Tell Me You'll Miss Me | ✓

30. way cooler

The following week was packed full of exams and deadlines, and every interaction I had was fraught and coffee-laden. Summer and I were texting a lot and catching each other for quick lunches with everyone else, but we didn't get to hang out at all, really. I missed her.

Even while I was with her, I missed her.

We were sat next to each other with Nora across the table from us on the Thursday before it would all be over. We only had one more day to get through, and I was sure we'd all make it... until David sat down.

"Uh, hey guys," David said, hovering for a sec, like he wasn't sure if he could sit there or not. I knew he could – we all knew he could – because we knew Summer had texted him a few days before to tell him they should still be able to be friends. She'd jokingly added so long as you can put up with my high-maintenance ass, because she was too nice to not tease him about the mess he'd created.

Summer smiled at him and flicked her eyebrows up. "Look who it is! My platonic jar-opener," she chuckled, and Nora and I cracked up too as we watched David try to fight the grin that took over his face.

He joined us at the table, putting down a half-empty bottle of cola and a snack pack of sushi.

"So we're all cool now, right?" David asked, even though he already seemed comfortable enough with us again.

I didn't say anything, because while I supposed we were all fine, I still didn't appreciate any of the trash he'd been talking at his party.

Nora pulled a face, grimacing awkwardly. "Well, I don't know, dude..." she dragged it out until David's smile actually slipped slightly, before grinning mischievously. "Is everyone really square? I mean, have we all forgotten that Jess punched you right in the moneymaker?"

I groaned, both of my hands flying up to cover my face.

"Can we just skip over that, please?" I said, peeking through my fingers to look at David. He was grinning, laughing with Nora.

"Ahh, I don't know, Jess," he said, playing along. "It's gonna take a lot to make it up to me."

"You did call my best friend crazy," I pointed out, shooting him an only semi-serious glare.

"Alright, alright. Call it a drink and we're even," he smirked.

"A drink? Oh, David, honey," Summer said, trailing off and raising a finger to wag it at him disapprovingly.

Now it was David's turn to be embarrassed, as he mirrored me and raised a hand to cover his face up, too. He covered his forehead and his right eye, shaking his head.

"Let's not talk about that," he said. "Worst hangover ever," he sighed. "I meant like, tea or a soda or—"

David cut himself off, and a grin began to creep back onto his face as he watched Summer's expression morph into something more playful.

"You're totally messing with me, right?" David still looked a little flushed, but he seemed to cool down when Summer cracked up, reaching across to shove at him.

"High-maintenance who?" Summer teased, winking at him from over her cup.

Nora rolled her eyes and shook her head affectionately. "So, now that we're all cool with regards to break-ups and face-punches," she smirked, shooting me a look, "let's talk about you two!"

I blinked at her, then at Summer, the two of us the ones in question.

Neither of us responded for a second, and then when I finally opened my mouth, a blush threatening to color my cheeks, Nora thankfully continued.

"You know! Your cute little study dates," she grinned, and I started to feel on edge. It'd been so much drama getting Summer to butt out of my crush on Nora, and now the reverse was happening. Only I could be cursed with such intrusive yet well-meaning friends. "Have you guys gotten a lot of revision done?" Nora asked, stabbing her salad and forking it into her mouth now that she was done making me worry about where this conversation was going.

"I've been drinking so much coffee I might actually like the taste of coffee now," I said, looking down at my pasta salad lunch which, obviously, was accompanied by a coffee.

"That's called Stockholm syndrome," David teased.

"Sure is, man," I sighed, toasting to that by lifting my coffee cup to him before dramatically, exaggeratedly slurping up a sip of the hot drink.

Summer laughed, then shook her head. "I don't know, I feel like we've gotten a lot of work in. And a lot of napping, too," she said, smirking pointedly at me.

"Hey, that only happened once," I said, rolling my eyes and continuing to clutch the coffee cup, warming my hands up.

"Well, still," Summer said, grinning down at her food.

"So... it's going about as well as my studying, then," Nora said. "By which I mean, eh," she shrugged, getting a laugh from the table.

We complained about the impending exams and cracked each other up for a while longer before we realized we should get back to work and make the most of our free time. Nora split off first, then Summer, leaving just me and David.

"Are you heading to the library?" I asked, slowly starting to pack away my lunch things as I contemplated risking a caffeine dependency by getting another coffee on my way out.

"Nah, I have a meeting in half an hour, so I'm killing time," David explained.

I nodded, and an uncomfortable silence fell between us.

I bit my bottom lip, wondering whether I could just disappear off to the library now, then, or--

"Summer must've done something pretty awesome in a past life to be blessed with you, y'know," David said, a little grin on his face.

"What?" A smile pulled at my lips, but I wasn't sure I knew what he was saying.

"C'mon, how many girls would sock a dude like that? My face has only just recovered," he said, poking lightly at his cheekbone.

"Oh, um. Sorry, again, about that--"

"Aw, quit it. It's fine. My friends told me I was being a dick all night. I think you know it's bad when your friends are pro-you getting punched in the face," he chuckled, not quite able to meet my eyes. "You were there for her, and um. I still kinda like her, so I just wanted to say... thanks?" He looked up then, but quickly shot his gaze elsewhere. "God, this is weird," he mumbled, making fun of himself.

I smiled, endeared to him anew. I supposed if Summer could forgive him so easily, maybe I could too. After all, all he'd done was prove that he wasn't the right person for Summer. And that was good, because I was dearly hoping that that person would be me.

"If you're looking for weird, you found us," I said. "Like, you've met me and Summer, yeah? And Nora's pretty much on our level, so..." I shrugged. "Considering you just thanked me for punching you in the face, I'd say you were on our level too," I laughed, standing up then.

He stood up too, even though he'd said he didn't have anywhere to be for half an hour.

"Can I--?" David raised his eyebrows, trying to angle for a hug.

I rolled my eyes.

"You are such a freakin' idiot," I said, while moving in to wrap him in a quick embrace, anyway. "You know, high-fiving is way cooler," I teased.

David laughed, and I felt the motions move through his chest.

"I've never really had that many friends who were girls," he said, something softer in his voice. "But you guys are the dopest."

He looked genuinely enthused, and I had to fight not to roll my eyes again.

"You're just saying that because your dude friends would've excommunicated your ass for being such a sloppy drunk," I said, all sass. "But we're cool," I finished, letting a smirk back onto my lips as he raised his hand for a high-five.