an eye for the innocent; tracob

9

Surprising you

Jacob's POV

"Here you go," I say to a customer, giving her order and change.

"Thanks so much," she says.

She smiles once more to me and makes her way out the coffee shop. I watch her keep the door open for a boy; I raise my eyebrows, isn't that...it can't be.

"Troye?" I call to him.

"Oh my God, Jacob?" he says with an astonished expression. "Wow long time no see mate," he says walking over to the register and shaking my outstretched hand.

"Back at you, been a while," I say, letting go of his hand. He has not changed a bit, just his hair is curlier and he is slightly taller. Still cute.

"Yeah wow it's been years?"

"Yeah since senior year," I say with a smile. What are the odds?

"What are you doing here in London?" Troye asks, taking a seat at the counter.

"Could ask you the same thing," I retort with a smirk, leaning against the counter in front of him. He chuckles.

"Well I was here for school, finished the course though so now I am just waiting to be called in for interviews."

"Oh wow, congrats Troye!" I exclaim. He has surely accomplished far more than I have since senior year of high school. "What course?"

"English literature," he says with a subtle proud smile. "But how are you? How have you ended up here?"

"I worked my ass off back home for two years to make the money to get here that is for sure. Then I moved here with Lilly, you remember her hey?" he nods. "I couldn't go to college in the end. Had to take care of my sister, support her," I say, hoping he won't ask more about that, but of course Troye is still just as curious.

"Oh... why did you have to take care of her?" he asks with a concerned looking frown.

"Mom got up and left," I say vaguely then quickly diverting the topic elsewhere. "What can I get you?" I say with a smile, not wanting to dwell on the topic of my mother.

"I'm so sorry Jacob," he says, disregarding what I asked.

"Don't Troye, just... what would you like?" I repeat and he is taken aback with my harsh tone.

"Just a blueberry muffin please," I comply and take one out for him, taking the payment from his hand and then proceeding to wipe down the counter, a silence falling on us and now we are the last two of four people in the small café.

"Sorry I didn't mean to snap at you like that," I say apologetically.

"No it's fine, I shouldn't have asked," he insists.

"Just like...it's still a sore spot but I am happy here."

"That's really good Jacob, so where around do you live with Lilly?"

"Oh we don't live together anymore, we decided to get our own places since I was finding rent difficult to pay and I just didn't want to put that strain on her so I got a cheaper place to stay," I say, wishing it didn't have to be this way really.

"Oh," he says. "But you guys are still in touch?"

"Course, she will always be my best friend despite all the trouble I cause," he chuckles but I don't think he knows to what extent I mean by trouble but I won't scare him off. "But anyway maybe you should leave I don't want your parents calling me to stay away from their precious angel," I tease.

"Oh shut up," he giggles again, such a sweet sound. "I will have you know I can take care of myself."

"All by yourself?" I further tease him; the soft blush on his cheeks looks good on him.

"All by myself," he concludes while I laugh at his still rosy cheeks.

"What?" he says, questioning my chuckling. "Is my independence really that amusing to you Bixenman?"

"Kinda but I am more chuckling at how nice rosy cheeks still look on you," he places his arms on the counter and hide his face in them.

"Hey now," I say taking his head from out from his arms. "I like looking at your face," his eyes widen and I smirk.

"Okay so you are a flirt now Taylor?" I cringe at the use of my middle name.

"No that will not be a thing don't call me that, I can't believe you even remember that after all this time."

"How could I not?" I hear him mutter under his breath, I don't call him out on it and go back to wiping down the counter and quickly serving another customer.

"Do you work long shifts here?" he asks, still picking at his muffin, eating it bit by bit slowly.

"Yeah but I also work at a restaurant down the street and occasionally on weekends I help out at a barber," I say, taking a seat at my side of the counter on a stool.

"Oh wow, you work a lot Jacob," he says with a frown.

"Well yeah I need every penny I can get, I am saving to get into uni in a couple years' time and you know to survive and stuff."

"Oh it's good you still plan on going back to studying. Do you know what course you are going to do?"

"Not that sure, maybe something in journalism but I will have to see."

"Do you even have free time Jacob?" he says, going back to the previous topic. He really doesn't understand but I am patient with him.

"I guess on weekends besides a few hours in the afternoon and when I get home on weekdays at about eleven after my shift at the restaurant. Why are you looking at me like that?" I question suddenly at his incredulous expression.

"Jacob you barely have any time for yourself."

"Well should I rather be wasting time and money away at a bar or on cigarettes or something? I would rather work my ass off than sit around all day. Even if they are low wages, I am grateful to have the jobs I do."

"Wait, waste money on cigarettes? You don't smoke anymore?"

"No," I say rather proudly.

"Wow, since when?"

"Since my mom left, so I had to scrape every penny together so I could support Cassidy."

"Oh, wow. You enjoy it at all? Working like this I mean."

"Not in the slightest," he really didn't understand me. I knew all he knew was getting help from his parents or making money on a job he enjoyed waking up to. I couldn't blame him.

"I don't know how you do it."

"Of course you don't," I say nonchalantly, not meaning to offend him. "Be happy you don't get it."

"Well I kind of wish I did so I could understand how you have been it doing all this for years, for so little reward as well," I smile sadly.
"It is fine Troye, don't wish such a thing on yourself."

We talk for a while longer till I have to leave for my shift at the restaurant. I get dressed into my formal shoes, white button up, and formal pants in the staff bathroom as usual and when I get back to the front Troye is still there. I gaze expectantly at him.
"I just wanted to get your number before I go," he says with a beautiful smile.

"Who's flirting now, Sivan?" I tease.
"Oh shut up," he says. I put my new number into his phone and say a quick goodbye before stopping at the door mouthing "call me" with the hand signal flirtatiously and make my way out the door just as the next employee, Phil, comes in to take his shift.

Troye blushes intensely and I can see it from even far away. I laugh to myself and walk down the street to my last shift of the day.