Chapter 4

Everett

The next few days passed and I guessed that Jack was busy because I hadn't heard much from him. I was busy too, between work, classes and now this book we were reading. I was surprised at how much I liked it. We were only supposed to read the first few chapters before next book club but I was having a hard time not reading ahead. 

I hadn't seen Harper in a few days and I had started to get worried. She was usually pretty predictable about when she would come in. Usually around midterms and finals she was in more often, sometimes even twice a day to get more caffeine. Now that we were nearing the fourth day that she hadn't been in, I considered going to search the campus for her just to make sure she was okay. Then, as if she could feel my concern, she walked into the shop. I smiled when I saw her until she came up closer and I saw her red, puffy eyes. 

"Hey, Ev." She says quietly with a sad smile. 

"What's wrong?" I ask, going still as I wait for her to answer. 

"Nothing." She responds, looking over the menu like she doesn't get the same thing every time. 

"Harper..." I say and she looks at me, her bottom lip starting to quiver. 

"I'm sorry." She says as she wipes away a tear. I go around the counter and walk up to her, opening my arms for her. She barrels into me, curling herself into my chest. 

"My uh... my boyfriend. He cheated on me. With my best friend." She whimpers and my heart hurts at her words. 

"Doesn't sound like much of a friend." I murmur and she lets out a sad chuckle. "I'm sorry that happened, Harper. I don't know your friend but I can pretty much promise you he downgraded." I say. She sniffles a little and pulls away to look at me. I wipe a tear from her face and I watch as her expression softens. I don't want to let her go, but this is the first time I've been in the same room with her and not done something stupid so I decide I should try not to make it awkward. 

"How about some lemon loaf?" I ask and Harper lets out a real laugh. 

"Yes, please. I love how you remember my order." She says and I grin at her, rounding the counter and grabbing an extra large piece. 

"I only remember yours." I say, placing it on the counter before starting her drink.

"Really?" She asks, surprise evident in her tone. I feel my face flame in a blush and turn away from her to grab a carton of milk. 

"Yeah." I admit. I hadn't really meant to say that and embarrassment flames through me. 

"That's sweet, Ev." She says quietly and I look around at her, a small smile on her face. I feel something warm spread through me and I smile back before finishing up her drink 

I set it on the counter in front of her and rest on my forearms, watching her for a minute. She takes a bite of her food, her eyes wandering around the otherwise empty shop before languidly making their way back to me. I'm not really sure what to do, but I want her to feel better before she leaves here. 

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I say. She nods and takes a sip of her drink. 

"Do trees poop?" I ask and she nearly chokes on her coffee before giving me a curious look.

"What?" She asks. 

"Do trees poop?" I repeat and she chuckles a little. 

"Um... No?" She asks rather than states.

"Of course they do. How else would we get number two pencils?" I say. When my joke lands she tilts her head back to laugh, shaking her head as she looks at me. 

"You're ridiculous." She says. 

"You're smiling." I respond. She gives me that warm look again and I wonder what's going through her mind at this moment. 

"You got any other ones?" She asks and I wrack my brain for any other dad jokes. 

"Um... The circus lion ate the clown but didn't finish." I say. 

"Why?" She asks. 

"Because he tasted funny." I respond and Harper chuckles again. 

"More." She teases, but I just shrug. 

"The rest of them are dirty." I say, making her laugh again. 

"Tell me!" She says excitedly, bouncing a little in her seat. I chuckle and try not to freak out at the fact that she seems to actually like me. 

"What's the difference between an enzyme and a hormone?" I ask. 

"I don't know." She responds quickly. 

"You can't hear an enzyme." I wait a beat for it to catch up with her and when it does she gasps before laughing a full belly laugh. 

"Okay. Every time I come in here you're going to need to have a new joke for me." She says, her eyes sparkling as she looks at me. 

"Deal." I respond. "I was worried about you. I haven't seen you in awhile." I say. Her smile slips and I nearly kick myself for bringing it up. 

"Yeah. I found out a few days ago. I didn't get out of bed for the first two days. I even missed my classes. It was so dumb. I wasn't really even sad about Trevor. I was sad about Kristi. She's been my best friend for two years. I never thought she would do something like that. They've been fucking behind my back for over a month." She snarls, her face growing red with her anger and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. 

I've never seen her angry. 

It's kind of hot. 

"Well, fuck them both. You need new friends." I say and she smiles at me. 

"Yeah. I do. You wanna be my friend, Ev?" She asks. I grin, my heart starting to pound in my chest. I want to be more than her friend, but we can start there.

"I don't know, sweets. That sounds like a lot of work." I tease, the endearment slipping out. She smiles again and takes out her phone. 

"Can I have your number?" She asks and I nod, handing her my phone. 

"Yeah. That way if you go missing for days I won't have to search campus for you." I say. Her eyes leave my phone screen and shoot up to me. 

"You really looked for me?" She asks and I shrug. 

"I was going to after work today." I say. Her eyes rest on me for a moment, like she's trying to decide if I'm being serious or not, before she continues typing on my phone. 

"You're a good friend to have." She says gently. 

"Yeah well, my back already hurts, girl." I say. 

"What? Why?" She asks. 

"From the weight of carrying this friendship." I tease. Her smile returns and we both chuckle as she hands my phone back to me. 

"Don't worry. I'll pull my weight." She responds, standing and gathering her things. She pulls out her wallet, but I shake my head. 

"This one's on me." I say firmly. She goes to respond, but I give her a sharp look and her shoulders sag in defeat. 

"Thank you, Ev." She says quietly. I pour her drink into a to go cup for her and hand it across the counter. 

"Don't worry about it. I got you. Come back Wednesday? That's when I work next." I ask, trying to keep the desperation out of my tone. She nods and smiles as she turns towards the door. 

"What time do you work?" She asks. 

"I close the shop at two. Can you come then?" I ask and she nods again. 

"It's a date." She responds with one more wide smile before she walks out the door, the jingle of the bell following her as it closes. I watch her walk down the sidewalk, waving at her through the window. 

I let out the nervous breath I've been holding, my hands tingling from pure adrenaline. I pull out my phone and open the new text I have. It's only a smiley face and I when I see the name it's under I grin. 

Sweets. 

Then I start to panic. Do I really have a date with Harper next week? I swipe through my phone quickly and dial Jack, hoping he answers. After a few rings he does. 

"Hello?" 

"I need your fucking help!"