Not So Loved (West Coast Campus Series Book 2)

Chapter 1

Maeve

Inside of the overloaded coffee shop that is now filled with people trying to run from the Vancouver rain outside, I make quick work to ring up everyone in line, floating behind the counter to start my last orders of the day before I head off.

Moving too quickly to his left, the new trainee that I just hired days before, bumps into my shoulder causing me to dump the whole pot of black coffee I just brewed right down the sink.

He freezes, his eyes watching me and wide as I spit, "Watch it or next time it's being dumped all over you."

I watch with narrowed eyes as he nods and swallows, quickly moving as far away from me as he can while trying to be subtle about it.

Sighing, I remove my blue apron thats been suffocating me for the past eight hours and clock out, grabbing an iced latte and water for two of our most regular customers and head to the table they always claim in the back every Sunday and Thursday.

Allie Wes and Noah Carter sit bundled together on the one side of the booth, Allie buried under both of their coats with Noah pressed right up to her side, his arm tucked tightly around her waist while he listens to Allie ramble with a softness in his face he only has for her.

Neither of them notice the people who stop and point at them, Noah being one of the best hockey centres Canada has ever seen along with being the captain of our D1 team, Allie being a two time Olympic gymnast with the title of 'Best Decorated Athlete On Campus' given to her by the students themselves.

Both are so engrossed with each other they don't even realise the moving world around them.

I place their drinks down on the table, giving Allie a slight smile when her boyfriend shoots me daggers after she beams at me.

"Oh! Noah's team and a couple of my friends are going to Shaw's later. Do you think you would consider coming along?"

I try not to show how exhausted or worn out I am considering Allie has only ever been nice to me the past seven months she started coming here, each time inviting me to hockey games and girls night outs but with the way Noah sighs and kisses the top of her head after her face falls slightly, I know I didn't do a good job.

"That's okay. Next time." Allie says, her voice small like it always is when I turn her down.

I'll have to drop Liam off with Ava and call in sick for my shift at the diner but...

I groan internally, the palms of my hands coming to rub my eyes hoping it will wipe away the exhaustion. "Sure. Just text me when you guys plan on arriving and I'll be there."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After I drop Liam off with Ava, who was more than happy to stay the night in and watch him, I rush to my apartment to shower and change, wishing I could do nothing more than curl into bed and fall asleep watching The Hangover.

But instead, I slip into a black dress that should be illegal because it's that small, slap on some lipgloss and whip my hair into one of those fuck me ponytails before grabbing a black coat and heading to Shaw's.

Allie texted about an hour ago saying that they would be arriving close to eight since they all have early practice tomorrow so I arrvive just a few minutes after.

Shaw's, named after Shaw himself, is nothing fancy. It's small, the stage and unessacary amount of tables taking up most of the place.

Stepping inside, I note how different it looks from the last time I was here.