Starbucks

Evelyn flinched at Jake's tone but managed to pass it off as a shoulder ache. She rolled her shoulders a little, hitched her bag up and glanced up at the menu-board above Jake's head, figuring if he didn't have the civility to talk to her without acting like a douche, she didn't have to grant him eye contact. "Um, a cinnamon dolche latte then."

Kelsey nodded as she went to go make Evelyn's order. "Oh and you AF?" She asked.

"Tall white chocolate mocha." Ashlee put in her order. Then went to pay for her coffee.

Jacob rang her up and handed Ashlee back her change. Ashlee went to go wait for her coffee, while Jacob rang up Evelyn. "That will be ten dollars." He told Evelyn.

Evelyn's eyes widened. She pushed the five-dollar bill she'd placed on the counter earlier at Jake, looking down at his cash display instead. "What're you charging the additional five bucks for, extra ice in your attitude?"

"Oh I'm sorry, you wanted free coffee? Well you can have James come in here and buy you coffee. But make sure when he arrives to tell him, we don't serve people who aren't wearing shirts." Jacob replied curtly.

Evelyn's eyes flicked up to his in surprise. She blinked, debating just what the hell to say. What was he on about?

He probably took it hte wrong way. Oh, wow, this was perfect. So he broke her damn window, which she had to pay a hefty fine for, and nwo he was going ot get all pissy because of a stupid doubt which he should know better than to have?

Evelyn reached over the counter and dropped the five dollar bill on the other side so it hit Jake's foot. She glanced up at him as she straightened. "Oops. Guess karma doesn't like assuming assholes," she said coolly.

Kelsey leaned over the counter. "I sense a storm on the lovers island."

"Oh yeah, but you and I have both witnessed enough to know when its about that time." Ashlee nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

Jacob bent down and picked up her five dollar bill. He handed it back to her. "You're a bit short."

Evelyn stared at him, wide-eyed, and tried not to show that thsi wwas affecting her in anyway. EVen though his tone really stung.

She met Jake's cold gaze for a moment longer and then swallowed. All right, fine, I'll play along and hope he falls into traffic or something on the way home. What goes around comes around, right?

Plus, the nearest Tim's was a few blocks away.

She broke off the staring contest, reached int her bag and pulled out another five, noting the sizable dent Jake's window incident had made in her finances. She slapped it on the counter somewhat forcibly. Jaw clenched, she looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry, my finances were a bit strained after paying off a huge maintenance bill this morning."

She turned and walked off (she wanted to storm off, really, but there wasn't much room) to where Ashlee and Kelsey were. "Is my coffee ready?"

Kelsey handed Evelyn her drink and Ashlee flinched.

"Hey listen I didn't mean to get you in trouble with Jake." Ashlee apologized. Feeling guilty that she made things worse.

"There was nothing all that incriminating about that photo," Evelyn replied quietly, checking her coffee's sugar. After a wave at Kelsey, she lowered her voice even though Jake was occupied with a customer, this one of the "blond bombshell" variety she'd told James to go find, ironically enough. "I would have told him where I'd been if he'd asked me, but since he didn't, he can just sulk like a little boy. Asshole," she added audibly enough for him to hear as she headed past him to the exit.

Jake wasn't even paying attention to the girl, he was glaring at Evelyn's head. As he went to go fill out her order.

"You guys are stupid. Just apologize to each other, because this is stupid then." Ashlee stated simply as they left Starbucks.

Evelyn sipped her latte, glad Kelsey had made it. Jake would probably have spit in it. The bastard.

"I'm not apologizing," she said stubbornly. "I didn't do anything wrong, why the hell would I apologize?!"

She glared down at her latte. "And this freaking ten-dollar-latte is tasteless." Her temper simmered at the unfairness. "Can you believe he charged me - ugh."

She stopped mid-rant and a sudden laugh escaped her. "Oh, wow," she said ruefully. "The service in this city sucks when you have history with the servicepeople. Can't buy a freaking skirt or a damn latte without being harassed."

Ashlee just rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you wouldn't have bought that skirt anyway. You know James was just pulling your leg, and you and Jake are just having an argument. And I can see where he got a little sensitive, about the whole James thing. But you're both being ridiculous." Ashlee said sipping her coffee.

"Maybe," Evelyn agreed. She brightened. "You should be proud of me. The old me would have socked Jake when he overcharged me." She and Ashlee reached campus, crossing the quad.

