Page 41 of Blinded By Love

I ignore them and continue to make Lucas' coffee. Once it’s done and the bread is warmed I put them both on a plate and go to his table.

“Here ya go,” I say, placing them on the table.

“Thanks.” Lucas puts his book down and I can’t help but look at the title. He’s reading The Inmate by Freida McFadden. I’ve heard great things about the book but haven’t had the chance to read it for myself. It’s on my to-be-read list though. “Have you read the book?

I look away from the book and look at Lucas. “No, but I hear it’s good. I’ll read it one of these days.”

“Kind of scared to get to the ending,” he says with a small smile on his face.

“You have to let me know how it is. I love books with crazy endings or plot-twists.”

“Love a good mind-fuck.” He laughs. “Also I wanted to ask, I hope you don’t mind. Would you like to go out sometime?” Lucas asks in a shy tone.

I wish I could look behind me and glare at Andy and Franky who are for sure burning holes in my back.

“I would love to. Maybe after winter break though? I’m going to be busy with finals in December.”

I want to say no but I feel bad. We can go out as friends, not necessarily anything more.

Lucas nods his head. “Totally understandable.” He writes on a napkin his phone number and slides it to me. “Text me and we can plan something.”

“Of course. I’m excited.” I smile at him before leaving, not wanting to see his reaction. I go behind the bar and Andy and Franky are giving me “I told you so” looks. “I don’t want to hear it from any of you,” I say while slipping the napkin in my jean pocket.

“We told you,” they sing before laughing at me while my face just turns red.

Twenty

Jaclyn

“Max, you need to lay off the milkshakes. Soccer season is coming up,” Natalia says as she watches Max gulp down his second milkshake today.

He is going to end up having a sugar rush and throwing up all over the floor by the time he’s done.

“I can’t! They are just too good!” Max exclaims while smiling and drinking his milkshake.

Natalia invited me to lunch with the rest of the group. We all just came back from Thanksgiving break yesterday and instead of partying, Natalia said we should go to the diner.

Thanksgiving was normal for me. I spent time with my mom and Calvin at our family friend, Betty’s, house. At the end of the night everyone was drunk and dancing to music.

All of her parties, whether it's a kids party or baby shower, her parties take a turn. It starts with the music, bumping against her speaker loudly and then she brings out alcohol and next thing you know, everyone is drunk and in a daze.

My mom drank a little. I didn’t drink anything because I don’t like drinking when I’m with my family.

But it was fun. My mom and I managed not to fight, which is a good thing. She kept talking to me about Mateo. She sounds like she misses him but she won’t admit it. She told me he got a new girlfriend. She’s into cars like him which makes him like her a lot. It’s crazy how my mom goes to such bizarre lengths for him.

I know she loves him still but it’s pathetic seeing her pine after someone who cheated on her. I can’t even count how many times we have fought over him.

I always thought she loved him differently than she loved me. All of her attention was on him when Mateo lived with us and my mom would push me to the side or at least that’s what it felt like.

Now that he’s gone, she just talks shit about him.

It’s not that I don't like him. I just don’t like how my mom acts whenever he is mentioned or in the picture.

“You’re going to end up throwing up all over the floor, Max.” I hear a familiar voice say before feeling him slide into the booth next to me.

His arm brushes against mine and I feel chills go down my spine. I hate how his touch can get a small response out of me and he doesn’t even know.

I look at Hayden and even though I haven’t seen him in a week, I felt like he changed so much. Probably because he got a haircut. I can tell because it looks fresh.

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