The bell dinged as Angelica strolled inside, breathing in the warm atmosphere of coffee and chai. She'd struck up a conversation with one of the upperclassmen on her floor, and they had recommended the Caribou Castle as the premiere coffee shop on campus. So far, it was living up to the hype. It had a simple design, a main desk at the front of the café with a mounted caribou head hanging over it, wearing a little crown. Angelica chuckled. Very clever. The rest of it was just various tables of alternating sizes and types placed in around the checkered tile floor. It gave it a bizarre but comfortable feel, like a fuzzy Christmas sweater with little reindeer on it: cute, and a little weird. She entertained herself in line by trying to find all the different kinds of tables, when she saw a figure with a very interesting puff of hair.

The figure had his back facing her, but what a nice back indeed. He was wearing a dark green waffle shirt, and a pair of boyfriend jeans. Angelica spared a glance towards his butt, and nodded, liking what she saw. Apparently, she wasn't the only one, because she noticed that he was surrounded by women who were all giggling outrageously at something he said. Somebody's popular with the ladies, she thought. The man turned to whisper something to the brunette on his right, and Angelica gasped, earning a concerned look from some of the people in the line.

Sitting in the midst of this throng of women was the grand asshole himself, Thomas Jefferson. He'd been her tormentor all through her childhood, pulling her hair, teasing her on the playground, shooting spit balls, but Angelica paid him back blow for blow. Eventually their rivalry evolved from childish pranks to actual achievement. If he became the star quarterback, she made sure that she became head cheerleader. If she got the female lead in the school play, Jefferson managed to ensure that he played opposite to her. They both made the honor roll, excelled at the piano, even joined the French club. They did nearly everything together, each striving to beat the other, but then Jefferson had shipped out to France their junior year. She thought she'd never see him again.

The person in front of her shuffled away, coffee in hand, and Angelica took his place, ready to make her order.

"One hot chocolate, please."

The barista raised an eyebrow at the order's simplicity, but recorded it anyway. Angelica always ordered hot chocolate as her first drink in a new café. It helped her get a feel for the quality she should expect. "Name please?" he prompted.

"Angelica."

The man popped a cap off a Sharpie and scrawled her name on the cup. He retreated back to the wall of complicated levers and bean names, and within minutes he had returned, holding her steaming hot chocolate in one hand. Armed with her scalding drink, Angelica made her way over to her fluffy haired rival. She gestured to the women who previously held his attention. "I didn't know you were starting a harem."

Jefferson spared her a glance before dismissing his pack of admirers. "I'm sorry ladies, but it seems I have a heckler to deal with. Why don't we continue this conversation over dinner tonight?"

The trio giggled. "Okay," the brunette agreed. The gaggle eventually made their way to the door, and Angelica slid into the seat across from Jefferson.

"Do you even have their numbers?"

"Nope."

Angelica rolled her eyes. "So what are you doing here?"

"I go here. You?"

"Same. Full academic scholarship." She took a slow sip. Nice chocolate, she noted.

"We're both here on a scholarship then."

"I guess so. What are you majoring in?"

"Double majoring," he drawled. "Political Science and Economics"

"Well, isn't that strange?" Two can play at that game. "Political Science and International Relations. I'm going to be a diplomat."

He laughed. "Can you even speak another language?"

"En fait, je peux." In fact, I can.

"Juste un? Je suis impressionné!" Just one? I'm impressed!

She could almost taste the sarcasm in his voice. I forgot, he actually lived in France.

"No necesito tu actitud. Usted sólo hablan francés e inglés." I don't need your attitude. You only speak French and English.

He raised an eyebrow, obviously amused at whatever game they were playing. "Cuidado de añadir español a la lista?" Care to add Spanish to the list?

Angelica couldn't fight the grudging respect she felt towards him. Languages took a while to learn, though really, why was she surprised? Jefferson would do nearly anything to beat her. Time to pull out her ace.

"Mimi nilikuwa na wazo ungekuwa mwerevu." I had no idea you were so smart. Angelica wished she had a camera on her. Oh wait. She whipped out her phone and snapped a photo of Jefferson's astonished face.

"What?"

"Swahili. It's a common language across Africa." With a small toss of her hair, Angelica flounced out of the café. Angelica – 1, Thomas – 0. She drank her hot chocolate, enjoying the warm feeling of victory blooming in her chest.

"Thomas is here?" Eliza was ecstatic. Even though Thomas had pestered Angelica for most of her life (or so she said), Angelica never seemed really mad about it. In fact, her eyes lit up whenever she talked about Thomas. And she talked about him a lot; it was almost unhealthy. Deep in her heart, Eliza was almost certain the Angelica really liked Jefferson, though she wasn't going to admit it. Maybe she could set them up, now that he was back in the states.

"Yeah, he probably came just to spite me." With a small pop, Angelica uncapped a highlighter. Even when there was no summer work, Angelica studied. Preparation never killed anyone, as their father liked to say.

Or it's fate, Eliza mused, but she wisely kept that thought to herself and continued braiding her sister's hair. "Well, it's not like you'll see him. The campus is huge."

Angelica nodded, uncapping her highlighter and circling some random factoid. "Except we're both majoring in Political Science."

Eliza gasped in mock horror. "No!"

"That's what I—wait." Angelica glared at her sister. "Are you mocking me?"

"Nope," Eliza deadpanned. "I sympathize with your plight on the deepest emotional level."

Angelica sighed, but Eliza could see the small smile creeping on her face. "You're a jerk, you know that?"

"I know," Eliza smiled. "But you love me all the same."