[[Evelyn and Ashlee to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Jake previously...then Evelyn, Ashlee and Seth from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

Jacob had been working, for the afternoon for once it had actually been really slow. Which frustrated him because his boss Jeff made it sound like there were people barreling through the door just to get in and get their coffee.

And the place was like a freaking ghost town. There had only been a few people or so coming in and honestly he could have been doing something much better like studying or something. Whatever kept him away from work.

Kelsey had emerged from the back and saw Jake sitting there looking all grouchy. "Someone tell you you're getting deported Don? You look less chipper than usual."

"Just don't feel like being here, I always feel like I'm getting sucked into work! Like seriously no one else could have come in! Everyone else has shit to do? I bet Danny is just laying on his ass strung out somewhere, and Noah is getting it in the ass somewhere, and you! You're not even doing anything, yet I always have to come in because Eric had to be a moron and get himself fired, and was the only other shift supervisor. So I have to be the only one that picks up the damned slack around this shit hole. So yes excuse me if I'm not chipper!" Jake snapped at Kelsey.

Kelsey narrowed her eyes at Jacob and glared at the Spaniard. "Well excuse us Enrique, if you think you're too good to work here you can always quit. You act like you're the only person who ever comes into work, if anything you spend most of your time calling off of work and you only get the days off because you're higher ranked than me and the others. And the depressive, snappy person around here is me. So quit stealing my thunder."

Jacob rolled his eyes at Kelsey. "Oh come on don't even act like you even enjoy working here! You stand around here moping most of the day, and we all have to pick up your slack! The only reason why you haven't been fired yet was because you were dating Jeff at the time he hired you. You're always all like "Oh working here is such a cliche and we only work to feed to the bigger corporations and have them turn us into slaves of consumer merchandise." bullshit. So if anything I tolerate working here for so long. So if anyone should quit it should be you."

Kelsey let out a small gasp, her eyes widening up at Jake. In all the time she had worked with him. Jacob had never really lost his temper around her, like he had at the other guys. Yeah she might have not liked working at Starbucks, but it was working with Jacob and the other guys that made her want to come into work most days. "You know what I can't work with you like this, so if you're gonna stand here and bitch all day. And since I'm just such a damned nuisance to you, then I'll leave work and you can work alone. You bastard." Kelsey took off her apron and tossed it on the ground. She went to grab her jacket from the back pulling it on and walking out from the front of Starbucks.

***

"Uh its a small town, there's a park there and stuff its really nice. Has hiking trails and stuff its just really relaxing and pretty. Um there's a skating rink I remember. A few things. Its just nice to walk around and stuff. Its not really my hometown either I only lived there for a few years, I'm originally from Michigan." Ashlee added as they walked down the street towards Starbucks.

"I see," Seth said, wondering exactly what kinds of havoc he could wreck on that place. "So Luke and James are natives, so to speak?"

"James came from Chicago, but seeing as his family is in Ash Creek, including hsi aunt and stuff, you could say he might as well be from there. Luke's family is mostly between Ash Creek and Seattle, so he could be classified as a local," Evelyn said absently, puling Nova away from the edge of the sidewalk. "Ash Creek is fun - just gets annoying when everyone knows your name and who you are and stuff."

She reached the doors of Starbucks and Seth pulled one door open, entering and holding it behind him for the girls to pass through.

"Yeah true, news does travel fast around there. But its just nice living there." Ashlee said walking into Starbucks.

Jacob had been standing behind the counter, he had sighed. He hadn't meant to upset Kelsey, but honestly she was just being annoying. She couldn't just leave him alone? Jake had seen a blond head, and knew it to be Seth.

Then he saw two girls one raven haired girl and his eyes locked on a bronze haired girl.

Fuck me.

Was this really happening!? Why was Evelyn here? Why was she coming to this Starbucks out of all the other Starbucks in Manhattan? Why had Seth brought the girls here?

Evelyn's head was bent down, because she was disentangling Nova's leash from Seth's leg - the puppy begna barking excitely for some reason, nose pointed upward to sniff the air and then he shuffled impatiently as she straightened his leash. "Calm down, boy," Evelyn reprimanded him, as Seht let the door swing shut behind him.

"'Sup, bro?" he said cheerfully, walking to the counter, and Evelyn straightened, but before she could take a step, her eyes locked automatically onto a familiar tall figure, dark hair visible clearly even in the dim lighting.

She froze, forgetting to breathe a moment when she met Jake's eyes. Her hold slackened on the leash and the blood rushed from her head, leaving her dazed. Oh no, this is not hapening. He was supposed to be home - why is he - ? Then she saw Seth's expectant grin and realized he'd known Jake was at work.

