Chapter 5:The water is cold once you step in,

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The next morning I went back to the coffee shop on my way to work. I needed to be bold, I needed to tell Frank how I felt about him. When I walked inside, the scent of coffee in the air only relaxed me and made me more sure of my decision. Frank had his back turned to the door and appeared to be talking to someone on his cellphone.

"Marvin, you can't keep calling me! I...... That was two years ago! You need to get over it, I'm clearly not interested anymore!" I wondered If I should really be listening to this conversation he was having with this 'Marvin' person. It was clearly personal for him... Maybe I should go. But before I could, he turned around and caught my eye "I have to go. Please, don't call this number again."

"Hey." I said as he hung up. Neither of us said anything after that. I didn't want to, and I don't think he did either, so we didn't. We just kind of stared at each other blankly, each of us thinking about different things.

I was trying to figure out who Marvin was and why Frank didn't want him calling his phone. Maybe it was his ex? Or another one of those guys that always flirt with him? But then how did he get his number? My fists clenched slightly as I thought more and more about it.

Frank said that he constantly gets hit on at work, even though when I come in no one else is really there. Is he trying to hide something? Maybe Marvin is the one that constantly hits on him. Maybe he's the reason why Frank isn't comfortable around me all the time.

"Gerard?" I looked back up at him. For a moment, I had forgotten he was there and went to a strange place for just my thoughts. Where was that place? Was I still in it? Would I ever go back? "Gerard, what were you going to say before?"

I cleared my throat before speaking "I just wanted to say sorry about yesterday. And... Um, maybe we can...." He looked at me expectantly, but in that moment I forgot what I had rehearsed in my head the whole way over here. I took a deep breath "W-Would you like to have dinner some time?"

Frank looked surprised, yet happy "Really? You want to go on a date with me?" I nodded timidly, and he smiled "Of course, I... Yes. Yes, I'll go on a date with you."

"Great! Does tommorrow work?" I asked, and he nodded happily "Great! So, um, how has your day been?" I asked as Frank made my usual pumpkin spice latte.

Frank paused to think about it "Okay, I guess. It's sort of personal." I nodded understandingly "Hey, fall is coming up, so maybe your lattes will finally be in season!"

"Punpkin spice lattes are always in season." I smiled.

  
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After work, I went back to my apartment and was surprised to find someone's trailer in the driveway. As I walked up the walkway, I also noticed the door was left ajar. Now, this was strange, and I quickly grabbed a stone that was by the door to arm myself against the intruder. It was only when I saw who it was rummaging through my fridge that I realised there was no real danger.

I put the rock down on the table, making Mikey jump and turn in the direction of the noise. I put my hand on my hip "Mikey, what are you doing here?" Mikey was my first cousin, twice removed. He was also like me, and was still kickin it in 2020, rummaging through my fridge for god knows what reason. But I didn't mind, me and Mikey were like brothers- despite how far apart we were on our family tree.

"Can't I just visit my favorite not-dead relative?" Mikey smiled, and I could tell it was a bit forced "God, I try to keep in touch with my family and you're already suspicious of me? Talk about paranoid!"

I scoffed "And we're also going to completely disregard the fact that you rarely ever visit except for when you need something right?" Mikey went back to what he was doing, and continued to pull things out of the fridge "Uh, Mikey? Can I ask why you're taking my leftovers?"

"Ran out of food in my trailer." He said simply, pulling chinese food out of my small fridge "Decided to make a pit stop in Jersey to raid your fridge and see you for the first time in a long time. How have you been, by the way? Still teaching history?"

"Yeah, it's been good. And actually Mikes, I have a date this evening. So, if you could hurry it up-"

"You have a what?" Mikey turned to look at me, and I immediately regretted telling him "Gerard, why didn't you tell me sooner? You could have called! Who is he? Does he know about-"

"No, Frank doesn't know about me or you." I cut him off mid-sentence "But we have a date tonight and we might come back here at some point, so can you please make it quick? I have to leave in a bit."

With a sigh of defeat, Mikey grabbed a bag and put my leftovers inside. As he walked out the door, Mikey turned around to look at me one last time before he left and said "Remember, use protection." I felt my face heat up. And with that he went back to his trailer, leaving me to figure out what I was going to wear on me and Franks date.

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