"Should we be worried this is the third straight time we've gone to Jet Brew?" Jade asked, standing next to me in line.
"I'm not sure. Either we need to sleep more or wake up better."
"Feels like we should have a third option." She said, as I tried to blink away my heavy eyelids.
The person in front of us moved and the now familiar barista suddenly smirked. "Again?"
"Uh huh." Jade said, as I extended my credit card. It took a moment before she handed it back with a pen to sign the cash away.
"Don't you have a 9?" I asked, handing the pen and receipt back to her.
"Nah, changed it to after Sikowitz." She replied, trying to focus her eyes on me. Their kind of cloudy, which usually means she's on the verge of falling over from exhaustion.
"Here you go, good luck with waking up." The barista smiled, handing me our drinks. Jade quickly snatched her up.
"Ahh, that's it." Jade sighed contentedly, holding the coffee close to her nose.
"Better?"
"Much better." She smiled at me.
Unfortunately the warm didn't last long, with the cold weather still lingering. We both raced to the car and had the heater cranked up to the max while we battled our way back to CTC.
"This is such a waste of gas." Jade said randomly, shivering.
"Eh. We're young. Doing smart stuff is for old people." I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.
"I didn't say it was stupid. I said it was a waste." She bit back at me.
"Implying that it was stupid. I win." I smiled.
"No. No you did not. You're interpreting it wrong."
"How so? What you said implied stupidity." I placidly replied. As opposed to her. She's getting worked up.
"No, I made a neutral statement."
"The word waste doesn't lend itself to neutrality."
"Words don't have a positive or negative connotation OR implication by themselves. It's about context."
"Jade. Who is the best-selling author here?"
…
"You." She replied quietly.
…
"But I'm still right."
"Ugh." I groan, tapping my forehead on the wheel. We're 5 minutes away from CTC max.
"Robbie, did you do most of your editing or did the publisher?"
"I did." I replied. I'm very proud of the fact 95% of the work put into the book was done by me.
"Really now?"
I smell skepticism.
"Yeah, really." I reply, pulling into the same parking spot I left 20 minutes ago.
We both raced back inside. I can proudly say Cat's latte hasn't spilled a drop and is still blistering hot, thanks to the heated cup holders.
I barely had time to see Cat before she was dashing to me, smiling happily.
"Hi! Thank you!" She bounced, pecking my cheek.
"No prob." I smiled at her, as she sipped it and closed her eyes contentedly. "I see you have no response." I smirked at Jade.
"I just seems odd that your publisher would trust you that much." She replied, frowning.
Cat quickly looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"My book. She thinks words are neutral and don't have individual meanings." I answered her.
"But what about love?" She asked, eyes widening. "That's a very positive thing!" She smiled, looking at me.
"I don't mean to bring up a sore topic, but what about after you guys broke up? Love had a very negative connotation then didn't it."
Damn her.
"But that's a situational thing! Love is a positive word!" Cat said defensively, grabbing onto my arm.
I don't think she likes Jade talking about love this negatively. She's not handling this spectacularly. And according to her, she's still "fixing me."
So there's that too. Which would lead to the question, when did I break and get messed up?
That's a good question.
I don't think either of us knows the answer to that one.
"Debatable. Plus your taking his side because you guys are hitched."
"Hey. Hitched implies marriage. We're not engaged." I snap. She's dredging up memories I really am trying to forget and let fade away into history.
Just a footnote.
"Hey. What's wrong with me being on Robbie's side? If Beck were here you'd side with him!" Cat argued, loud enough for a few people to glance in our direction.
Jade was left gasping at air, then quickly went pale.
Why would she—
Jade told me about Beck.
More importantly, she didn't tell Cat!
"You told her!" Jade glared at me
So?
"What's your point? It's not like she's gonna do anything other than be happy for you." I rolled my eyes.
"But you should have asked if I wanted her to know!"
"You do know how ironic that is right?" I asked her, as Cat cocked her head to me, realizing my implication.
"I—…Robbie! C'mon!"
"I win."
Cat smiled and hugged me.
"It's not about winning or losing! It's about doing the right thing Rob."
"Hello? Haven't I made this argument before?"
"Yeah, and this time everyone is giving you the space you guys want!"
Fair point.
"Well, I'd love to let you guys keep going at it, but I'm going to class." Cat said definitively. "Love you." She smiled up at me.
I kissed her quickly and hugged her. "Ditto sunshine."
Then she bounced off, leaving just Jade and me.
"She's so much happier when you guys are together." Jade mused, turning and starting to walk to class.
I picked up my pace and asked "Is it that noticeable?"
"To me? Yeah, but probably because I knew both of you before you knew each other."
"Wait, when did you meet Cat?"
"It was the dead year we weren't at school together. I forget where I met her but she kind of reminded me of you and made the separation easier."
