Bloodstream
I Haven't Thought Of You Lately At All
A long time ago, we used to be friends
But I haven't thought of you lately at all
If ever again a greeting I send to you,
Short and sweet to the soul I intend. —We Used To Be Friends, The Dandy Warhols
“I don’t believe this” I groaned, my back hitting against the wall of the hallway to the bathroom.
Liam was back here, I had seen him outside the big glass that covered most of the wall by the door. And I hadn’t seen his companion, but he definitely wasn’t alone. I had a headache, I came in late, Lily hadn’t come today, and my internet was working badly. Today was not my day and Liam just had to make an appearance.
The door dinged and I sighed, closing my eyes before taking a deep breath. I took out my pad and walked to them. The other boy had brownish hair and amazing blue eyes, his hands on his pockets as he peeked my way curiously. He was on my good list because he was wearing a white v-neck shirt and red pants. And I loved red pants. I had a collection of colourful skinny jeans on my closet. If my memory served me right he was either Zayn or Louis, the only two names that I remembered.
“Well, hello, good afternoon!” I plastered a grin on my face, “Would you like a table?”
“Yes, please,” Liam forced a smile too, “And maybe your attention?”
“Liam, I’m working,” I mentioned, “I’m sorry, but maybe later”
“When do you finish your shift?”
I sighed and felt like strangling him right then. I really wasn’t in the mood.
“In fifteen minutes,” I answered, “The café also closes then, so what would you like?”
“You have tea?” the boy by his side asked before Liam could open his mouth
“Sure, but only Yorkshire tea,” I beamed sheepishly, “Does it matter?”
“I love Yorkshire tea,” he grinned
“Well, me too,” I nodded “I was the one suggesting to have it here”
“Then I guess I should thank you,” he vowed his head, “Thank you”
“You’re welcome,” I nodded back, “I’ll come back with a latte and some Yorkshire tea”
The blue eyed boy snapped his head to Liam and his eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, probably wondering how I could’ve known that Liam wanted a latte. It was obvious; I was the one who made him taste his first latte.
As I made their petition, I couldn’t help but try and read their mouths. I could hear just bits of the conversation from here, but what I heard I was guessing Liam was talking about me and him back in Wolverhampton, something that I really didn’t want to talk about.
I knew I was being evasive, but I didn’t want Liam back in my life at all, to be honest. He had been great, our friendship had been great, and our moments shared together had been great too. But I knew that if he came to my life, if our friendship got restored, and if those moments were revived, I’d fall for him all over again, and maybe even stronger than before.
I ran the back of my hand through my eye and sniffed before trying to pull myself together. I had toM after all, I had a table to attend to and fifteen—no, ten—minutes before my shift was over. And probably a lot more time with those boys at table seven.
“Here you go,” I placed them quickly on their table and scurried off to another table, hoping that I could get away with it.
The glance that Liam sent me throughout the minutes left let me know that I hadn’t, and I cursed under my breath as I fished the cappuccino and gave it to Mrs. Mansfield, a frequent customer. In the blink of an eye, my shift was over, and Liam was walking up to me. I tried to get away, but then I decided; no.
I wasn’t going to run away anymore. If I fell for him, then fuck it! I’d tell him! And if I didn’t, even better! We’d still be friends and things would be just the same like before, when we were both seventeen and he was the boy in school with the Justin Bieber hair!
“I take on that offer,” I said as I picked the dirty cups from table eight.
“What?” he sounded genuinely surprised
“I said,” I turned to him, shrugging and smiling, “I’ll go watch The Avengers with you”
“Really?” He grinned
“Don’t make me say it twice,” I teased, smiling though my heart was beating too hard to be normal.
“Thank you so much, Lana,” Liam embraced me and I stiffened, my head locked on the crook between Liam’s neck and shoulder.
And I saw him, that boy with the blue eyes. He was watching us curiously, mostly me. He noticed me staring and narrowed his eyes, cocking his head to the side, as if asking me a silent question. His mouth opened and I made out what he asked me ‘Do you…?’. I begged with my eyes silence and his mouth opened wider in realization. He gave me a thumbs up and I beamed at him. I really hoped he wouldn’t tell his friend… my friend too.
“Give me your number, yeah?” Liam pleaded
“Sure,” I plastered another fake smile and took out my curve, handing it to him, “Program it, I’m going to change.”
“Alright,” he kissed my forehead, “Thank you, Lana, for giving me another chance”
“Yeah, yeah…” I dismissed it, feeling the nerves getting to me.