Nova yanked free of her weakened hold on the leash and darted happily toward Jake, jumping up at him and clinging to his jeans leg as he barked, tail wagging.

Evelyn turned around instantly, toward the doors. No freaking way in hell was she staying here.

Jake looked down at Nova, he really missed the dog. He bent down and picked him up petting his head. He couldn't help but smile a little. Then he remembered that he had been annoyed, "Hey Seth." Jake leaned over the counter and muttered to Seth.

"What is she doing here?" Jake asked, so Evelyn wouldn't hear. As he glanced up at her, seeing Evelyn turn around almost instantly heading out for the door, but Ashlee had blocked her exit.

Ashlee saw Evelyn trying to make a break for it and went to go stand in front of the door. "Come on Ev! I had no idea he was gonna be here, remember in and out! All we have to do is get coffee and leave. Plus Nova is your dog remember? You don't wanna leave him here with Jake do you?" Ashlee said hoping to appeal to Evelyn's odd motherly tendencies to the beagle.

Seth, unlike Jake, didn't lower his voice at all. He leaned his hands on the counter and spoke calmly and loudly, "Why does anyone come to Starbucks, bro? Coffee! Can I get a Venti Vanilla Latte?"

Evelyn gritted her teeth, peeking over her shoulder to see Jake with Nova in his arms, leanign over the counter to talk to Seth - who was looking nonchalant.

She turned back to Ashlee, keeping her voice low. "Fine, you go get Nova and your coffee and I'll wait - outside!"

"Um hello! Jake is a giant! He won't give Nova to me, I'm the enemy here remember? Plus Seth is his best friend, you really think because I was his wife for forty minutes he's gonna fork Nova over to me. Besides its cold outside, so just come on!" Ashlee said, tugging on Evelyn's arm why did life have to be so difficult?!

Jacob glared at Seth, then looked down at Nova. "Hey boy, you know how big the Venti's are? You can practically swim in Seth's drink. I'm sure you're cold, it will be like a coffee jacuzzi for you."

"Oh please," Seth scoffed, mentally dying at the thought of doggy germs in his latte. "You so want to thank me a billion times right now," he went on, lowering his voice even though the girls were clearly occupied. Seth leaned over the counter and winked a laughing blue eye at Jake. "We both know you're just aching to go over there and take her on the floor, so you can cut the angst act now! I see it in your eyes."

Evelyn was grinding her teeth so hard, her jaw ached. She tried to dig her boots into the smooth tiles below her feet, but to no avail, as Ashlee slowly dragged her toward certain doom and humiliation. "I changed my mind! He can keep Nova!" Evelyn hissed in panic. No way she was talking to him! "Ashlee!"

Jacob had set Nova down on the ground and went to wash his hands, when he heard Seth he turned back around and glared at him. "What the fuck Seth!? Seriously why do you always have to butt into everything? Did it ever occur to you that I don't need your fucking help!" He grit his teeth and went to go wash his hands in the back.

"Ev you're being ridiculous, you two practically beat the other to death for that damn dog and now you're getting him back and coffee or my name isn't Ashlee Marie Brooks!" Ashlee strained, dragging Evelyn along like she were trying to drag a boulder around. She had stopped though when she had heard Jake yell at Seth and storm off.

Ashlee's turquoise eyes widened and she looked at Seth. "What happened to him?"

Jacob came back out from the back after having washed his hands and his heartbeat seemed to quicken at the sight of Evelyn. He ignored looking at her and instead looked at Seth. "Seriously dude, it wasn't cool. Its enough you bug me at the dorms, I don't need you here bugging me either."

Seth rolled his eyes. "I wanted a coffee! You can be all dramatic later!"

Evelyn was staring down at the shelves of baked goods instead of at Jake. Nova came trotting around the counter and nudged against her leg. She started, swallowed and tried to ignore the goosebumps trailing down her arms as she crossed them over her chest in a protective gesture.

"What do you guys want?" Seth went on, turning to the girls cheerfully.

Jake groaned leaning back against the counter pulling out his phone to answer a text. Why was Seth being so annoying?

"Uhhh... I'll have a Tall White Chocolate Mocha." Ashlee said meekly, Jake seemed like he was in a pretty bad mood. But Seth was used to this.

Jacob nodded, and flicked his eyes over to Evelyn who was looking at the pastries. He gazed at her for a moment, and shook his head. "What do you want?" He asked flatly.