"What was she like?" I asked excitedly.
She smiled quickly and rolled her eyes. "Basically the Cat you met. Childish, bouncy, happy. Awesome to be around."
"Hi! Your hair is curly and bouncy! I'm Cat by the way! What's your name!"
"Sounds like her." I conceded, thinking back to those first few days. Being so afraid of her gigantic circle of intimidating friends. Then they accepted me. Then Cat fell and I was ousted.
Not good times.
Funny, in my mind's eye I see Cat now as her back then. Looks just like her now. Probably should look at the old pictures.
If I can find them. Haven't looked at them since I was at my parents place. A lot has changed.
"Are you even listening to me Rob?" Jade snapped me out of my daze.
"I am now. What'd I miss?"
"Just me talking. Not much."
"Sarcasm is noted." I frowned as we sat down just in time for our prof to start lecturing.
…
…
This guy is the first history professor to make me like it and pay attention long enough to take reliable notes. He should get a raise just for that.
Jade and I talked about his hypnotizing lectures the whole way to Sikowitz's room.
"—I know, it feels like he's completely overlooked today." Jade finished, as we sat next to the others.
"Who's overlooked?" Tori asked.
"Uhh…" Jade blushed quickly and looked away. She's smart, but doesn't really like to show it.
"Leo DiCaprio. He has a new movie out." I covered for her.
"Oh, what's the name?" Cat piped up.
"The Artist I think."
I glanced over at Cat to see her dart for her phone and saw Lola approach behind Tori.
(A/N: Sorry to interrupt, but I need to say something. Whoever reviewed a few chaps back and said I "lampshaded" Tori and Lola, I want to thank you. Why? Every time I think of either of them I think of Cat yelling "LAMPSHADE!" and stuffing one on someone's head and makes me burst out in embarrassing laughter. So thank you mystery reviewer :*)
"Hi!" Lola smiled while taking the seat next to Tori.
"Hey!" Tori smiled back, moving to hug her. "What are you doing here?"
"Yeah! What's up?" Beck asked.
"I'm here for class!"
"What?" Andre asked.
"You don't go here." Beck said.
"You don't go anywhere." Tori frowned.
"I go to CTC. I'm here mainly for this class actually." Lola explained.
"That's cool. You said something about acting when we first met you if I remember right." Andre replied, smiling.
"I did. I want to do big things." She smiled.
"Don't we all." Jade monotoned, adding a smile at the end. Everyone laughed.
I'm glad she was joking. Scared me for a sec.
"Ok everyone!" Sikowitz bounded onto the stage, breaking up everyone's casual conversation. "Today is the day you all have been waiting for, you are getting the scripts and potential parts for—"
He stopped.
And is looking at Lola and Tori.
"Huh? When did there become two Tori's?"
Talk about blowing his mind.
"Since you let me into your class sir." Lola smiled.
"Ms. Martinez correct?" He asked, still looking out of his element.
"Yes sir."
I heard a laugh from the back that was quickly stifled. Tori still turned to give whoever it was her death glare.
Ouch.
"I'll talk to you guys later. Anyway…"
He then went into detail explaining the play. He seems to have a Renaissance fetish, since it's about the upper crust of Rome. Involving Mark Antony and Caesar. Sweet. I like it. Lots of roles to research. Gives me something to do.
For whatever reason he got a ton of flak from the people from last semester about the play "suiting those who weren't here last semester." Which I hope isn't true. I don't want actual class warfare in this class that we're doing a play about Roman class warfare.
"You think he's favoring us?" Jade asked as Sikowitz called Tori and Lola up just after dismissal.
"Hope not. They'll hate us."
"It'd be hard not to. We did disappear." She replied.
Flash!
Jade and I both turned to see Tori and Lola smiling as Sikowitz looked at his phone.
"Too weird." He said, as we all came to look at it.
Peering over Cat's shoulder, I can confirm they look identical, down to the last freckle. Even the adorable dimple and cheek bones.
"You aren't related?" Sikowitz marveled.
"Nope."
"It's so weird!" Cat smiled.
"I agree. Not normal. But when has anything been normal?" He replied, hugging her.
He has a point.
(A/N: Hey guys. Sorry about the delay. For the twitter people, or as Ariana calls the "tweeple", I have been on this one for the last 3 nights, but haven't got it done. I admit it's not normal of me, but I'd love to see you guys crank out 3800 words in a day like I did previously in the story. I plan on hitting that stride again after I get back from spring break. (which I'm on now.) Speaking of Twitter, I want to thank one ArianaArmy4evr. She's been so so SO supportive and kind and I can't thank you enough. For the "tweeple" the twitter is JFeldmann93 and I love getting to know some of you guys. God I feel like Ariana. Or at least sound like her. That's because I have the best readers on fanfiction. Thanks guys. :))