A/N: It's been close to three months, I think, since I last updated. This has mostly been due to the business of school and having some serious computer problems. But now, school is out and I have a brand-spankin-new computer, so expect lots of updates! If you have any story suggestions or anything, feel free to let me know! Reviews are always lovely too. :)
After the last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I pushed through the crowded hallways and headed over to my locker to put away some of my books and grab my coat. When I got over to my locker, Brady was leaning against it, waiting for me.
I grinned when I saw him, my entire being feeling lighter than air. "Hey," I told him.
"Hey," he smiled, moving out of the way so I could get to my locker. As I dialed the combination, I could feel his eyes on me. "So I've been thinking…"
"Yeah?" I asked, a giddy feeling filling me. I couldn't wait to hear what he had to say.
"Well, I've been thinking about how we're sort of a couple, but I haven't ever even taken you out on a date. So I was wondering… are you up for coffee?"
"Like, right now?"
"Yeah, like right now. We could head over to Starbucks or something, maybe hit up a movie. Whatcha think?" He looked so hopeful when he proposed this plan of his, that even if I hadn't wanted to go out with him, I probably would've agreed.
"That sounds fantastic. I just need to call Collin and tell him I won't be going home with him," I said, digging into my pocket for my phone.
"Oh, I already let him know I'd probably be taking you somewhere this afternoon, so you don't need to call him," Brady grinned, obviously proud of himself.
"Well, don't you just think of everything?" I laughed.
He shrugged, a goofy smile on his face. "Yeah, that's me. Always well-prepared."
I punched his arm playfully, which just made him laugh. He grabbed my hand, and I was surprised to realize how well my hand fit into his. We walked down the hallway and out to the parking lot where we found his car and headed off to the coffee shop.
We grabbed one of those high circular tables by a window that overlooked the beach. We sat on the tall barstools, and while normal-sized people's legs would've dangled off of them, I noticed that Brady's wolf-boy legs just reached the ground and mine almost did.
"So what do you want?" Brady asked, as he went to order.
"Ummm, I'll just take an iced coffee and a blueberry scone," I told him.
"Two tall iced coffees and a blueberry scone," I could hear Brady tell the cashier. He paid for our food and came back to sit across from me.
"Here's your coffee and blueberry scone."
"Thanks," I said, taking them from him. "So you like iced coffee, too?"
Brady shrugged, "I don't know, never tried it. But you seem to have good taste so I figured I might as well try it."
"It's my favorite. But some people really don't like it- like Summer, for example. But then again, she only likes coffee when it's loaded with sugar and chocolate."
Brady laughed. "Yeah, she always did love her sweets."
I nodded and took a sip of my coffee. It tasted like heaven.
Brady and I just sort of sat in our seats for awhile, sipping our coffee and chatting about our day. After a short lull in conversation, Brady started talking about wolf-things. "So Sam wanted me to tell you that he scheduled us for patrol Thursday night because Jared's going with Kim to California to visit her sick grandma. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, of course, it is. Despite all of your bitching and complaining about it, I really don't find patrol to be all that bad," I told him, dipping my scone into my coffee.
"That's because you have me for a partner," he grinned, leaning across the table to kiss my forehead . I laughed.
"Oh, you aren't conceited at all…" I muttered under my breath, which made him chuckle.
After a few moments of giggling, Brady's expression turned serious- or at least, as serious as he ever got. "Have you talked to Leah since, you know," he said, and then whispered, "you phased?"
I shook my head. Leah used to babysit for me when I was younger and had always been really sweet, but in recent years, she had become really bitter and angsty and hard to be around, which had made me reluctant to call her. "She's not exactly the most pleasant person on this planet. I mean, I know she's like the only one who really understands what I'm going through, but I've been doing fine on my own. I've figured out how to cope."
Brady nodded. "Yeah. I still think you should call her. Well, actually, I don't really care either way. But Collin wanted me to talk to you about it, because he said you probably wouldn't listen to him. He wants you to talk to her. I think he's worried about you."
"Worried about me?" I snorted. I felt better than I had in ages, and most of that was due to becoming a wolf. Collin had no reason to be worried and had no reason to get Brady involved. "I'm perfectly fine, honest. Tell him that for me. But I will consider calling Leah. It might be nice to have someone who can sort of empathize with what I'm going through."
"Yeah, I mean, it couldn't hurt," he shrugged. As I slurped the last sip of my coffee, I realized that Brady hadn't had more than a sip of his.
"You don't like your coffee?"
"Nah, I guess cold coffee isn't really my thing. Oh well."
"Sorry," I said, for no real reason. It wasn't like I was in control of what he liked or didn't like.
"For what?" he asked, and I just shrugged my shoulders, having no answer to his question. "Wanna head back to the car?"
"Only if you don't bring me straight home. I'm not quite ready for our date to end just yet," I smiled at him.
"Me neither. Where should we go?"
"I don't know. Why don't we just drive around forever?" I laughed.
"Sounds good to me," Brady smiled, pulling me under his arm as we walked out of Starbucks and to his car, ready to drive until there was nothing left besides the two of us.