CHAPTER 3:Latte Confessions and Morning Chaos
1040 Words
NIKLAS' VIEW
It's not always a flex to be a Schneider. Status, attention, and even the occasional free pass are all present, but usually it feels like a burden strapped to my chest. There are expectations everywhere. Here, smile. Win there. Go out with this girl. Stay away from that headline. It wears you out.
I swished the basketball cleanly through the hoop after aiming it and flicking my wrist. The sound I made was therapeutic. That shot? Easy. Those cold blue eyes and that face flash in my mind? Trouble. Caffeine-fuelled, Grade-A, absolute trouble.
"Nice shot, Schneider!" As Finn jogged over and grabbed the rebound before it hit the floor, his voice reverberated throughout the court.
I lunged to steal the ball and said, "Thought you were with Lukas and Tobias," but he quickly turned around, arrogant.
He shrugged and bounced the ball languidly before sinking it once more. "Thought so too," he said.
I squinted. "So, what happened?"
It's Tobias, dude. When a girl enters the picture, he disappears. Most likely, Leona and I were lip-locked behind the art building.
I gave a snort. Numbers. When it came to girls, Tobias had no chills, particularly poisonous ones, like Leona. When she entered a room, drama followed her. To be honest, I was relieved that it wasn't my issue.
"Are you expressing facts, or are you jealous?" I teasingly pretended to be on the left in order to steal the ball.
He sneered, "Please," and spun off. "I've escaped that nightmare. I'm sleeping well now".
"Where is Lukas?"
"Left me and disappeared. Claimed that a time-sensitive matter arose". We'll meet him at the door.
I looked at my watch. At precisely 8:00. Before the typical morning chaos, there is still time to change and rinse off.
"Calm down. I'm going to take a shower. On your way to the vending machine, try not to fall in love.
"No promises," smiled Finn. "Assume I'm cornered by fangirls or abducted by the student council once more if I don't return in five."
After rolling my eyes, I went to the locker room. The usual mayhem was about to break out.
With backpacks all over the place, students yelling, phones flashing, and a throng of girls swarming the school entrance as if we were boy band royalty, it appeared to be a war zone. The same madness every morning.
I'm not allergic to attention; don't get me wrong. However, I also don't live for it. Before it turns into a leash, fame is enjoyable.
As the four of us entered, with Finn drinking some expensive juice, Tobias looking smug, and Lukas now back in, we suddenly stopped.
There was a person on the ground.
She was genuinely a girl. She was kneeling. She was chasing after pens, notebooks, and a rogue lip gloss that had escaped. No one was assisting her, and her rucksack appeared to have exploded. People avoided her as if she didn't exist.
Not us.
Four brand-new Nike trainers came to a halt in front of her mess.
"Are you done yet?" Lukas, obviously over it, barked.
I took a step forward. "Calm down, Lukas." I looked at her after that.
The woman has a brown ponytail. The shoes are blue. The expression on his face was furrowed and irritated. No.
She was the one.
A girl who drinks lattes.
Her eyes met mine as she looked up, and her eyes widened in recognition.
She whispered, "Well, the devil knows himself."
I grinned. She is from Lenz's Kaffeehaus. Before I bought her another latte and left her blushing, the person who split her drink gave me a look as if I had ruined her day.
I said, "I'm no devil," loud enough for her to hear.
Shocks. Whispers. The phones were out already. We simply gave them a front-row ticket to a show that they loved.
"What on earth are you supposed to be?". "Move!" Lukas lost his temper.
She didn't flinch, though, didn't move. simply stared at him as if he were a piece of gum on her shoe.
"Someone's got a temper," she said calmly.
I nearly cheered. The girl was hot.
Lukas snarled, "Next time, try having some manners."
She never missed a beat. "Today, ugly faces weren't on my agenda."
Finn gave a snort. Tobias smiled.
I arched an eyebrow. All right, she requested it.
Is beauty being denied by the devil? "That's new," she continued, tucking a stray pen into her rucksack.
Lukas scoffed. "Beauty without intelligence is nothing more than garbage. You're demonstrating that quickly."
Her smile wavered slightly. The jab was successful. However, she quickly covered it up by spinning around as if she was over it.
"Latte girl?" I yelled.
She stopped. My shoulders tensed. She turned back slowly.
"No. "No, no, no", she muttered to herself, as if I were calling forth a demon.
I grinned more broadly. The same café smirk.
"Latte?" Tobias repeated. Next, Finn. Then Lukas.
"Wait, you two know each other?" With his eyes darting between us as if he were watching a soap opera, Finn inquired.
"Met at Kaffeehaus Lenz," I remarked nonchalantly. "Her latte spilt. I got her another.
Tobias teased, "Romance in aisle five."
"Did he also use napkins to dab at your tears?" Finn chuckled.
"Shut up," she muttered, her face flushed.
Lukas gave an eye roll. "Are we filming a telenovela here, or are you finished with your backpack drama?"
She gave him a fierce look. "I apologise; I had no idea that arrogance could be found in Black trainers."
I chuckled. Quite loudly. Everyone in the hallway was observing, most likely using t****k to stream this.
"Be cautious." She bites" I whispered.
"Noted," Finn said with a laugh.
Like it owed her money, she picked up the last pen and got to her feet. "You're welcome for the amusement."
"Anytime, Latte girl," I replied.
Her small crew, wide-eyed and whispering, finally caught up with her as she began to walk away.
However, I leaned in close enough to hear her as she went by.
"See you around."
Her cheeks flushed. She didn't answer.
I didn't need to.
Since I was aware.
This was not the final instance.
Not even close.
- Writer
