collaborative love | [ON GOING] ×

page 10

Cadence
Elliot

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CHAPTER TEN
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   It was a new day, the weekend at that, and Cadence was standing outside of a coffee shop she'd never been to. Orlando was a lot different than New York City in its own special ways, so she and Elliot were going to have to do some research. They decided last night over the phone that New York City should be where the book took place, it just seemed like a hot spot for the main characters to blossom.

   Elliot was supposed to be on his way, but he was late as usual, probably got distracted while walking by all the pretty lights. That boy is like a child, Cadence thought. She looked down to check her small wrist watch and made a lopsided frown when she realized it's been a whole 20 minutes she had been waiting.

   I might as well go inside at this point.

   "Cadence!"

   Elliot's voice caused Cadence to whip her head in it's direction. She saw him, his hand in the air, doing a motionless wave as he tried to make his way towards her in between the passer-bys. A smile immediately made its way onto her face as she raised her hand to wave at him.

   Finally getting closer to one another, they walked to the coffee shop door as Elliot profusely apologized about making her wait.

   "I am so terribly sorry, Cadence." He started, dramatic as always. As he spoke, he reached out and opened the door to the shop, letting Cadence walk in before him. "I thought we were meeting at the shop down the street for the longest time until I reread your text. I started running."

   "Remind me to let you pick the place if we ever go out like this again." She said.

   "You mean when we go on our first date, don't you?"

   She shook her head and walked ahead of him as he chuckled to himself behind her. They walked to the quieter part of the shop and took a seat at the counter next to one another.

   "So." Elliot started, after getting situated. "Why is Juniper a coffee girl?"

   "It's only suitable. She spills Kyle's coffee on himself after he gets it from her work that she's rushing to get to." Cadence responds, picking up the salt canister and dumping some onto the counter in front of her. Elliot watched her closely.

   "Plus it just makes sense. It's a pretty flexible job to have part-time, with her working as a journalist, ya' know?"

   As Cadence's finger drew a small circle in the salt, Elliot nodded and looked up as a worker came over to take their order. They both ordered their drinks, Cadence a coffee and Elliot a hot tea or something.

   "What is that?" She sneered with disgust, looking at Elliot's tea when they both received their drinks.

   "Why, green tea of course." Elliot smiled, looking down at his tea and mixing some Splenda into it slowly.

   "Of course."

   "Do you not like tea?"

   "I prefer real drinks, thank you." Cadence said, sipping her coffee.

   "Coffee is bad for the soul."

   "Coffee keeps the soul going."

   He raised an eyebrow and moved the tea bag sitting in the mug to the side, sliding it over to Cadence by the napkin it was sitting on. "Have a sip."

   "What? No."

   "Come on, try it."

   "No."

   "Try it."

   "You better back off before I dump your stupid tea all over you and your little sweater."

   Elliot smirked and pinched the front of his shirt to pull on it gently. "This? A sweater? No, no. Don't be silly."

   "It's definitely a sweater."

   "This is not a sweater! The fabric is completely off and the sewing style-"

   "Wait a minute, wait a minute." Cadence interrupted him, setting her coffee down and turning to face him. "Are you gay?"

   "How stereotypical of you, Rabbit."

   "Are you?"

   "Why the sudden interest in my sexuality, hm?" Elliot smirked still and took a swig from his tea.

   She shook her head and laughed a bit. "Men aren't usually this... well, feminine."

   "Feminine."

   "You heard me."

   "Are you sure you're not just falling in love with me and want to know if you have a chance, even in the slightest?" He teased, setting his drink down and turning to face her as well. His arms resting on the counter as he leaned in closer.

   Cadence felt heat rush to her cheeks from the sudden change in his aura. Once being innocent and child-like, was now something entirely different.

   "Don't make me laugh." She looked away from his prying gaze to stare down at her coffee, pretending to mix it with a straw she had stolen from the cup of them further down the counter.

   Elliot's body heat radiated off him, warming her one side to the point where it got unnerving to be around him. Her heart race increased slightly as he moved to lean back to sit upright, doing a once over her while she looked away still.

   "I think we should have Samuel and Juniper meet at the coffee house she works at in the beginning. So he can tell her about the opportunity to get a promotion." Elliot said randomly, changing the conversation and saving Cadence's sanity.

   "But it should be in a way that's kind of mysterious, since they hate each other. She wouldn't come to meet him if she knew it was him she was meeting."

   "Yeah, right."

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