orcas are one of the only natural predators of sharks."
"I know." He chuckled as we came to my front door.
"I'd like to see you again." He admitted as we stood face to face.
"I'd like that too." I smiled shyly.
"Can I pick you up at five Friday night for dinner?" He asked watching my face.
"I'd like that a lot." I smiled a little brighter.
"Will you text me when you get home? So I know you made it okay?" I asked.
"I'm a Marine, Meghan. I'll be fine." He joked.
"Please? It'd make me feel better." I insisted.
"Okay. Sure, I will." He relented.
He leaned down and kissed my cheek.
"I'll see you, Friday." He smiled and walked away from the doorway.
I watched him until he faded from sight and I turned around and walked into the dorm.
"So, how'd it go?" Chloe jumped up from the couch.
"It went really well. We got coffee and walked through the campus talking before he walked me home." I answered setting my nearly full coffee cup on the counter and pulling my purse off to set it next to the coffee.
"And?" She pushed.
"And we're going to dinner Friday night."
"Yes!" She giggled.
I shook my head.
"Is that why you insisted on going to that party last night?" I asked looking at her.
"I've known Conrad through Christian for four years, so I think I really know him and when I met you I knew you'd hit it off but I wanted you two to meet organically." She admitted.
"Well, thank you." I sighed.
"Wait, what?" She looked at me stunned.
"We did really hit it off. I'm excited to get to know him more." I shrugged.
My cellphone vibrated in my purse on the counter.
I'm home. Safe and sound. I had a great time today. I'll see you on Friday. :) Conrad's text read.
Thank you for letting me know. I had a great time too. See you Friday. I responded while Chloe looked on beaming.