Chapter 4-The New Guy
I pushed all thoughts of last Friday from my mind as I stepped into the big round-a-bout door and through the narrow hallway that emptied out into Destiny’s. My café, well not really mine, but we come here so often and know everyone that works here that it’s like a second home to us. Paul, the manager, is a short stumpy man with a balding head and wickedly funny sense of humor. He’s probably one of the main reasons we keep coming back, and why we designated Thursday’s as our dessert study group extravaganza night.
Large polka dots of fuchsia and orange envelop the walls. Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” is playing on the jukebox and since it’s one of my favorites I bob my head to the rhythm. A group of kids are clustered beneath the disco ball in the central room, dancing and chatting. There are candles just about everywhere you look and the light they exude casts an angelic gleam on the white booths that line the walls. The scent of strawberry incense mixed with fresh flowers lingers in the air. I glide over and sit down at our usual area, my back toward the kitchen waiting for Mona to come out and take our order. She’s tall with broad shoulders and a mouse nose, but more striking than anything else is her confidence. It’s that part of her that always has me wondering why she still bothers to write down anything for us at all. I know she has it memorized. Maybe it’s because of the time I ordered a chocolate shake instead, throwing off her groove.
“What can I get for you today?” an unfamiliar voice asked shaking me from my thoughts.
I jumped and turned around slowly to peer directly into the speaker’s face. Where did this guy come from? “Where’s Mona?” I asked confused.
I could feel his gaze linger excitedly on me as he replied, “She’s off today and I’m covering for her. So what can I get you?”
He stood there, all five-eight and 150-pounds of him, running a hand over his oily black hair, clearly waiting for me to give him an answer to his previous question. He licked his lips in a slow clockwise motion. Something about him seemed so familiar and scary that it made it made my heart race and my mouth clamp shut, rendering me speechless. I just kept staring at him like some obsessed school girl. My brain felt clogged up and as he continued to glare at me I got more and more tongue-tied.
“Well?” he snapped, instantly clearing my jumbled thoughts.
“If you work here long enough you’ll learn our orders,” I said, hating the way it sounded outside of my head. Almost like whatever anger I felt radiating from him took control of my body. But it was also something more. He wasn’t exactly the hottest guy I had ever laid eyes on, but when he looked at me with that intensity I just wanted him badly. Was it possible to lust after and hate someone at the same time? “A banana split, lemon meringue pie, two hot fudge sundaes and a root beer float,” I said rushing the words so he would leave me alone with my muddled thoughts.
A smile crossed his face and his untamed dark eyebrows arched slightly.
“Did I say something funny?” I asked becoming agitated.
“No, just wondering where you’re going to put all that dessert.”
I scowled. “I’m waiting for my friends, I always order for them. If you weren’t new here, you would know that,” I said not returning his smile. I should go talk to the manager. This guy shouldn’t be working here if he can’t be courteous to his customers. Plus, he was starting to give me the creeps.
“Yeah we’ll see,” he retorted.
“Do you want me to go talk to Paul and report your behavior? He’s a very good friend of mine and I don’t think he’d appreciate you talking to us that way,” I said snarkily.
“You mean talk to you that way, as I don’t see anyone else sitting here. Don’t get your panties all in a bunch, I’ll go put in your order.”
My face grew hot with embarrassment. Just as I was about to fire off something sarcastic and follow him back behind the counter I saw Zilla walk in with the rest of my friends in tow. Man was I relieved to see them. Now that jerk would have to apologize to me, I thought while waving the group over.
“Mona’s not here today.” I sighed and then added, “There’s a new guy whose name I didn’t catch because he is a super jerk.”
“Is he cute?” Alyssa asked twirling her finger through a strand of her purple highlighted hair.
“I dunno,” I replied not willing to tell her the truth. I mean sure he was kind of attractive in that bad guy sort of way. But I don’t really like guys like that, they’re obnoxious. “I didn’t really get a good look at him since his ego was in the way.”
“Did you ever think maybe that was his way of hitting on you?” Jett chimed in.
“Highly doubtful considering we are not in Kindergarten anymore, but if it is then he has a funny way of showing it.”
He was cleaning a booth near ours when our eyes met. Maybe he did like me, it’s not like I’m horrible looking or anything. After the incident with Luke I remained skeptical about bothering with the whole dating thing and besides, who knows what rumors would be flying around if I did.
“That’s him,” I said pointing in his direction trying to keep my voice down.
I could tell he was straining to hear what I would say next even though his face showed no emotion.
