Is Your Bedroom Ceiling Bored?

17

You pulled away from Karl with your smile being one you couldn't repress. Even if you tried, you would still be grinning almost impossibly wide. From the look on Karl's face, he felt the same. He couldn't stop smiling. The both of you found it hard to keep each others eyes off of each other.

"God, it's so good to see you, Karl." You said as you stepped a little back so you could take a better look at him.

"Yeah." He replied, happily. "You too."

You turned to the bar stool next to yours and gestured to it with your hands. "C'mon, sit with me before I have to go back to work."

"M'kay." Karl replied as the both of you sat down on your respective stools.

The nerves from seeing him so suddenly for the first time in almost six year had began to ease a little, but it still felt like your mind and heart was racing at a million miles per hour. It hadn't quite hit you yet that your highschool crush and best friend was currently sitting on the bar stool next to you in a Starbucks during your lunch break.

"So..." Karl said awkwardly, a giggle slipping out. He was just as nervous as you were, maybe even more.

"So..." You mimicked. Karl snickered.

"God, this is so - Ugh, it's just so good to see you." Karl had to hold back the urge to kiss you and hold you, he felt bad he had the urge to do all those things in the first place.

"Me too! I - I don't even know what to say." You laughed.

"So, Barnes and Noble, huh?" Karl asked.

"Yup." You replied, popping the "P" at the end.

"So what's it like?"

"Peaceful, mostly." You began. "I work as a cashier, but during break I like to wander. It's quiet. Most of the time. It's boring a lot of the time, but it pays the bills, right?"

"I guess." Karl said. "It's so good to see you, though. Like, I'm sorry I can't get over it, you're just kinda too wonderful."

You flicked a piece of food at Karl as your face began to feel hot from the compliment. Even if it was in a joking tone, you knew he was being serious. "Stop it." You told him, Karl laughing and his body scrunching up from being hit by the food.

Being around him made you feel a ton of emotions that you found hard to put into words in your mind. It felt wrong, since Grace basically knew about your crush. Sure, she didn't know the extent, but it was enough to accuse you of cheating. Still - It felt so right too.

"You're so mean." Karl whined, lightly shoving your shoulder.

"Wow, all this talk about me being mean but you're over here shoving me? Damn, Jacobs, I thought you were different." You joked, with an eye roll.

"Wow, and I'm apparently not allowed to compliment a gal." Karl said, flipping his nonexistent long-hair with a "Humph!" and a sassy eye roll to match.

"You're so funny." You said in a sarcastic voice with way too much vocal fry to not be considered a valley girl accent.

"I know." Karl replied, mimicking the accent. The two of you laughed and you found your hands beginning to touch in a way that could definitely not be considered platonic.

Karl's hands laid on top of yours, his thumb gently rubbing the soft skin of the back of your hands. It felt so right, so natural, so domestic. You had to build the courage to pull away, not wanting to, but Grace lingered in your mind. You felt like you had to.

"I've missed this." Karl blurted out with a dopey smile on his face, his eyes looked dazed as he looked at you. He was so charming, you found it hard not to swoon right there and then.

"Missed what?" You asked, playing dumb. You just wanted to hear him say what it was exactly that he meant, even though you already had a pretty good idea.

"I missed your presence. You always made my day, making it better. When we reconnected you still had that spark to you. Whenever I was having a bad day back in school, whenever I saw you there, it would make it a million times better." Karl told you. You were not expecting that. Maybe just a quick explanation of how he missed you a bit, but not a whole speech of an explanation. It made you grin just as uncontrollably as you did when you first saw him today.

"Don't go giving me an ego, now." You joked looking down.

"Hey." Karl said as he brought his hand to the side of your face to bring your gaze to meet his. God, why does this bitch have to be so god damn charismatic.

"Huh?" You softlyasked, just above a whisper from the sudden contact. The feeling of his palm against your cheek was addicting, you had to suppress leaning into it.

"I mean it, okay?" He reassured.

You simply nodded. Karl retracted his hand and sat back, leaning against the table as he sat on the stool. His feet rested on the metal rings holding the legs of the stool together from a lower point of the long metal rods.

"So," Karl sighed as he lounged. "Any updates on the Grace situation? Being accused of cheating must be tough." Karl said. You slumped in your chair, being reminding of the whole thing you were trying to get off your mind all day was discouraging and exhausting. "I mean, I know you wouldn't and I believe you. I'm always on you're side. I just want to know how things are going and if I could help."

"Like you even could help." You muttered.

"What was that?" Karl asked.

"Nothing. It's just -" You sighed. "It's been a long, eventful week, y'know?"

"Tell me about it. Jet lag is a bitch." Karl joked with a yawn.

You looked at Karl with a "Are you kidding me?" glare. "Bro." You said.

"Kidding, kidding." Karl said with a laugh. "Just talk to her," He put a hand on your shoulder. "Alright?"

"Alright." You agreed.

"That's my girl." Karl said with a smile. There go the butterflies again.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Grace's all too familiar voice rang through the dimly lit Starkbucks.

Fuck.