Monsters and Men ~ Rosenwalker & Richpez

Chapter 5

Joe couldn't help but smile as he walked hand in hand with Zoey to physics. She'd spent lunch practically hanging off of his arm, kissing his cheek, showering him with the overall love and affection that made their relationship feel right. It was as if their fight from the morning just hadn't happened. She was ranting to him about a rude customer she'd had to deal with the night before during her shift at the coffee shop where she worked when he felt his phone vibrate.

He opened it to find a text from Brian asking him to rehearse during seventh hour. Smiling to himself, he let go of Zoey's hand to text him back saying yes.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm?" Joe looked up from his phone, finding that Zoey was scowling at him. "Dude flipped out on you because he tipped and you wouldn't sing, I heard."

"No, I always sing Joe." Zoey groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was my older coworker, Emma."

"Oh, right." Joe mentally facepalmed himself. He knew that, he just hadn't been thinking clearly. "Sorry, I honestly did know that. I remember you telling me about Emma last week when they started the whole singing thing."

"Yeah, it was Nora's idea. I think it's really fun but Emma throws a fit every time she has to sing. I don't know why a woman that old is even in this job."

Joe furrowed his brow. "Is there a particular age where people can't be baristas?"

"I mean, she's just old. She's like, in her early thirties. Kinda pathetic, don't you think? I think she's in college now. Like, what's she been doing for the last fifteen years?"

Joe resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You don't know her story or her life. Maybe she couldn't afford it. Maybe she had family issues. Maybe she just didn't want to go to college until now. And either way I don't see what's wrong with her being a barista. It's an essential job. Don't act like we wouldn't all go insane without coffee shops." Joe forced a smile in an attempt to make a joke, but it didn't have the effect he'd hoped for.

"Or, maybe she's lazy. You always try so hard to make excuses for people. Hold them accountable." Zoey retorted stubbornly. Joe bit his lip, deciding he didn't want to argue. He went back to texting Brian. "Who are you texting?"

"Brian." He responded simply. "Rosenthal." He added, know that Zoey probably wouldn't know for sure who Brian was, let alone that there were two Brian's. "We're doing a duet together this week for Glee club and we're trying to set up time to rehearse. I'm gonna meet up with him during seventh."

Zoey stopped in her tracks. "Aren't you going to drive me home?"

"Yeah, of course. But I can do that during sixth and be back by seventh."

"Ah." Was all Zoey replied as they took their seats in physics. Joe finished texting Brian and then slid his phone into his pocket. He reached his now free hand under their shared lab table to hold her hand, but she pulled away from him. "You work tonight Beth?" She turned her back to Joe completely to talk to her friends who sat behind them.

"Nah, Allison's taking my shift."

"I thought you had a date with Craig?"

"Yeah I did, but he cancelled. Said he wasn't feeling well." Allison mumbled sadly. "And Beth has a test tomorrow so I told her I'd cover her shift since I have nothing to do now."

"Ah, got you." Zoey responded, eyeing Beth mischievously. She turned away from her friends and reached back over to Joe, taking his hand. (If you get the reference you win a prize).

The hour went and passed quickly enough, Joe practically jumping out of his chair when the bell ran. As he walked out with Zoey, Dylan clapped him on the back. "See ya in a few hours dude."