Miscommunication (boyxboy)

Chapter Six

~ Cole ~

Cole was in a bad mood.

He and James stepped through the entryway to the coffee shop. The cafe was crowded with students due to the bitter weather outside. Rain had started falling in the late morning and Cole had gotten caught in the downpour coming out of class.

Shaking out his hair and sliding the wet coat from his shoulders, Cole scowled at the puddle of water piling at his feet. "I hate Melbourne."

"It'll be summer before you know it," James smiled in response. He, of course, was dry and bundled in a winter coat that he took off to hang on the rack by the door. Not even a hair on his head was out of place.

Grumbling under his breath, Cole tramped toward the counter, tracking piles of leaves and slush brought in by other students over the tiled floor with muddy footprints. James followed more delicately in tow.

Most of the tables were filled with students chatting noisily over the rain but they managed to find an empty one in the corner by the window. The storm outside was worsening as grey clouds hummed with electricity above.

A waitress brought over two mugs. Steam rose from the cup and Cole wrapped his icy fingers around the ceramic appreciatively.

James checked his phone and frowned slightly. "Piper was supposed to be here ten minutes ago."

"What's the big deal? You were running late too."

"Only because you made us take the longest way around from class to the courtyard." James laughed.

"And look how that turned out," Cole scowled down at the drenched edges of his long sleeve tee.

James frowned down at his phone again. "I hope everything's okay. Maybe she got stuck in the storm?"

Cole scoffed. "She wouldn't be the first."

Just then the door blew open and Piper appeared in the entryway, hair caught in a flurry of wind. Stepping inside, she shook the leaves out of her hair and uncoiled the scarf from her neck to hang on a hook. She abandoned what seemed to be a broken umbrella in the basket by the door. She wasn't alone either.

The boy standing next to her was one Cole recognised from last week in the courtyard. His dark hair fell wildly around his head from the wind, shoes making a squelching sound on the floor as he moved. He appeared to be just as soaked as Cole had been moments ago.

Piper spotted Cole and James and began making her way over to them. The boy followed in tow.

James stood to pull out a chair and Piper sat down with a huff, tossing her gloves on the table. "What the hell is up with this weather today?"

James chuckled as he pushed her chair in gently. "I think that's the question of the day."

Piper looked down in disgust at her feet. "I can feel water in my socks. That is absolutely unacceptable. Oh," She seemed to come back to reality, looking up at James and Cole for the first time and gesturing to the boy still standing beside her, "Sorry we're late. It took a lot of bribes to drag this one all the way here. Guys, this is Adam. Adam, this is James and Cole."

The boy - Adam - had been looking down but raised his head to offer a small wave in greeting. Cole's heart stopped as green eyes met his.