“Oh,” Zilla said nudging me. “That’s Cole. His family just moved here. I met him last weekend when they came over for the fall gala, very handsome.”
“You’re already spoken for,” Locke said enveloping her in his arms.
“I meant for Callie,” she said reassuringly.
“He is cute in a dark mysterious way,” Jett said waggling his eyebrows.
“He’s got big ears,” I said a little loudly, trying to hide my smirk, “just your type Jett.”
He feigned being appalled. “Sorry hun, I think he’s got his eyes set on you. Besides, you need a rebound after what Luke did to you. You should go for it.”
“A rebound?” I asked disgusted. “That is so typical. No thanks.”
Oh no, I hope he wasn’t looking at me as I said that, I thought, my face turning a deep shade of crimson. When I glanced over to see if he had witnessed my slip of the tongue or skin’s misbehavior I was relieved to find that he was gone.
“Wow, someone does think he’s cute,” Zilla said flipping her golden hair over her shoulder, misreading my embarrassment. “You want me to get his digits for you?”
“I think I’ll pass. For as rude as he was, his cuteness doesn’t even begin to make up for it. Let’s talk about something else.”
“How about what happened to you at the dance?” Locke asked mockingly. Ugh, another subject I hated just as much as the previous one. Alyssa and Jett both looked uncomfortable. We hadn’t spoken much about what had really gone down that night and I wasn’t about to tell them the truth now.
“Like I said before, someone was trying to play a trick on me and managed to dump fake blood all down my back,” I said trying to keep my frustration to a minimum.
“I think what Locke meant to say is that we really want to hear about what happened with Luke,” Alyssa said sliding her chair closer to mine and trying to change the subject. “Pretty please,” she pouted.
How were they still on this subject? It had been over a month and half now since that incident. She gave me her sad puppy dog eyes and I felt all guilty, like I was being a bad friend or something, so I decided to humor her.
“Well, I was walking towards the nurse’s station and I saw Luke and Joanne in the hallway. They were completely latched on to each other. I honestly don’t think that even an earthquake splitting open the ground beneath them could have interrupted those two. Anyway, I called him out, we got into a fight, I slapped him, and we broke up.”
“You slapped him?” Zilla asked fascinated.
“Yeah,” I stammered. “I didn’t mean to, it just sort of happened and I feel terrible, but I’m not about to tell him that. Especially after I saw them holding hands the day afte
r. That jerk doesn’t deserve any sympathy from me. I’m just glad to be rid of him.”
“Wow,” Jett said captivated.
I was about to change the subject for a second time when of all things that could ruin the rest of my day, Luke walked in with Joanne. I think my jaw dropped expression was exactly the reaction he was looking for. Why doesn’t this surprise me? He’s been trying to get a rise out of me ever since that day. Watching me in the hall and following me around. He knows my schedule. I should have prepared myself for this. His arm was casually draped around her waist and he was guiding her towards the booth next to ours. Joanne looked nervous, but with the bitchy edge she never could quite get rid of. Luke winked my direction at the precise moment Locke had turned around in his seat to see what all the commotion was.
“I’m going to kill him,” Locke said through gritted teeth, pushing his chair back, and starting to get up.
I didn’t respond immediately because I was trying to come up with a way to get rid of him. Then it dawned on me. Maybe I could use this newbie to push Luke away for good. I mean, if they all thought he might have the hots for me, I could definitely use it to my advantage.
“No, don’t worry about it,” I replied. “I have an idea.”
Zilla pulled Locke back down next to her as I got up from the table and made my way toward the kitchen. Cole was standing behind the register watching me approach with intense fascination. He must not have been expecting me to come over here. The closer I got the more nervous I felt. I wanted to turn around and run back to the table, but I pressed on. It’s for the greater good, I thought reassuring myself.
“Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” I said tucking a strand of rogue hair behind my ear and biting my bottom lip. “My name is Callie. Zilla told me she knew you through her family and as the saying goes, any friend of hers is a friend of mine,” I said reaching my hand out to shake his. He in turn took mine, but instead of shaking it, he placed it on his cheek and took a step closer to me. His face felt cold and chilly like I was touching an ice cube and my body shivered in response.
“Go out with me,” he said putting a finger under my chin and pulling my face up towards his.
He must be kidding. The look on his face said otherwise. This had sorta been my plan all along. Although I didn’t expect it to work so quickly. Make Luke jealous using the jerk that made fun of me to do it and then dump him killing two birds with one stone. Yet, I couldn’t shake the nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Butterflies maybe? Besides stupid Luke, I had never been this close to a guy and everything I’d learned had been through watching Zilla. I glanced over my shoulder at our table. Every eye was on me, including Luke’s. I could tell, even from a distance, the rage that was bubbling up inside him.
