The Law of Attraction [Chris Beck]

Chapter 27

9 Years Ago

Chris shifted the books in his hands, straining to adjust in order to grab the door handle to the café. The line up was extensive, as always, but he was in no rush. He just desperately needed a coffee to keep him awake so that when he got home, he could actually study. While standing in line, he tuned in to the surroundings at last. Six people ahead of him ordering strange, complex drinks. He should have gotten the right to go ahead of them because all he wanted was black coffee; but Beck was a patient man. The new year had begun only three weeks ago, and the campus was busy as ever. His eyes trailed and scanned the people around him, in the back of his mind he knew who he was searching for.

Four people ahead of him now, the books were growing heavier in his arms. A voice carried through the café, and Chris perked up. Something inside of him twisted, something inside of him told him not to look. But he glanced over to where he heard her voice, and spotted the tousle of light brown waves; that was Alice, he was almost positive. She was sitting across from another woman, the two of them had their books and notes out, coffee stains on the table suggested they'd been there for a while using the endless supply of caffeine to get through their studying.

Alice sipped her coffee only to find it had grown cold, and she grimaced as she swallowed it back. It was already time for another cup, so she grabbed her mug as well as her friends to refill. She felt a pair of eyes on her, and paused in her seat for just a moment longer. There was a familiar feel to the shape in her peripheral vision, and she wanted to turn her head and confirm that it was Chris Beck behind her, and yet something within her told her not to. She knew that she'd left on bad terms, and she still wished to rekindle what they had even after a summer without seeing him. After a long moments hesitation, she realized what she wanted to do.

She was going to apologize, and she was going to try again if he were up for it.

Chris Beck left the café without ordering his coffee, kicking himself for his cowardice.

Alice Blake stared at the line up, wondering why she imagined that she'd seen Chris.

Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her.

He told himself that he needed to move on.

Hermes

2 Months Later

Holding onto that secret never got easier for Alice; the crew members never asked her, because she was too good at hiding it from them. But behind closed doors, it ate away at her. Mitch had promised that she wouldn't have to hold on to it for too long, but it had been two months since she had discovered. Two grueling months of avoiding people when she felt the weight of that secret press down on her, crushing her. But she prospered, because it was her job to deal with these sorts of things without letting it visibly weigh her down. She didn't want to admit the amount of times that she had sought out Beck for solace, never telling him what was making her feel so down, but he never asked. He simply appreciated that she could find comfort in his presence.