Lads & Lattes (High School Clowns & Coffee Grounds Book 1) Page 7

  “Come on, Cali girl. Lunch time.” He shook me slightly, wanting me to hurry, but I was uncomfortable with the attention and wanted to wait until almost everyone had filtered out. “Emma,” he whined playfully nudging me towards the door.

  “All right, all right, let’s go.” I finally gave in, walking to the cafeteria tucked under his arm. Crossing my arms over my chest, I found myself curling into his warm body before pulling back to grab food.

  “Hey, Emma.” Kingston’s golden blond head appeared in my eyesight as he lined up to grab fries next to me. “How’s it going?” I shrugged, something about Kingston made it hard to keep the fake facade going. All three of them somehow made me want to show them all my emotions, not just the ‘fake it till you make it’ persona I’d been sporting since Labor Day, but Kingston seemed the one of the group who would listen without some intense reaction.

  “Typical day,” I responded, not bothering to keep my tone cheery as I pulled a set of fries off the warming shelf. “I’m sure you’ve heard the latest rumors going around.” He gave me a sympathetic smile, his hand going to my lower back to rub soothing circles into the tense muscles.

  “Yeah, but I like to think I know Jesse and you better than that,” he murmured in an attempt to calm me. “I don’t put much stock into what people say anyways.” Smiling slightly, I glanced up at him. He really was the picture perfect version of someone who just goes with the flow, not taking anything too seriously. It was a nice change from my Cali friends who took every little thing and made it way bigger than it was.

  “Did you know that a single strand of spaghetti is known as ‘spaghetto’?” I spouted randomly to silence the string of thoughts that were attempting to spiral into negative territory at the thought of my friends back home. Kingston glanced over with a single brow raised, a small grin on his face despite him obviously being confused. I dipped my head toward his tray, specifically his bowl of spaghetti.

  “Ah,” he smiled fully as an odd light sparkled in his eyes, “I did not know that.” I flashed a bright smile before turning to walk out of the crowded kitchen. He followed closely as we made our way toward the four person table we had claimed as our own. Jesse’s gaze was on the table while Reid had just taken a seat across from him.

  “I haven’t had a chance to check my phone since earlier, but we’re studying at my house tonight?” I questioned, Kingston taking his usual seat next to Jesse directly across from me. They both nodded, opting for non-verbal communication since their mouths were full.

  “Yeah, you totally just left us hanging in that conversation, Emma,” Reid teased as soon as he was able to talk. I chuckled despite my somewhat dour mood.

  “I was being pestered by some girls in my nutrition class for gossip,” I informed them. “They’re like vultures.” Jesse’s dark eyes glanced up at me, but when I looked at him, he turned his attention back to his food.

  “What did they want to know?” Reid propped his elbows on the table with his chin in his hands. His hazel eyes focused on me, the ring of green haloing the honey brown center as they lit up with humor.

  “Well, today, I’m sure you can guess. Last week they wanted to know if you two had girlfriends and if we were dating.” I stuffed a fry in my mouth as I answered him. Kingston’s brows furrowed slightly while Reid’s shot up his face.

  “Who was asking about us? And us who?” He glanced around the table, this time Jesse’s full attention on the conversation.

  “You and Kingston.” I tilted my head toward him before glancing at Jesse. “They were asking about you today and if we were cuddling this morning in the hall.”

  “And you said?” he prompted, making this his second real conversation with me since I met him. His question was quiet as he watched me with rapt attention. My heart pitter-pattered in my chest at his attention, the three sets of intense gazes focused on my face making the little butterflies soar.

  “That I got ran over and you stopped me from falling,” I murmured. His shoulders relaxed as he nodded and just like that, the moment was broken as he went back to ignoring me.

  Well, that didn’t last long.

  “Who was asking?” Kingston prodded, his voice curious. I shrugged, realizing I didn’t know much about them since they had always been so focused on me.

