The Coldwater Crisis

6) Before I Do Something I'll Regret

Jacob's Perspective.

"Why would I tell you?" She is making this harder than expected, with her snide comments.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" I shoot back. She will give in eventually. I lean forward on the counter, fiddling with the lid on the coffee cup, still maintaining eye contact.

"Because you are deranged." She flicks the hair out of her face.

"You are full of insults today aren't you, no wonder Brendan never mentions you. You must damage his fragile little ego." You can't say anything to him. He almost starts crying when you look at him wrong.

"Natalie. Get out here. Now." She turns her head and grits her teeth, giving me one last cold glare before taking a step back from the counter.

"You're a star." Told you she would give in, who wouldn't?

"Yeah. What's wrong with you Gen?" Natalie screws her face up at who I now know is Gen. Normally I want to punch people who pull a face like that, it's odious, but Natalie looks cute.

"Narcissus over here." She tosses up a hand, widening her eyes at Natalie. Ooh Greek mythology, at least Gen isn't stupid like my friends.

"What? I haven't said anything remotely narcissistic in this conversation." I must give off a vibe or something. This Gen girl is oddly receptive.

"Shut up." Her palm covers her face as she uses the other hand to push Natalie toward the counter. "You deal with him before I do something I regret." Just like that she disappears into the back, probably to throw darts at a picture of Brendan on the wall with the eyes crossed out in red ink.

"Hello Nathaniel." A beaming smile crosses my face, I stand up tall, walking along the counter, closer to her.

"Natalie." She responds as she sorts something out with the cash register.

"Same thing." I chime, taking a sip from my coffee, hiding the fact that it burned the inside of my mouth.

"It's really not." She says, with a low tone, still focusing on what she is doing.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow night?" I inquire, something draws me to her, maybe it's the having more than one brain cell.

"Why are you asking?" She makes eye contact and holds it. I am not used to that, what with people being intimidated by me and all.

"What is it with you guys and all the questions, do you all study philosophy or something?" One more question and I will probably start crying right here, right now.

"You just asked two questions, right there." Intelligence, oh how I've missed that.

"Just answer mine." I insist.

"Homework." She remarks, now wiping down the counter, where I had been leaning. Natalie, I shower every day. I don't think that's necessary.

"Ok, so I'll meet you here at eight." There is no doubt in my mind that she will be there.

"What? Did you not hear me? I said that I am doing homework." Natalie pipes, throwing her arms down to her sides.

"Bye Nathaniel." I smirk, then head out.

"NATALIE." She bellows, her face contorts into an expression of exasperation.

Before I close the door, I wink, that will give them all something to analyse for a month.

——

"Jacob, get over here." Matt calls out to me.

"You're 30 minutes late. Where were you?" Hanna asks, squinting in the midday sun.