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𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏: 𝒄𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔
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𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐙𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 down on the metropolis, a soft breeze driving the fine drops of water against windows and glasses. It had been about a week since what happened at the Professor's office, and Grace stood in the Starbucks near campus, waiting for her turn to order. Next to her stood Mai and Linh, both sporting beautiful, long, and dark waves and matching sneakers. The blonde on the other hand had her hair up in a messy bun held up by a large hair clip, her golden headphones hanging around her neck, Ariana Grande's motive on pause. And while she was caught up in her thoughts, snippets of a week ago flashing through her mind, the two sisters were engaged in a heated conversation about the party.

After working on her thesis paper for literal weeks, Mai had ultimately decided that it was almost unavoidable to go out for her twenty-fifth birthday. Her younger sister had eagerly agreed, happy to finally get her beloved geek out of the house more, while Grace had assented with a queasy feeling. But as much as she hated going out for the simple reason of her being anxious in large crowds of people―she loved to celebrate birthdays just as much.

The upcoming nausea was not only the thought of going clubbing again. It was the possibility of seeing the Professor again―around campus, maybe even in the bar they would again visit. Jake had offered to book a private booth though, so the young woman found herself agreeing nevertheless, planning on spending the entire night in that booth with as many cocktails as possible. She didn't want to take the risk of having to face him again after what he'd said to her before the knock had interrupted them in the worst possible moment...

"Yo, you look pressed," Linh noticed, resting one hand on Grace's arm. The blonde shook her head to get back to reality, making a loose strand of her hair fall into her face, which she quickly fixed with a shaky hand. They were next in line. And while Grace knew what she would order―her usual―she was still slightly anxious to somehow screw her order up.

"I didn't sleep well," she truthfully sighed, which induced a yawn she shyly suppressed, one hand on her mouth. Mai arched a brow, her gaze still fixated on the menu board. She, just like her sister, was very indecisive about what to get every single time they were there.

"Hope you'll get that sleep before Friday," she commented absently, focused on the possible frappucinos. Grace rolled her eyes, groaning.

"What? She's right! Can't go out if you're sleep-deprived like that," Linh agreed with her sister, who ran her fingers through her long hair while trying to decide. When the people in front of them stepped to the side, Grace swallowed her nervousness and stepped forward, where the barista greeted the three with a friendly smile on her face.

"Hi! What can I get started for ya?"

Grace quickly glared up at the menu board, just in case a last-minute opportunity would reveal itself up there―it didn't. So she looked back at the redhead in front of her, smiling to mask her anxiety. She felt one assuring hand on her arm. Linh was always making sure she was okay.

"Hi. Uhm, for me... A venti Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso with one pump of hazelnut and whipped cream, please. And you guys...?" She turned to Linh, then to Mai.

"Strawberry Frappuccino with extra whipped cream," Linh ordered determinedly, while Mai glared up at the menu board one last time. The time she took with picking out her drink made Grace slightly uncomfortable, but she said nothing. Her orders were usually the same, almost everywhere she went. Linh always mocked her for staying inside of her comfort zone, but Grace was persistent.

"I'll take a White Chocolate Mocha, please," she eventually decided and took out her wallet, which Linh quickly pushed down again.

"It's your birth week, bro. Let me."

Mai groaned, but let her sister pay without a further word. While the two already stepped aside, Grace stopped after feeling a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around. Her stomach dropped, but she didn't let it show.

Mr. Barnes stood behind them, holding up her scarf, waiting for her to take it. With a dry throat, Grace pressed her lips in a thin smile. Of course, she had to run into him again. Who else.

"You might have to watch that scarf better, Grace," he said, and the young woman could not help but notice the wicked glimmer in his eyes. Quickly, she took her scarf back, wrapping it around her shoulders, hoping he wouldn't comment on how flushed her cheeks were now.

"Thank you, Mr. Barnes," she choked out, and he nodded quickly before stepping forward to place his own order. With a pounding heart, Grace rushed to the end of the counter, where Mai and Linh luckily hadn't paid attention to the situation. They were caught in a conversation about whether Mai try going out with Jake.

"Jesus, Mai, you like him. Just ask him out!" Linh pleaded, then acknowledged Grace's arrival at the counter with a turn in her direction, motioning to her sister. "Please tell her to ask Jake out. I'm begging you."

"You don't have to," Mai quickly bashed that demand down, "I'm not asking him out. End of story."

"But..." Linh started, letting her sentence trail off. Mai had darted a deathly glare at her sister, causing her to stop talking.

"I don't have time for a boyfriend right now, Linh," she warningly said in a low voice. Linh groaned.

"Our drinks," Grace deescalated the situation and basically leaped forward, eager to get out of the busy store. Some fresh air would certainly help her burning red cheeks, she told herself and hoped that the other two wouldn't notice just how flushed their friend's face really was. Seeing the Professor again, with his words, his actions in the back of her head, made Grace's pulse race and her skin burn underneath his gaze. Those damned steel-blue eyes of his made her weak every single time they met her emerald ones.

"While we're talking about boyfriends," Mai started talking as they were on their way out of the store, their drinks in their hands, "Grace, would you like to invite Peter?"

The blonde scoffed, out of sheer surprise.

"What does he have to do with boyfriends?" she asked, one brow arched. "I don't― I mean, I don't like him that way."

"I know," Mai grinned, motioning to Linh, who walked a few feet ahead of them, her phone by her ear as she listened to a voice memo. "But someone kind of... does."

Now, Grace's face lit up. Glad she was not the only one to realize how Linh and Peter exchanged shy glances every now and then, smiling at the other when they weren't looking, she smiled at Mai knowingly.

"Ooh, I see. I'll invite him then," she whispered, "Hopefully the alcohol helps the two."

By now, the encounter with the Professor was basically shoved in the very back of her mind. Little did the young woman know that she would be reminded of just how nervous he made her just this upcoming Friday...

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♡𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒆♡