Thirteen

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10:27 AM

We're fifteen minutes late. It doesn't matter much because the coffee house is jam packed. Students stand shoulder to shoulder in search of their caramel lattes and espresso shots. I spot Xavier immediately. He's at our table clad in dark denim jeans and his usual comical t-shirt. Today it's black with a white canoe silkscreened onto the front that states, "Paddle faster, I hear banjos." Half the eyes in the place are on him and I'd like to say it's the silly shirt, but it's not—it's the way he looks in it. Xavier is oblivious though, his eyes are fixed on the screen of his phone.

A nervous smile has taken shape on Jackson's normally confident face as he extends his arm and holds the door open for me. I slip past him. "You okay?"

"Never better."

I take the lead and walk to the corner where Xavier is. As soon as he looks up from his phone and spots me, he rises to his feet. Two cups of coffee are already on the table. Xavier's eyes dart to Jackson. "Would have ordered yours but I don't know what you drink. Sorry."

"All good," Jax replies, jamming his thumb behind him. "I'll grab something. If I'm not back in ten minutes, send out a search party."

Xavier's face is frozen impartially. He doesn't so much as crack a smile as Jackson walks away. Wordlessly, he pulls out my seat and I can't help but feel like I'm a child about to be scolded.

I sit, forcing a grin. "Good morning, Xavier."

He nods. "I was worried about you."

"Not necessary," I say. I motion with my hands across my body. "See, I'm all in once piece."

"Yeah?" he quirks his head to the left and arches a brow, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yep," I say. "Perfectly whole."

"Good to hear I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yeah, Mouse. I guess. Takes a real lack of intelligence to spend the night with someone you don't even know."

"What? You do it all the time."

"I'm also six feet two inches tall and two hundred and seven pounds of muscle," X points out. "You're a buck ten soaking wet with a pocket full of rocks. I can take care of myself. Can't say the same for you."

How dare he! I lean forward. "X, don't be like this."

"Like what, Lola?"

"You're acting like I've done something wrong," I accuse.

"You did do something wrong," Xavier says. "You've gone off with some crazy guy who is stalking you after I warned you to be careful."

"It's not like that."

"Really?"

"Really," I say, unable to hide the smile that forms when I think of my time spent with Jackson. "He's incredible."

Xavier sighs, a long and drawn out intake of breath.

"Honestly. If you look past how mad it all sounds you'd be happy for me."

"Happy for you huh?"

"If you love me, you would want me to be happy."

His eyes narrow. "Mouse, I do love you. That's why I'm pissed. Take the emotion out of it for a second and look at it from my perspective. You are trying to sell me on the idea that some guy just shows up and claims to love you. You're a cutie Lola, but this is like trying to sell me on something I'm not sure I can ever believe in."

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