Page 66 of The Hookup Type

Two and a halfweeks went by since that night at The Attic. During those two weeks, Maci and I exchanged a total of four text messages and three memes. There was no Thursday dinner or meeting up for coffee. It was like everything about our routine was on pause. Even though I requested the space, being in it sucked ass.

It was officially February, and I was already looking forward to spring break. The third week of classes brought more cold weather, more exams, and more essays. The semester continued to drag, and I was quickly running out of steam.

Bryson and I sat in the student union with sushi and smoothies from Jamba Juice. We both had an hour to kill before our next class and some work to submit before that class started. The procrastination made an early appearance this semester, and I have been paying for it so far.

Bryson was zoned in on his laptop, typing away on some paper he had for his Investment Analysis course. I stared at the blinking cursor on my half-finished economics essay. It annoyed me how much bandwidth this class took up when I felt I didn’t need it. My grade didn’t necessarily scream overqualified, but it was hard to apply myself to a subject I felt I could teach. The more I stared, the heavier my eyes got.

“I’ll be right back,” I murmured and stood up.

Bryson nodded without taking his eyes off the screen. He slipped in his headphones and continued typing.

Since it was early afternoon, the student union was packed. Everyone was between classes, either getting a late lunch, a coffee or escaping the cold.

I stopped walking and changed directions. Suddenly a coffee didn’t sound half bad. The line for Starbucks wrapped around the counter and then some. I joined the crowd and pulled out my phone to pass the time.

As soon as Instagram loaded, a photo of Connor and Katie appeared on my feed. They were outside, and it was snowing. They both wore winter hats, and Katie laughed while Connor kissed her on the cheek. I shook my head and double-tapped on the picture. It seemed like forever since the last time I saw Katie. Part of me expected her to reach out and ask why I wasn’t coming around.

I knew that Maci was still seeing Bryson. I wish I could say I was surprised. They seemed to be in the exact same place before they had their screaming match outside of The Attic.

I sighed and stuck my phone in the pocket of my North Face. I needed a distraction and to drop the topic of Maci for a little while. If she wanted to deal with Bryson, that was her choice. I was too comfortable with our friendship and needed to take advantage of the space I had asked for.

“Excuse me?” I tapped lightly on the shoulder of the girl in front of me.

From the back, I saw an army green jacket, straight dark blonde hair that rested on her hood, and a gray beanie. When she turned around, I noticed her hazel-colored eyes and the freckles that ran over the bridge of her nose. She was cute, and her grin told me she was interested in what I had to say.

I grinned. “What are you getting?”

“What am I getting?” she repeated, and her smile grew. The line moved up, and we got a little closer to the register. “A peppermint mocha with almond milk.” She sounded a little unsure when she answered. “Why?”

I shrugged. “Every time I get up there, I just choose something because I don’t really know coffee,” I lied. “I wanted something good.”

“And you trust my judgment?” Her eyes narrowed, and she turned to face me.

“You seem very well put together.”

She held my gaze, and her mouth parted slightly. “I’m Layla.”

“Jaxon.” I held out my hand, and she shook it.

“What are you doing after this, Jaxon?”

I knew exactly where this was going. “I have class in about a half hour, but after that, I’m free.”

“Can I get your number?”

“Absolutely.” I smiled, and she offered her phone.

The line moved quicker than I thought it would. It gave me just enough time to chat with Layla but not too much time where I felt the conversation was forced. I bought her coffee, and we parted ways once we left the line. I still had to grab my things from the table and head to the education building.

Layla messaged me as soon as I found a spot in the lecture hall.

Layla:

Do you like burgers?

I do like burgers.

I sipped my drink and did a double take at the cup. It was different from my usual hazelnut coffee order, but it tasted amazing. I stared down at the conversation bubbles dancing on the screen. She hadn’t even included her name in the first text message. Most girls were quick to make sure I knew who it was.

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