More, Most, Forever, & Always (COMPLETE)

3. First Chapter

Hailey Aspen-

I giggled, trying to hide my face in my coat as I read Adam Carlson defending Olive.

The Love Hypothesis was a comfort book.

It warmed my heart as I used my pink highlighter to highlight my favorite quotes.

I sipped my apple cider, waiting for my breakfast sandwich to cool down.

"Excuse me, are you Hailey?" A man with a slight Brooklyn accent asked and I looked up, smiling lightly.

He looked cold, his face was pale, his cheeks, nose, and lips red from the weather.

"Yes sir, Travis?" I asked and he nodded.

I stood, shaking his freezing hand.

"Do you mind if I get something?" He asked and I shook my head no.

He nodded, walking to the register.

He was trembling. That hoodie was not thick enough to keep him warm from the heavy snow.

He was strange. Tall, with the dark aesthetic, but he smiled like the kindest person would. And I was shocked he wasn't done with his gen ed since he looks older than I do.

I shrugged, putting my bookmark into my book, pushing it into my book bag as I began eating my sandwich.

It was so good, it had egg and bacon, perfectly melted cheese.

This was my weather, this was my serotonin.

He came, pulling out the seat across from me.

We ate in silence, the talking around us easing the possible awkwardness.

"May I ask why you want to get into music?" I asked when I finished.

"I would like to be in a band. With my best friend. Childhood dream." He nodded and I smiled, admiring that.

"Fair."

I waited, being sure not to look at him as he finished.

That would just be strange of me.

He stood, taking my trash as he went to throw it away and I drank my cider.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Of course. Here." He grabbed his bag, pulling out his laptop.

"What's the paper about?" I asked.

"It's a literary analysis." He replied, pulling out a book.

"The Handmaids Tale." I mumbled.

"Yeah, I finished the paper, I just am not too sure about my phrasing. I'm not the best with words." He shrugged.

"I thought you were into music though?" I teased.

He ran his hand through his black hair.

"Words in essays." He grinned, revealing perfectly white teeth, slightly crooked but in a charming way.

"Ahh." I nodded as he turned his laptop in my direction and I looked at it, the font and spacing bothering me.

"Would you mind my corrections?" I asked.

"Not at all." He shook his head.

"Okay, well immediately your paper is formatted improperly. It should be size 12, font should be New Times Roman, spacing should be double." I showed him after I corrected it.

"That looks a lot better." He chuckled.

"Would you mind if I scooted to this side so I could show you what im doing?" I asked.

"Not at all." He shook his head as I stood, picking up my chair and putting it on the side beside his so I was no longer across from him.

"Well, you're using unprofessional terminology. So when you say it's you can't do that. You have to type out it is." I showed him and he hummed.

"Can you fix all those real quick?" I asked and he nodded, tilting the laptop toward him as he fixed all those.

"Thank you." I mumbled.

I went through the basic formatting of papers. How semi-colons are supposed to be used, commas, how run on sentences can be shortened.

I went over the actual product of his paper and he was really good with words.

"This is good. A few things can be fixed and I did that but it's good." I nodded.

"Thank you, I appreciate this a lot." He looked at me and I smiled.

"For sure."

"What were you reading when I walked in?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Something worthy of making fun." I shrugged.

"I won't make fun." He gave me a totally serious expression.

"It's a corny romance book." I mumbled.

"That you must really like." He smiled, nodding as if to continue my sentence for me.

"I do really like it." I felt my face burn.

"Is that your genre of books?" He asked.

"It is what I primarily prefer, yes." I hummed.

"Favorite book?" He asked.

"A secret." I grinned.

"Your stubborn." He sighed, acting defeated.

"Well yeah, I barely know you." I rolled my eyes in a joking manner.

"Fair." He laughed.

"What instrument do you play?" I asked.

"Guitar." He nodded.

"You good at it?" I wondered.

"I'd think I am." He laughed.

"Just wondering." I shrugged.

"This sounds weird but can I have your number to reach you instead of emails?" He asked.

"Of course yeah, I forgot to put it on my resume I apologize." I groaned and he shook his head.

"It's fine. Here." He handed me his phone and I typed my number into it.

I put my name in the contact before handing his phone back.

"Thank you. I know this was short and sort of pointless but it was nice knowing what to actually do." He chuckled and I smiled.

"For sure, that's what I'm here for. Is that all?" I asked.

"Are you good at math?" He asked.

"English and math are my main so yes." I nodded.

"Are you free over break next week?" He asked.

"I am. Even Thursday." I joked.

"Can you help me study for my final? I have a C but I'd really like to actually understand what I'm trying to do." He asked.

"Of course, just let me know when and I'll be there." I tilted me head as he stood.

"Thank you. It was very nice meeting you Hailey." He gave a small smile like the one he greeted me with.

"Nice meeting you as well. See you sometime." I laughed.

He nodded politely before leaving.