Untimely Love (Book 3)

♠Chapter 4♠

I liked my apartment but I didn't love it. The space was amazing, so was the view and it was peaceful, but sometimes it got overwhelming. I wasn't always busy so there was too much room in my head to think. And thinking only led to the worst parts of my mind.

So I texted Nate who was now settled into his dorm at Columbia for the semester and asked him if he wanted to hang out. It's only been a week since I saw him after he moved in and all of us spent the day together but it still felt like forever. I haven't had enough time to talk to my best friend.

It was Friday so we planned to meet right after his last class—some time after three. My day ended at noon, so instead of going home, I stopped at a popular coffee shop just around the corner from Parsons to see if I could knock off one or two assignments. Plus, I needed to decide if I wanted to go back to the apartment and get my car or figure out how the subway worked.

The shop was spacious enough with a few bookshelves pushed against the walls while others stood as dividers between some sitting areas. The place lit up from the broad skylight in the ceiling and the large windows replacing the left wall and the one in the front of the store.

The smell of coffee and low jazz playing over the speakers made my head swim in the best way. I wasn't much of a coffee drinker but I was almost tempted. I knew where I'd be hanging out a lot more these days.

I spotted a vacant table for two among the groups of college-goers and headed for it.

"Chris!"

Angelica sat with a group two large tables over, some of their faces recognizable from my summer classes. Angelica had stuck to her word by showing me and Jule's around campus. The three of us have hung out a few times since and she's cool—always so upbeat and smiling.

I headed in their direction.

When I was close enough, she pointed at an empty chair, her dimples piercing her cheeks although her smile wasn't that big. "Wanna sit with us?"

I shrugged my bag off with a nod, "Sure."

She told everyone—about five people—who I was and I got their names. I couldn't guarantee I'd remember them except one right now: Sonorah.

I only noticed her when I sat down, got my MacBook from my bag, opened it, and glanced over the top while I waited for it to power on. We smiled at each other and I didn't think any of it until Julia's words echoed in my head out of nowhere.

She looks at you like she wants to do you.

At least, I think that's what she said, but it was enough. I dropped my gaze to my computer and tried not to blush. I didn't want to blush as embarrassed as I was because I didn't want to give her the wrong impression. I was uncomfortable with the thought that Julia might be right and the last thing I need is to have to clear up that kind of confusion.

The awkwardness on my part only lasted a moment though because I let go of the thought the second I started my assignment and plugged in my earbuds. Conversation floated around me and I half-listened while I worked on editing some photos I'd taken for a class.

I got two assignments done in an hour and a half, which is a lot when it came to editing and placing photos. I didn't feel like doing textbook work so I stuck to what I found entertaining for now.

As I was putting my computer away, the conversation cleared up for me. All because of one particular word.

"Angel doesn't get to talk when she literally drools over Jace," a high voice said. "She's definitely fallen for the guy."