  “I don’t know their last names, but Ashley and the twins Ivy and Iris.” Understanding washed over their faces as I spoke.

  “Yeah, Ashley Green and Ivy and Iris Vine are the gossips of the school,” Reid explained finally going back to eating.

  “Green, Ivy, Iris, Vine? What’s with the nature theme?” I questioned, finishing off my food, no longer hungry after my sandwich and half of my fries.

  “They’re cousins, the moms are all big into gardening. Been a family tradition for generations,” Kingston told me grabbing my tray after I had pushed it away. He waved away any protests as he carried them to the trash and return cart. Grabbing my bag, Kingston walked me to our trig class, and eyes glanced at us the entire way.

  That’s going to get annoying.

  Buttoning my jeans, I cuffed the ankles before sliding on my boots. My hair was no longer down but pulled back in a ponytail after dance class today since we were working on turns and I had gotten tired of my hair smacking me in the face. I was slow in terms of changing, and most of the girls were already standing out in the hall waiting out the last few minutes until the final bell. I had just grabbed my backpack out of the assigned locker when my phone started to ring.

  “Hello,” I greeted, not recognizing the number of who was calling.

  “Is this Emma Clark?” a female voice asked politely. My brows drew down as I paused in my walking.

  “Yes. May I ask who’s calling?” I kept my tone friendly, trying to keep the confusion out of my question. The unwanted attention throughout the day had put me on edge.

  “It’s Lyla from Coffee Grounds,” she explained. “The manager wanted me to call and get an interview set up for the part-time gig over here at the shop.” I felt my tension melt away as I smiled even though she couldn’t see me.

  “Oh, awesome. Is there any particular time you’d like to schedule for? I’m pretty much open everyday after school this week.” I found myself mindlessly pacing as I talked.

  “Would tomorrow after school work?” I gave a quick affirmative before checking if there was anything I needed to bring or anything specific I should wear. “Nothing fancy, whatever you wear to school is fine, we’re pretty relaxed here with dress code. As for anything you need to bring, just your ID so Rick knows it’s actually you. That’s the store manager by the way, Rick Dawlson. He’s cool, so don’t be nervous. I’ll be here when you come in, so you can leave your bag behind the counter or in the employee area if you want.”

  “Awesome, thanks so much. I’ll see you tomorrow!” After a quick farewell, I did a little excited dance about the possibility of getting job experience even if it was just from a part-time coffee shop.

  Got to start somewhere!

  I finally exited the locker room, the halls mostly empty except for students heading toward clubs or practices as I went out to the lot. The weather was warm, but not hot in the cloudy overcast, the last of the summer heat clinging to the city. Cars were filing out of the lot quickly in a rush to get home or wherever it was that the other students wanted to be. Reid had been parking in the same spot every day since I arrived, and it was easy to recognize his Jeep with its trademark coating of mud. My Honda looked brand new in comparison to his dirty vehicle in its spot next to it. Reid’s curly head popped out of the open driver’s side window to look at me.

  “What took so long, slow poke?”

  I chuckled while unlocking my car before tossing my bag in the back seat. “I’ll tell you when we get to the house.” I sank into the fabric seat, the drive home passing quickly once we were out of the traffic surrounding the school. Reid parked in his usual spot in front of the house as I typed in the code to the garage, too lazy to go up to the
front door. Reid’s stomping footsteps came barrelling into the basement living room, his arms wrapping around me tightly.

  “So...” He drew out the word, his arms squeezing me. I tapped his arms lightly, unable to breathe under the pressure.

  “Got a job interview,” I huffed, sucking wind into my deprived lungs when he finally loosened. “Part time gig at Coffee Grounds.”

  “Oh, nice!” He squeezed me again, and a squeak escaped me before he let go completely. “They don’t typically hire too many students, but if they’re giving you an interview, they’ll hire you.”

