Laugh Until You Cry

15 Coffee

Coffee.

It seems like such a simple word and in most conversations, it really is just such an ordinary word. But as I’m standing in front of my full length mirror, staring at the fifth outfit that I’ve tried on this morning, ‘coffee’ is driving me to the brink of insanity. I have absolutely no idea what to wear- with Andrew, I never know what to wear when we’re out getting coffee, I guess.

Months ago, just as the school year starts, he texts me out of the blue on Thursday after classes and tells me that we should go get coffee with his brother, who was in town and decided to stop by. I’d met his brother once before but this time was different, because we’d had sex just a few weeks before and I feel like his brother knows that. Lucas is just four years older than Andrew and they’re pretty close, which means that they tell each other almost everything and I fear that ‘everything’ includes what I’ve done with Andrew. So after class, I hurry back to my dorm and try to figure out what the hell I should wear. I always try to look nice when I’m in his family’s company but I don’t want to wear a dress that’s too short because then his brother might think that I’m a slut or something. If I wear something too long then maybe I’m a tease. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but it does to me and I’m so paranoid that Lucas won’t like me. I have always really wanted his family to like me, so it’s kind of a big deal but when Andrew texted me to ask me to go for coffee, I didn’t let on that I was nervous, I just told him that I’d be there at five. Right now, it’s 4:30 and I might have a heart attack.

Eventually, I find a dress that just barely touches my knees so it’s not too short and it’s not too long and there’s small sleeves so I’m not too covered but there’s not too much cleavage either. Being a girl is hard with all of these contradicting rules in society. Like, dresses can’t be too long or too short or too tight or too baggy. Jeez. Just make up your mind. I brush my hair out and then slip on some four inch heels, which aren’t too big but still fancy and tall as well.

When I finally get to the coffee place, I see Andrew’s truck in the parking lot, which means that I’m last to arrive since Lucas probably drove here with Andrew. I’m right on time though, so I hurry into the large coffee shop and find Andrew and his look-alike older brother in one of the four person booths. They share almost every characteristic- their dark blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and muscular shape. However, Lucas’s nose is a little bigger and his grin is a little crooked and his eye brows are a bit bushier.

“Hey,” Andrew smiles when I approach the table and then he scoots over so that I can sit down beside him. “I already ordered your weird latte thing.”

“Thanks,” I say with a small laugh before looking over at his brother. “Hi, Lucas.”

“Stella,” He says with a mischievous grin. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“Yeah, you too,” I respond, leaning into Andrew reflexively.

And then, without any other formalities or manners, Lucas decides to cut right to the humiliating part of this trip- the part that I was terrified would happen. “So, Mom would want me to ask this. You’re using protection, right? I’m too handsome to be an uncle, you know.”

“Luke,” Andrew snaps at his brother, shooting him a warning scowl as my face flames bright red and I look down at the table. “Seriously. Don’t.”

“Hey, I’m just looking out for my little bro,” He laughs innocently. “You didn’t think that you could hide that from me, did you? Call it brother’s intuition if you will, but I can just tell.”

Andrew shoots me an apologetic frown and I offer a weak smile in return. “Well, you don’t need to bring it up, okay?”

“Sure,” Lucas laughs again. “Anyway, Andrew, how’s senior year treating you?”