Page 24 of Shane

I turn to look at her just as we reach the entrance of the commons building. "I just...wanted to talk."

"About the project you’ve been MIA on?” she asks incredulously.

“Not really.”

“Wow,” she scoffs. “Then what?”

Man, this girl really doesn’t like me, but I’d be mad at myself, too, if I missed as many project meetings as I have.

"I don't know...anything but that,” I stammer, feeling stupid all of a sudden.

She smirks slightly and nods towards the doors. “I need to get my latte first."

The warmth enveloping us as we walk into the building starkly contrasts the frosty air outside. There’s already a line in the coffee shop, but luckily, I thought ahead and used the online app to order her drink.

“Just ask for your name,” I tell her.

“Huh?”

“I made a mobile order. Your drink should be ready.”

“You made a mobile order when?”

“Right before I said hello, and before you get any ideas, you follow a routine that I just happened to notice.”

Not the total truth but close enough.

“So you noticed that I get a latte every Monday morning?”

“Yeah, no biggie,” I try to play it off, although I know how weird it’s looking for me.

Kennedy gives me the oddest look, then walks over to the mobile line and asks for her name. Her medium-sized vanilla latte is hot and ready in a white cup with her name written in cursive.

“Thank you?” she expresses as more of a question than a statement.

“I promise you I’m not some weird stalker. I just thought I’d order it for you when I ordered my protein shake.”

Before I can give the barista my name, she hands me my peanut butter protein smoothie. “Here you go, Shane.”

“Thanks.”

“See, one less thing for you to do before class,” I explain to Kennedy, attempting to justify my actions. “I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put classes this damn early in the morning anyway.”

“Exactly,” she chuckles lightly.

That explanation seems to finally put her at ease. Thank God, because if the roles were reversed, I’d probably have already called the campus cops on myself.

“Thank you for the latte. It was…considerate.”

“You want to sit down for a minute?” I glance over at the available round table and chairs in the far corner by the exit door and hope she says yes. “Maybe over there?”

“Sure. Just for a minute.”

“Listen, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry I’ve been missing in action on this whole project thing.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re being kind. It’s not fine.”