  “Awesome, I’m excited but nervous,” I explained as we all sat down at our usual seats. Now that it had been a bit since the call, nerves and worries filled me at the thought of an interview. It had been a couple of years since I had done one, my summer jobs secured each year without needing to go through the process each time.

  “You’ll do great,” Kingston said, easing my nerves slightly with his melodious voice. His confident smile lit up his face as he started on his work. Reid quickly agreed, his attention turning to Jesse who wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. A thud sounded under the table.

  “Ow! What?” He glared at Reid who was sitting with the perfect look of innocence, his hazel eyes darting to me quickly before returning to Jesse. Jesse sighed before glancing at me. “You’ll be fine,” he offered. His attempt at a smile was appreciated despite it having to be forced through violent means. I smiled at him.

  “Thanks, Jesse.” My tone was friendly, determined to change his disinterested and irritated attitude toward me.

  Kill them with kindness and all that jazz.

  “You’re welcome,” he mumbled softly before returning to his work, his full lips no longer curled in a scowl. Reid and Kingston shared a conspiratorial smile before focusing on their own homework.

  These three will be the death of me.

  September 11th

  Nothing like your alarm not going off so you have to rush in the morning like a chicken with its head chopped off.

  #WhereIsTheCaffeine #TickedOffTuesday

  “Hey, Emma!” Lyla waved enthusiastically as I walked into the coffee shop. Smiling, I made my way over to where she held open the half-door separating the customer area from behind the bar. “You want to leave your bag with me? I’ll keep it safe.” Nodding, I placed the bag in her outstretched hands before watching her stow it safely in an open cabinet area beneath the register. A man who I would guess was in his early thirties stepped out from behind the ‘Employee Only’ door, his red hair almost the same color as Lyla’s. The red mop was wavy and brushing the top of his ears, and warm brown eyes landed on me as his hand came out to shake.

  “You must be Emma!” he exclaimed cheerfully. “I’m Rick, the store manager. If you want to come on back, we can start your interview.” I smiled and dipped my head in acknowledgment. Lyla flashed a double thumbs-up as I walked back making me chuckle.

  “We’ll just be back here.” He stepped through one of the several open doors in the hallway. “No need to be in the back office, it’s overrun with papers anyways.” The room was filled with several small tables and chairs, and a refrigerator sat tucked into the corner. Lining the far wall was a counter that matched the ones out front topped by a microwave and toaster. “This is the employee break room. The open door on the left hand side of the hall is the storage room, and the door on the right is the office”—he pointed to two doors on the wall inside the break room—“those are the employee bathrooms, and there’s lockers in there for your stuff if you’re coming from school or what have you.” I followed his lead and sat in the chair across from him, my application on the table in front of him.

  He outlined the basic flow of customers as he scanned the pages I had filled out last week. “We don’t typically get very busy, usually lunch rush which you wouldn’t have to worry about with school and then after school with the rush of students. The weekends are busy in the mornings, but the afternoons are more relaxed.” Flipping through a few pieces of paper I didn’t recognize, although the last one looked like a shift schedule, he continued talking instead of asking any actual ‘interview type’ questions.

  “You’d be working with Lyla most likely since she works the afternoon and evening shifts during the week and then during the mornings on Saturday and Sunday. Think you’d be able to handle that?” I nodded giving a friendly smile. This was not what I was expecting from an interview, but Lyla had said this was a pretty relaxed place.

  “I’ll probably have you start with three to four hour shifts during the weekdays and five or six hours on the weekends since you’ve already had some experience working in the customer service and serving industry with your previous summer job at the cafe.” He nodded, seemingly more talking to himself than to me. “We’re pretty relaxed here, but we don’t hire very often because we prefer loyal workers rather than workers who will only be around for a couple of months, so if you would be willing to work twice during the week and once on the weekend, we can schedule you consistently for the rest of the school year. Summer hours would adjust, and if you stick around after summer, we can work around your college classes.” I felt my excitement bubble up, glad that my previous work history spoke for itself and my old bosses spoke highly of me.

