The Quiet One

Chapter Twenty-Five- Coffee Date

Walking into the coffee shop I have the biggest smile on my face. It's been a few days since Jack, and I went to the waterfall and we have been hanging out almost every day. I know that I shouldn't rely on someone else to boost my confidence, but I can't deny that is exactly what is happening.

Kat and my family will always compliment me and tell me how pretty I am and stuff like that, but I've always believed that they were biased or had to say it. I smile, hearing it from Jack was completely different. He is his own person and has no alternative reason to tell me all the nice things he's been saying to me.

I get my coffee and sit down, looking at my phone for a message from him.

Jack has been the best guy I could ask for during these last few days but last night he started acting a little weird. I've just shrugged it off as maybe he's worried about moving into a relationship.

I've heard that Jack isn't the relationship type and honestly, I'm okay with that. Scrolling through our past conversations on my phone, I know that what we have now is more than enough for me and I'm not going to push him into something that he's not comfortable with.

"Hey Jack, are you busy for lunch?" I text him and sip my coffee.

I've been thinking about the whole going to New York thing and maybe it would be better to stick around town, to enjoy being a teen for a while. I had talked to the lady last night and under the contract, they would help me get approved for some apartment buildings, which is great but it really scared me a bit.

If I were to go I would be an adult and on my own, paying my own rent, groceries, utility bills... I sighed. I don't even know how to do my own taxes without help from my mom, how am I supposed to handle all of that on my own.

Not to mention how expensive the rent is, the recruiter mentioned that they have a bunch of girls that could be my potential roommate if I wanted help finding one, and that also scares me.

I move my hands around my warm coffee, I know I should always try to do things that scare me but I'm finally feeling comfortable for the first time in my hometown. Do I really want to leave this all behind?

Kat would probably be furious with me right now.

I'm aware that I am talking myself into the safer option but I'm not sure if I'm ready to go out on my own yet. I'm going to have to get my parents to sign everything too because I'm not even going to be 18 until next year.

But the recruiter had said that spots like those don't just wait, I'm lucky that I've gotten as much time as I have. And that's only because I'm a minor still. She said that she needed my parents to think it over too.

I've already spoken with them and while my mom is beyond excited about the opportunity when I talked to my dad on the phone, he was really worried about how much responsibility will be put on my shoulders all at once. My mom is more than confident I can handle it but I'm worried that maybe I won't be able to handle it.

They both told me that if anything happens that I can come right home and we will figure it out so I shouldn't worry about that ever. I finish my coffee, I feel so lucky to have the parents that I have, and honestly, I am scared to leave them. Maybe that sounds childish but if I move out and succeed in this dance company, I may never live at home again... it's scary to even imagine how different my life will be...

Lost in thought I look up and see a familiar back that's ordering coffee, on his phone. I smile and look down at mine, my smile falters when I see that he didn't answer. But I pull my phone up and take a picture of his back and send it to him. Jack looks down at his phone again and immediately turns to see me sitting there alone, awkwardly waving at him. He gives me a small smile and gives his order.