Hey Sunshine

I Am Getting Off My Addiction

THANKFULLY ENOUGH, WYLAN ONLY TURNED into a magenta bottle of lipstick three more times that night. Then they had both seen the sky and Wylan had panicked, rushing to go back to his apartment to be ready for college.

It was now ten o'clock and he was definitely not ready for class. Sleep was rare for a college student already, and staying up all night hadn't helped either. The walk to his first class had resulted in him almost walking into yet another sign and got better as he proceeded by tripping over small rocks conveniently placed where his foot stepped. As he limped in a remarkable impression of Kaz (though he'd never tell the boy himself) he saw a coffee shop.

I am getting off of my addiction, Wylan thought to himself as he switched paths to Annemarie's Cafe. I haven't drank coffee in the past two hours. I deserve this.

The bells jingled as he swung the door open and the workers waved at him amicably. He smiled back, inwardly grimacing at how all the workers (whose shifts changed weekly) knew him. He didn't come in that often.

Thankfully the store was empty so he began to walk up to a register. They all shook their heads, Henry announcing how they all knew his order and that it'd be ready in a couple of seconds. Wylan sighed, changing course and sitting at a table.

Suddenly the bells at the door jingled once more and Wylan raised his eyebrows to see Jesper entering the store casually, the long limbed red haired girl from Advanced D&E at his side. So he's got a girlfriend, Wylan thought glumly. I didn't have a chance anyway but dammit. They both walked up to the register, Dana taking their orders. Neither of them seemed to have noticed Wylan.

Rather, he kept his head low himself. Taking out his phone and scrolling through his photos randomly, he inwardly winced as he heard a loud "Wylan!"

"Hey," Wylan said awkwardly, shutting his phone off and waving at them. The red haired girl smiled a beautiful smile and Wylan once again wondered why he thought he had a chance with Jesper.

Jesper smiled as well, a lovely smile that lit his entire face up. "I thought I had seen that red mop somewhere else," he said playfully. "Nina, this is Wylan. Wylan, Nina."

Wylan nodded awkwardly as the girl strided forward and embraced him as if they had been friends forever. "Hey Wylan," Nina said smiling. "I've heard a lot about you."

He nodded again, a mechanical gesture. "Yeah, I've... heard a lot about you too," Wylan responded.

"Really?"
"No," Jesper cut in smirking. "He's just being polite."

Nina rolled her eyes, detangling herself from Wylan and sitting down in the booth. Jesper followed, and pretty soon Wylan was staring at the two of them sitting across from him.

"So you liked engineering?" Nina asked him, unbuttoning her coat despite the cold weather outside. Wylan nodded once more, feeling a lot like a doll at a store.

"Yeah, I've always liked it," he responded. "What about you?"
"It's the doctor stuff for me." she said. "It's always been really fascinating, but I'm also getting a minor in Performing Arts. I figured with the workload required for being a doctor, I might as well have a way to relax."

Jesper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, she's also been killing herself with all the work," he said, splaying his long limbs out into the open. Wylan fought to the urge to tell him it was a tripping hazard for anybody that would enter the shop next.

"Your order! Sorry it took a while, our ground beans were out of stock but when I tried getting some more, there were none in the canister. Some idiot misplaced them," Henry interrupted, a cup and sharpie in both hands. He handed Wylan his cup of steaming coffee, Wylan thanking him quietly.

Nina laughed quietly after that, Jesper staying silent. Wylan looked up confused. "What?"

"You got Henry's number," Nina pointed out. His eyes swept through the cup, stopping at a set of numbers written on the corner.

Wylan shook his head. "It's not for me," Wylan responded. "It's for Dana."

"How would that work?" Jesper wondered, leaning against his chair. Wylan resisted the urge once more to ask him if he would ever pose for him to draw. "It's obviously for you."

Wylan quickly looked at the two workers quietly talking to each other before turning back to Jesper and Nina and whispering conspiratorially. "Actually, Henry and Dana have an on-off relationship, but they both really like each other," Wylan told them. "Henry flirts with anybody possible to make Dana jealous. I'm not sure, but I think because of all the times he's done it, Dana thinks Henry is bisexual, but really Henry's straight."

Jesper smirked as Nina snickered. "That's even more complicated than Kaz and Inej," Jesper said, the remains of a smile on his face. "How do you know all of that?"

Wylan shrugged. "I listen and watch. It's actually pretty funny to see."

Nina raised her eyebrows. "That sounds a lot like something Kaz would do," she muttered. Wylan shook his head immediately.

"I'm nothing like him," Wylan responded. "Henry and Dana have made it pretty obvious, and I come regularly. That's why I know so much."

"And that explains it," Jesper finished. "Anyway, so if you think Henry and Dana are funny, wait until you hear about Kaz and Inej." He grinned. "Trust me - those two are the biggest drama queens ever."

Nina smiled as well, a particularly malicious smile that made Wylan think he should never go against her. "Yeah, they're a bag full of fun," she said sarcastically. "I can't wait until they finally get together."

Jesper snorted. "Like you and Matthias?"
Wylan almost choked on his coffee. "So you two aren't dating?" he asked, letting a tiny bit of hope come through. They hadn't acted like a couple, he thought hopefully to himself.

Jesper and Nian shook their heads rapidly. "Absolutely not," Nina said. A tiny spark of hope began building up in Wylan's chest and he hid a grin. "Anyways, it's getting pretty late so-"

"Wait what time is it?" Wylan asked suddenly, whipping his phone out.

"Like, ten ten why?"

"I have to go to class!" Wylan realized, swinging his bag on his shoulder. "Sorry, it was great to meet you guys but I really have to go and I probably look really impolite but my class starts in five minutes and it takes ten to get across campus so-"

"Just go," Nina said rolling her eyes. "Trust me, I totally get it."

"I'll walk you," Jesper said, starting to stand up as well. Wylan tried to smile, pink starting to run through his cheeks again.

"It's fine," he told the taller boy. "I have to run so it wouldn't be much fun but next time?"

"Next time," Jesper agreed, giving him a flirtatious smile. Nina rolled her eyes at the two of them as Wylan checked his watch, cursed, and began to run out the store.

If he was late he would be so screwed.

***

a/n: and here's the next chapter! it might seem a bit like a filler, but the crows are a special brand of crazy that is better in small doses. thanks so much for even opening this book and reading it despite it's aforementioned pitiful four chapters - one day, it will rise up!

if you have any comments/complaints about my story, i'd be happy to know them! feedback is great for a writer, and it'd really help to get some extra voices.

thanks for reading,

quiethallelujahs