Jake Mason and the Human

Sorry, Hitler

Natalie had earlier expressed to me her undying love for hot chocolate, so I stopped by a coffee shop I had met Connor in to grab two for us before walking to her house from camp.

When I knocked on the door, she didn't come to answer. I only heard her scream, "Come in!"

I didn't know where she was once I was in the house, so I kind of just stood there in front of the door. I took my shoes off and called, "What if I had been some monster? You just invited a killer into your house."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I cringed. What if her mom was still home and she had heard?

"Yeah, that probably wasn't the smartest. Good thing it's you, right?" her voice laughed from upstairs.

"Yep, just me," I kind of mumbled.

"Hey, do you want to get out of here and get coffee or something? We could go to that cute coffee shop downtown."

I panicked for a second. Yeah, I wanted to get out of the house with her, but I had already bought drinks. But I really wanted to go out with her.
But would it be weird if I told her I wanted to go and she found out I had already bought drinks?
But I really wanted to go.

I ran to the kitchen and threw both styrofoam cups into the garbage. "Uh, yeah! Let's do it!" I called back.

"Sweet!" Her voice was getting nearer. "Do you need to borrow a sweater?"

I looked down at what I was wearing. Shorts (I think they were for basketball-a sport I didn't play often) and my orange camp hoodie. What can I say? I'm a total fashionista.

"No, I'm good," I said just as Natalie came into view.

"Hey," she said with a grin like she knew that I had thrown the hot chocolates out. I got nervous. Was it weird that I did that?

"Hey," I forced, nervously.

She gave me a funny look before nudging, "Ready to go?"

I stepped back towards the door. "Yeah, totally."

I watched her slide a blue windbreaker on. She nodded away from where I was heading.

"My car is in the garage."

"Right." I started to follow her, realizing how little driving I did. I mean, I got my license when I turned sixteen, but I hadn't traveled much since then.

"I don't think this place allows any weapons of the sort, so make sure everything you've got is hidden," she teased, throwing a glance back to me.

"Do I even need weapons if I have you?"

Opening the door leading out, Natalie responded, "That's right! If anything, I'm protecting you from harm."

"I don't feel safe if I'm not with you," I jokingly admitted.

As the garage door began to rise  she flipped her hair and laughed, "I have that affect on a lot of people. I just have a very brave presence, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, whatever you say."

She threw her head back and gave a triumphant laugh.

"What time did Dave leave?" I wondered, sliding into the passenger's seat.

Natalie put her key in the ignition and rolled her eyes. "Early this morning. He went to run or something. Some exercise challenge he's doing, or whatever. Crazy fit people."

I kind of gave her a funny look. She was always teasing Dave for being active, but Natalie totally had an athletic look.

"Do you not play sports?"