Lightning In A Bottle

Chapter Ten

April

Brenn and I stand closely together, staring at the menu of different coffees and bagels. 

It's been almost 3 months since I broke up with Nick and I feel actually okay. After I had called things off I cried on Brenn and she made sure I was okay before making me go to class. It's true when they say throwing yourself into schoolwork helps with a break up.

The campus has turned into flowers blooming and the smell of grass and I feel like spring helps with my mood. Everything feels brighter and a little bit warmer. Less gloomy. 

Brenn and I order and we sit at our table, chatting about classes. I'm rambling about how well I'm doing in them. 

The smell of coffee beans and floral perfume calms me down. I wrap my fingers around the warm latte and take a sip. 

Brenn is talking about this party she went too, how she misses me there. I wave her off. I don't miss partying that much, I still get out every once in a while but I'm happier focusing on me and classes as weird as that sounds. 

"So, anyway, he was like about-" Brenn stops mid sentence looking at the entrance of the coffeeshop. "Red alert. 

"What?" I turn around in my chair and follow her eyes to the front of the coffeeshop. It's James and standing next to him, tall, mess of brown hair and dark circles under his eyes, wearing that dumb jean jacket and chuckling softly. 

Nicholas. 

My heart lurches into my throat and I turn back to her, my mouth dry. 

"Are you okay?" She asks me. 

"Yeah, I just," I miss him but I don't say it out loud. "It's strange to see him." 

I am going in circles, dizzy and breathless and missing him. I tell myself I'm okay and that I've moved on. I'm off the roller coaster, I'm out of the amusement park and I'm fine. I'm fine with us being apart. It's better for me and he's even smiling too. 

Sipping my coffee gets a little easier and I quickly turn around to glance at him. He runs a hand through his hair. 

I turn to Brenn who's looking at me worriedly. 

"Do you wanna leave? Do you wanna say something?" Brenn asks biting her lip nervously. 

"No, it's fine, I was bound to run into him sooner or later. I'm fine, actually," I tell her. "Besides he looks like happy and stuff so yeah, I'm okay, I'll probably even say hi on our way out."

"Oh, that's great," Brenn smiles at me. "Because he's coming over here right this second."

I freeze and then I feel him, right behind me. 

Nick steps over to where I can look up at him and I take a deep breathe. 

"Hey," James greets us, mostly Brenn. Nick is looking at me. 

"Hey," I say to him, smiling. 

"Hi," Nick says and he smiles at me.

And just like that.

I feel like I'm falling.