This could only end badly.
But I haven't thought of you lately at all
If ever again a greeting I send to you,
Short and sweet to the soul I intend. —We Used To Be Friends, The Dandy Warhols
“I don’t believe this” I groaned, my back hitting against the wall of the hallway to the bathroom.
Liam was back here, I had seen him outside the big glass that covered most of the wall by the door. And I hadn’t seen his companion, but he definitely wasn’t alone. I had a headache, I came in late, Lily hadn’t come today, and my internet was working badly. Today was not my day and Liam just had to make an appearance.
The door dinged and I sighed, closing my eyes before taking a deep breath. I took out my pad and walked to them. The other boy had brownish hair and amazing blue eyes, his hands on his pockets as he peeked my way curiously. He was on my good list because he was wearing a white v-neck shirt and red pants. And I loved red pants. I had a collection of colourful skinny jeans on my closet. If my memory served me right he was either Zayn or Louis, the only two names that I remembered.
“Well, hello, good afternoon!” I plastered a grin on my face, “Would you like a table?”
“Yes, please,” Liam forced a smile too, “And maybe your attention?”
“Liam, I’m working,” I mentioned, “I’m sorry, but maybe later”
“When do you finish your shift?”
I sighed and felt like strangling him right then. I really wasn’t in the mood.
“In fifteen minutes,” I answered, “The café also closes then, so what would you like?”
“You have tea?” the boy by his side asked before Liam could open his mouth
“Sure, but only Yorkshire tea,” I beamed sheepishly, “Does it matter?”
“I love Yorkshire tea,” he grinned
“Well, me too,” I nodded “I was the one suggesting to have it here”
“Then I guess I should thank you,” he vowed his head, “Thank you”
“You’re welcome,” I nodded back, “I’ll come back with a latte and some Yorkshire tea”
The blue eyed boy snapped his head to Liam and his eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, probably wondering how I could’ve known that Liam wanted a latte. It was obvious; I was the one who made him taste his first latte.
As I made their petition, I couldn’t help but try and read their mouths. I could hear just bits of the conversation from here, but what I heard I was guessing Liam was talking about me and him back in Wolverhampton, something that I really didn’t want to talk about.
I knew I was being evasive, but I didn’t want Liam back in my life at all, to be honest. He had been great, our friendship had been great, and our moments shared together had been great too. But I knew that if he came to my life, if our friendship got restored, and if those moments were revived, I’d fall for him all over again, and maybe even stronger than before.
I ran the back of my hand through my eye and sniffed before trying to pull myself together. I had toM after all, I had a table to attend to and fifteen—no, ten—minutes before my shift was over. And probably a lot more time with those boys at table seven.
“Here you go,” I placed them quickly on their table and scurried off to another table, hoping that I could get away with it.
The glance that Liam sent me throughout the minutes left let me know that I hadn’t, and I cursed under my breath as I fished the cappuccino and gave it to Mrs. Mansfield, a frequent customer. In the blink of an eye, my shift was over, and Liam was walking up to me. I tried to get away, but then I decided; no.
I wasn’t going to run away anymore. If I fell for him, then fuck it! I’d tell him! And if I didn’t, even better! We’d still be friends and things would be just the same like before, when we were both seventeen and he was the boy in school with the Justin Bieber hair!
“I take on that offer,” I said as I picked the dirty cups from table eight.
“What?” he sounded genuinely surprised
“I said,” I turned to him, shrugging and smiling, “I’ll go watch The Avengers with you”
“Really?” He grinned
“Don’t make me say it twice,” I teased, smiling though my heart was beating too hard to be normal.
“Thank you so much, Lana,” Liam embraced me and I stiffened, my head locked on the crook between Liam’s neck and shoulder.
And I saw him, that boy with the blue eyes. He was watching us curiously, mostly me. He noticed me staring and narrowed his eyes, cocking his head to the side, as if asking me a silent question. His mouth opened and I made out what he asked me ‘Do you…?’. I begged with my eyes silence and his mouth opened wider in realization. He gave me a thumbs up and I beamed at him. I really hoped he wouldn’t tell his friend… my friend too.
“Give me your number, yeah?” Liam pleaded
“Sure,” I plastered another fake smile and took out my curve, handing it to him, “Program it, I’m going to change.”
“Alright,” he kissed my forehead, “Thank you, Lana, for giving me another chance”
“Yeah, yeah…” I dismissed it, feeling the nerves getting to me.
This could only end badly.
12/30/12