Beyond the Ordinary

Chapter 22

KATE 

I got out of bed much earlier than I'd have liked to on a weekend and began getting ready for work. I emptied my backpack of all my school supplies, and instead, I filled it with sleepover necessities: pajamas, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, extra pair of undergarments, socks, and a phone charger. I also packed an extra outfit for after I got out of work and another one for that Sunday before I headed out of my room, shutting off the light behind me.

I quickly took my pill, washing it down with some tap water from the sink, and packed the rest of my pills into my backpack so that I'd remember to take the next one the next day. Corey had texted me her address last night after I'd called her, and I swiftly typed it into my phone, seeing that she lives twenty-one minutes away.

"Dad, I'm ready," I called to him.

My father quickly emerged from his bedroom, his hair still unbrushed and his eyes tired. "Why did you have to agree to a shift so early, Kate?" My father asked, his voice rough from having just woken up.

"Sorry, dad." Is all I could think of to say.

He came down the stairs in nothing but sweatpants and a wrinkled white t-shirt. He slipped on a pair of slippers he'd left by the door before he grabbed the car key. "Okay, let's get you to work."

Since I'd been so tired after my long phone call with Axel, I'd spaced on telling my father that I was going to be staying over a friend's house, so I hesitated on playing a song as soon as he got into the car.

As we began the drive to my work, I cleared my throat, knowing what his reaction would be when I'd tell him that I'd made not only one but three friends.

"Hey, dad? I was wondering if I could stay over a friend's house tonight?" I asked him, bracing myself for what I knew would be a very happy reaction.

"No way! I knew you'd make a friend, Kate! What's their name?" He asked ecstatically, his voice sounding much less tired than it had before.

"Uh, her name's Corey, she's the girl that walked me to my first class on my first day," I explained to him.

"Yes, of course, you can go to her house, Kate," he said, "what's her address?"

"I have it on my phone. Could you drive me there after my shift?" I asked him.

"Sure, no problem," he answered, pulling into a parking space.

"Thanks, Dad," I said, grabbing my bag and opening the door.

"Hey, Kate?"

I turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm really proud of you," he said, smiling.

I blew him a kiss and headed into work, waving hello to Axel as I went to put away my stuff.

✡ ✡ ✡

"Hey, welcome to Starbucks, how can I help you?" Axel asked me.

I laughed. "I'm not a customer, stupid."

Axel smirked. "Coulda fooled me," he said, but I could see the hint of a smile planted onto his face.

I walked around him, my arm brushing against his back. I went to apologize to him, but he just turned his head to look at me and winked.

I blushed bright red and suddenly began looking really hard for a spoon, trying to make it seem like my face wasn't on fire, but I knew he could tell anyway, judging on how he kept on glancing at me, a smirk on his face. He knew he'd affected me, but for some odd reason, I couldn't find it in myself to care.

Eventually, the café died down, and fewer and fewer customers keep coming in. Axel walked over to me, wiping a bead of sweat off his brow with a napkin.

"How ya holding up?" He asked me, leaning against the counter. His arm brushed against mine, leaving a trail of fire down my arm.

I looked up at him. The overhead lights casted a low glow on his face, making his eyes turn that light shade of gold that I'd seen only once before. He had one arm dangling beside him, the other tucked into the pocket of his black jeans. I suddenly felt very exposed in my short black shorts and ballet flats.

"I'm doing okay, I guess," I said, answering his question.

He tilted his head onto one shoulder, analyzing me. "You know, you don't talk much," he said, his eyes searching every element of my face.

I felt myself begin to do the same to his. "I know," I said in response.

Up close, he was even more captivating. His eyes were so many different colors under the light that it was hard to even tell what colors they were. He had a small freckle beside his chin and every time he smiled it twitched. His eyelashes were so long that they cast dark shadows on his cheeks.

"Why is that?" Axel asked, his eyes still moving across my face as if they were unsure of where to look.

I just focused on his eyes, trying not to look at the growing smile on his lips. "I'm more of a listener than a talker," I admitted, using my hands to settle on top of the counter.

Axel followed, jumping up onto the counter beside me. "I've noticed that," he said.

He was close enough to me where if I moved my pinky finger it would touch his. I suddenly became very aware of his soft breathing and the way his knees moved up and down as he swung his legs.

"You have?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound more confident than I felt. I dared myself to look into his eyes, but they didn't expose how he felt. His walls were only slightly down.

"Yeah, I noticed how you look at other people, trying to figure out their story, instead of asking them. You depend more on your eyes than your voice. I like that about you."

I like that about you. Those words caused my heart to hammer quicker inside my chest. He'd just said that he liked me, right?

I smiled shyly and leaned back comfortably against the low cabinets calmly, even though everything inside of me was freaking out.

"What else have you noticed about me?" I asked him curiously, pressing my cheek against my shoulder, my eyes meeting his.

He laughed. "Someday, I'll tell you," Axel said and got up to serve another customer and I was left alone, sitting on the counter, the faint scent of his cologne still resonating in the air.