  “That would be perfect.” Although I was practically giddy, I kept my tone even. “I haven’t decided on college yet, but when I do I’ll let you know.” He nodded happily and stuck his hand out for me to shake.

  “Well then, Emma Clark, welcome to Coffee Grounds.”

  6

  September 14th

  Aubrey brought up before school today that when you say ‘forward’ or ‘back’, your mouth moves the same way.

  #HolyCrap #IGapedLikeAFish #FunnyFriday

  “Emma,” Mr. Fergusen called as I entered homeroom. Jesse glanced between us but continued to his seat. I strode over to the teacher and he held out an office slip. “You’re scheduled to meet with your career counselor later this morning during your third period.” I took the slip and scanned the information scrawled in pretty cursive.

  10:25 AM, Counselor Office, Ms. Rogers, Reasoning: Career and College planning.

  “All right, thank you.” I dipped my head before heading to my seat. Jesse read the note I had just laid on the desk. When he caught me watching him with a small smile, he sat up straight and turned back to the textbook that he seemed to always be reading. “Where’s the counselor’s office?” I asked Jesse quickly after realizing I had no idea where I was supposed to go.

  “It’s in the door to the left of the main office,” he offered quietly, his voice catching the attention of several people around us all of who glanced at us with surprise. He hunkered down away from the attention, not looking back up until I rested my hand lightly on his arm.

  “Thanks.” Smiling, I pulled my hand back. The warmth from his skin radiated through my fingers and down my arm, making those butterflies flutter as I turned away from him.

  The bell had rung, and the hallways emptied as I stepped through the wooden door with the long, skinny window that showed a small lobby area. There was a student working at the front desk, her schoolwork splayed on the laminate top. Her bright blue eyes looked up at me before she hit a button on the phone, and a muffled buzz sounded down the hall that twisted off from the left side of the counter. A rotund woman with graying hair that was cut in a trendy pixie style came down the hall. Red cat’s-eye glasses were perched on her thin nose with a silver shiny chain connecting the ends. Her outfit was a pair of black pinstripe slacks and a red blouse that flattered her curvy figure.

  “You must be Emma!” she exclaimed warmly before waving me down the hall. “I’m Ms. Rogers, you can call me Mimi if you want. I’m assuming you were told why you were called down today?”

  “Career and college planning,” I answered, glancing around her spacious office. Her desk jutted out into the room from the left wall, while a white, furry office chair was sand
wiched between the desk and the far wall. A short bookshelf was flush against the right wall, with a large bulletin board above it. Lots of flyers and motivational quotes were tacked to the cork in a rainbow of colors while a small two-person table and comfy looking chairs sat directly to the right of the door in the front corner.

  “Very good,” she praised, taking a seat in the chair that faced the now closed door leaving me to sit in the chair facing her. “Have you given any thought to college or what you would like to do?”

  “I had planned on going to college in California, but now it would be really expensive with out-of-state tuition rates, so I was going to look into the universities here,” I explained, shifting my bag off my back and onto the carpet at my feet. Her pen effortlessly flowed across her note page in the same pretty cursive from earlier.

  “There are several options depending on what you are looking for. The University of Nebraska system has three separate city campuses, Lincoln, Omaha, and Kearney. We’re right between Lincoln and Omaha’s campuses, but there is also a community college if you would prefer to go through the general education courses that way before transferring. I will advise that sometimes credits don’t transfer despite them essentially being the same content. There’s also Creighton, which is more expensive, as well as several other state and private colleges throughout Nebraska,” she explained, pulling out several brochures.

  “The Lincoln and Omaha ones sound the most promising,” I muttered, busy examining the colorful pamphlets she had spread out on the table between us. She nodded and slid the two trifolded papers for the universities over to me. Their colors were the same with red, black, and white with the only differences being the name and logo.