Good, now what? Oh, right. I turned my head back around and kissed him. It was better than I had anticipated. Luke had been the first guy I sort of kissed and I thought he’d be the last at the rate my love life was going. But this was exhilarating and new, and once I felt his soft lips urgently kissing me back, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. His arms wrapped around me pulling me even closer to him as my heart fluttered rapidly in the heat of the moment. I didn’t know why, but I wanted him right here and right now. I knew people were staring, but I didn’t care. My hands were fumbling with the buttons on his shirt when he pulled away from me.
“What are you doing?” I asked trying to work my way back into his arms and feel that tingly warmth again. “It’s a yes. I will go out with you.”
“No,” he said firmly. “I’m stopping you from making a big mistake. You accomplished what you needed to, your boyfriend is jealous so there’s no need to take it any further. See for yourself.”
I turned around just in time to see Luke dragging Joanne behind him out the door. He might as well of clubbed her like a caveman and pulled her out by her hair. It was that harsh. I immediately glanced at my friends and felt my cheeks flush, they were all giving me the “you go girl” face. Embarrassment was an understatement at this point.
I hung my head, but didn’t turn around to face him. I felt guilty and I had no idea why. I barely knew him, if at all. “He’s not my boyfriend,” I said timidly. “Well, I mean he was, but I’ve been trying to ditch the baggage for awhile now. He just isn’t getting the hint.” I felt humiliated, but I hurried on. “I truly am sorry.”
“Don’t be. I knew what you were doing and I wanted to. Plus, the kissing was an extra bonus. Who knew you’d be so into it,” he said sarcastically.
I didn’t even bother to respond, just turned on my heel and walked back to our table, trying to keep my emotions together. So he didn’t want to go out with me then? I could have sworn there was some sort of connection between us just a minute ago. Well I guess that’s for the better anyway since I hadn’t originally intended for it to go as far as it did. I tentatively reached up and brushed my fingertips across my lips. Either he was a good kisser or I had completely lost my mind.
“How was it?” Alyssa asked with a smile so big you’d think she got a real pony for her birthday.
“It was alright,” I replied not wanting to spill all the details. “I just wanted to make sure Luke got the picture and I think it’s clear now.”
Zilla locked eyes with me long enough for her to be able to tell that something was wrong. “Callie, time to hit the ladies room,” she said pulling me from the table.
I could feel Cole’s eyes on me as she guided me down the hallway, but I was too horrified to look. When we got to the safety of the restroom, she turned me around to face her and said, “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t know how to describe it in a way that would make sense to her. Several weird things had happened to me so far. Besides, I was probably just imagining all of it. Well most of it anyway. I don’t think I could make up the whole gushing cut leg incident up on my own or the creature attacking me at the Halloween dance either.
I laughed, trying to play it off. “It’s nothing. It’s just that time of the month and I’m moody.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” She asked sizing me up and trying carefully to find a crack in my story.
“Yeah, its fine. I’m fine. No need to worry,” I said taking my vanilla cupcake lip-gloss out of my pocket and smoothing it on my lips, now red and tender from my little make-out session.
“You promise you would tell me if something were wrong right? That’s what friends are for. I’m here for you if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk.”
“Of course,” I said reassuringly. “You’re my best friend and one of the most amazing people I know. I couldn’t think of a better person to come to with my problems. You would definitely be the first to know.” Although I meant every word, I knew that no matter how close we were, she wouldn’t believe me. Nobody would. This was something I would have to bear the burden of on my own.
“Okay then, let’s get back to the group,” she said hugging me, but still eyeing me carefully.
“Let’s go,” I replied cheerily.
The rest of the night seemed like a blur. I avoided eye contact with Cole the whole time. Though I could feel his presence when he came to ask about refills and such, I kept my game face on pretending he didn’t exist. The only time I faltered slightly was when they brought up my birthday party.
In three weeks it will be my eighteenth birthday and while I seriously hate parties we are having a huge masquerade ball to celebrate. Zilla, Alyssa and Jett have joined forces with my parents to create what they deem will be “a night to remember.” What that really means is there will be a ton of people I barely know hiding behind masks that I will have to make polite conversation with. I’m not so great in that department if you couldn’t tell.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Jett said animatedly.
“Better then awesome,” Alyssa said mimicking Jett’s tone.
“Can’t w
ait,” I replied sarcastically.
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