flushed cheeks

(xi.)

"flushed cheeks"

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°°°

(xi.)

Over the next week, we all started meeting at the café every morning before I had to go to class or work. I am not sure how this started, but somehow, it was mutually agreed between the three of us to meet just after opening and just before closing. Every time, we sat at the little two-person table surrounded by plants, with an extra chair pulled up for Lucas.

I enjoyed these meetings, especially since I got to learn so much more about Jill and Lucas. They grew up together, and because of that they have many things in common. However, they are just as different as they are similar. Lucas liked sweeter drinks. His favorite color was green. He played sports in high school. He was born in South Korea, but his mom left his dad and raised him and his siblings by herself in the U.S. Finally, he was close with his grandparents before they died of old age. And he was as passionate about music as he was about making the perfect coffee, and he and his mother were hoping to have a small stage put up in the café soon so that he or someone else could play live music some nights.

Jillian liked unsweetened drinks unless she was in a particular mood for something sweet. She graduated school with top honors despite, I assumed, being pregnant through her final year. She could skateboard, and she had a few tattoos scattered about—some things that seemed quite the opposite of my first impression of her. She loved art and dreamed of having a successful enough business selling her designs. The glasses were a pretty big hit with many of the customers, and she may be able to set up an online shop soon.

It was just after 6 in the morning when I walked through the door of the café, Lucas and Jillian leaning against the counter, facing each other. They were close, leaning forward, and I could tell they were talking about something together. It did not seem too serious, though, as both of their faces were relaxed, voices low, not rising in the slightest. They did not bother moving apart when they turned to greet me.

"Hey-a, doll," Lucas greeted, a silly grin on his face. His eyes were crinkled, nearly closing in his glee. "How are you? Did you sleep well?"

I nodded, not saying anything until I reached the register. "I slept pretty well," I said softly. "I think." My fingers pulled the long sleeves of my dress down over my palms. "I had some not-so-great dreams at some point, but I did not lose much sleep."

"Nightmares?" Jill asked. I looked at her to find that her brows were dipping down. She was worried.

I offered her a smile, and I could feel just how weak it was. "Not quite. They were mostly just rehashing some stuff that happened in the past."

Lucas disappeared into the kitchen as Jill leaned across the counter. "Baby, that counts as a nightmare." Amusement battled with her worry.

"Oh," I mumbled, fingers fumbling with the fabric over my hands before I forced my hands together to stop them from moving. Movement behind Jill had my gaze flickering there before dropping once again. Lucas was back, some drinks in his hands, two glasses and one for to-go.

"Let's go sit. We don't need Kody to be exhausted before her day has even officially started."

I smiled at him. It was a small one, and I was certain they could tell it was not as big as it usually was. But I just could not stop the dreams for the night before from looping in my mind. The words repeating, over and over again. A warm hand settled on my shoulder, a feather-light touch, but I still jumped, head jerking up, gaze clashing with a now-worried Lucas.