Simon & Genevieve

•13•

Monday afternoon

Author POV

Simon and Charlie sit in the commons area on the third floor of the interdisciplinary arts building. Two tables across from them sat Clayton and Elijah, who were busy counting their change to combine it for some snacks from the vending machine.

"How much longer is she gonna take?" Charlie sighs in frustration. He still has yet to meet this girl Simon has been keeping to himself about. The girl had finally agreed to meet them after her meeting today.

"Uhhhh 3:00? Or was it 4:00? I don't remember. You wanna go?" Simon asks with raised brows. He was hunched over what looked to be like a list of names.

Charlie sighs and sinks lower in his seat. "No. Just... I'm craving soda. Let's just quickly run to the cafe! It's only a couple floors down."

Simon shakes his head without looking at Charlie. "Cant. I'm busy right now." He finally glances up to look at the vending machine.

"Why not get a coke from there?"

Charlie grumbles but reaches in his pocket to grab his money nonetheless.

"You want anything?" He asks Simon, who seems to be paying him no mind.

What a prune

"Get me a Hershey bar!" Clayton calls out from the far corner of the commons area. Elijah nods his head and jogs to the vending machine. He stood behind Charlie, who just purchased a coke.

"Oh, you forgot your change." Elijah says as Charlie turns to leave.

"Shoot. Thanks man." Charlie smiles and grabs his 23 cents from the coin slot.

"No problem." Elijah smiles back and purchases a Fanta and Hershey's bar.

"Sick tat. You surf?" Charlie asks as he point at Elijah's surfboard tattoo on his upper arm.

Elijah chuckles and nods his head. "Yeah. We're actually bout to go catch some waves in a bit. Just waiting for a friend to finish a meeting." He gestures at Genevieve's classroom.

Charlie clicks his tongue. "Nothing like a good-SHIT!"

The coke in Charlie's hand erupted the moment he opened it, soaking his shirt and spilling on the floor.

"Crap..." he says as he tries to step away from the puddle of coke.

Elijah tried to hold back his laughter as he quickly grabs napkins from his pockets and hands them to Charlie.

"Thanks." Charlie laughs in embarrassment as he wipes his face and torso.

Elijah chuckles and takes the coke from Charlie's hand to throw it away. "I'm gonna throw this out.... Do you mind if it's Fanta?"

Charlie glances up to see Elijah holding out his can of Fanta.

"Oh no. That's yours man I don't wanna take it-"

Elijah takes Charlie's hand and puts the Fanta in his hand.

"Don't worry about it. Just pay me back if you ever see me again."

Charlie could only smile back. Elijah glances at Charlie's lips, which still seemed to be covered with coke.

"You got some-"

"Oh my goodness! Charlie? Is that you?" A girl's voice echoes down the hall. The clacking of her heels were bouncing off the walls as she walked closer towards them. A short, blonde girl in a blue skirt sashayed around the corner with a small purse hanging off her wrist.