Touch

Part 3

"Jeremy!!" Christine was bounding toward him in the snow, cheeks and nose raw red from the cold. God, she was cute. She wrapped Jeremy up in a firm hug, almost spinning him around. "You're freezing! Hurry up, let's go inside."

Christine took him by the hand, her skin warm against his chilled fingers, and led him inside their favorite coffee shop. It wasn't a big place. It had some comfortable, but old, couches, the walls were heavily decorated with posters and abstract art. The coffee was decent. His favorite part, by far, was the open mic night they hosted twice a week. It was where Christine shined, able to show off her acting chops.

It made her happy, and that made him happy, too.

I didn't realize you were so easy to please, Jeremy.

-I didn't ask you.-

Oh, yeah. He'd forgotten the Squip had a front row seat on their dates now.

"Do you like my new coat?" Christine did a small twirl, coffee in hand, showing off the fluffy, fire engine red outfit she wore, hemmed with white tufts. Jeremy more than liked it.

"You look like Mrs. Claus, but you know... better."

"It's an early Christmas gift from nai nai."

"Tell her I think she has great taste."

Christine flopped down beside him on the sofa, sinking into the deflated cushions.

"Is Michael coming to open mic tonight?"

"You bet he is."

You didn't tell me you were performing anything tonight. We could have run lines.

It almost sounded like the Squip was teasing him. Augh.

-I'm warning you.-

Both he and Christine fell into a comfortable silence, his girlfriend flipping through a random magazine as she sipped her coffee.

"Hey, Christine."

"Yeah?" She glanced up.

"This is totally top secret, Michael would be pissed if he knew I told you. He wanted it to be a surprise..." Jeremy paused dramatically, smiling at Christine's expectant expression. "Michael is bringing a date tonight."

"No way! Who?"

"Remember that guy from Michael's Lit class?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Michael finally asked him out."

Christine pressed her hands to her cheeks, grinning.

"I'm so going to text him and congratulate him."

"Christine, no!"

"You can't drop something like that and expect me not to react." She was reaching for her phone, typing fast, and all Jeremy could do was reach over her and try to snatch the phone away. Christine shrieked with laughter, holding the phone up and over their heads, forcing Jeremy to practically climb on top of her. Then-

"Oh shit."

Jeremy had nudged Christine's drink by accident, causing it to spill all over her new coat. He jumped back in alarm and reached for the napkins sitting across from them.

"I'm so sorry! Did it burn you?"

Christine quickly put her phone aside and frantically mopped up the spill on her clothing.

"I wasn't that hot anymore."

Jeremy hovered over her helplessly, napkins crumpled in his fists.