Chapter 4
1537 Words
Tamara's POV
The morning air bit into my skin the second I stepped outside.
I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, silently cursing myself for thinking a thin sweater would be enough to keep out the chill. My breath puffed out in small clouds, and each gust of wind sank into my bones. If I hadn’t already been running late, I would’ve turned back for a coat. Instead, I hugged myself tighter and powered through, the campus buzzing with other students bundled up properly in jackets, scarves, even beanies. Meanwhile, I was the i***t in just jeans and a sweater, trembling like a leaf.
By the time I reached the Psychology building, I felt like a human popsicle. The warmth inside wrapped around me instantly, chasing goosebumps off my arms and spreading heat back into my frozen limbs. I stopped near the doorway to rub my hands together, desperate to coax some life into my fingers before class.
The lecture hall was already filling, louder than Monday. My first two days of college had been… fine, I guess. Yesterday was brutal, though... Biology and Calculus, both boring enough to put me in a coma. Psych was the only class I was actually excited about, the one that made me feel like maybe I belonged here.
I scanned the room for a seat that would strike the right balance between “I’m approachable” and “I’m not trying too hard.” Before I could decide, a hand waved from a few rows down. My chest lifted when I recognized him.
Pen Guy.
The grin crept across my face before I could stop it. I weaved down the row until I reached his side, and he patted the chair next to him like he’d been saving it for me.
“Hey, Pen Guy,” I teased as I slid into the seat.
He gasped dramatically, clutching his chest like I’d shot him. “Pen Guy? That’s all I get? After I swooped in and saved you from certain note-taking disaster, I expected at least flowers. Or coffee.” His lips curved into a smug grin, mischief sparkling in his eyes.
I laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. To my horror, he toppled sideways right out of his seat, sprawling on the floor in a heap.
My jaw dropped. “Oh my god... are you alright-”
Every head in the lecture hall turned our way. Conversations hushed, eyes stared. My skin burned as Pen Guy groaned dramatically from the floor.
“And violent, too,” he called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. “What did I ever do to deserve this abuse?”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Get up! People are staring!” I hissed, ducking my head.
He clambered back into his chair with zero shame, leaning close enough that I felt his breath tickle my ear. “I’ll stop… if you agree to do me a favor.”
My stomach dipped. A favor. Great. I’d read enough romance novels to know where that line usually led, and if he thought I was that kind of girl, he had another thing coming.
“Nope. I don’t even know your name, and I’m not doing anything for you. Now sit down.”
His smirk widened, and I just knew he was about to say something humiliatingly loud again. Desperate, I slapped my palm over his mouth, whispering frantically, “Fine! Okay! I’ll do it. Just shut up.”
His shoulders shook with silent laughter beneath my hand. When I pulled away, he grinned so wide it showed off the dimples in both cheeks. God help me, those dimples almost made me forget I’d just been blackmailed into owing him. Almost.
“Great,” he said easily, holding out a hand. “By the way, I’m Cooper.”
I blinked. “Tamara. But… most people call me Tammie.”
His laughter rang out again, light and genuine. “Well, Tammie, I guess you can retire ‘Pen Guy’ now.”
The professor entered before I could answer, saving me from more embarrassment. I dug out my notebook and three backup pens—lesson learned. The scratch of pens on paper filled the hall as the lecture began.
But Cooper wasn’t done.
Out of nowhere, twenty pens clattered onto my desk. Some rolled onto my lap, others skittered across the floor, the noise echoing through the lecture hall like gunfire. I froze in horror.
The professor paused mid-sentence, eyes flicking our way, before resuming like nothing happened. Still, half the class was glaring at me.
Cooper just shrugged, the picture of innocence. “What? I wanted to make sure you never run out again.”
I scooped the pens up as fast as I could, cheeks flaming. Outwardly, I muttered about him being insufferable. Inwardly… I was fighting a smile. His antics were annoying, sure, but they made me laugh in spite of myself.
Maybe, just maybe, I liked having him around.
---
By the time class ended, I was ready to escape before he could cause another scene. I stuffed my notebook into my bag, muttered a quick goodbye, and headed for the door.
But Cooper wasn’t finished with me yet.
Before I’d made it down the steps, his hand slipped into mine. My pulse jolted as he tugged me toward the exit.
“Um—Cooper? What are you doing?”
“You still owe me that favor,” he sing-songed, tugging harder.
Panic spiked through me, and I yanked my hand free, taking a step back. “No. I don’t… I won’t—”
His brows knitted, confusion flickering over his face. Then his expression softened, and he stepped toward me like you would toward a spooked animal.
“I was just taking you to get coffee.”
My jaw nearly hit the floor.
“Oh.”
And then realization slammed into me like a freight train. Oh god. I’d thought—
The smirk returned to his face, wicked this time. “Wait. Did you think I was trying to—” His laughter exploded before he could even finish. Not a chuckle. Not a giggle. A full-blown cackle that drew stares from every student still in the room.
Mortified, I crossed my arms and scowled while he doubled over, wiping tears from his eyes.
“I—can’t—believe—you thought—” He gasped between laughs. “Tammie, I’m gay. Like, very, very gay. And in a relationship.”
The embarrassment hit so hard I thought I might combust on the spot. I dragged a hand down my face, wishing the floor would swallow me. “Oh my god…”
He grinned at me like my humiliation was the best entertainment he’d had all week. “Relax. If it helps, I’m flattered you thought I was trying to drag you off somewhere scandalous.”
I groaned. “You’re insufferable.”
“Maybe. But my boyfriend thinks I’m hilarious.” Cooper winked. “Speaking of—this coffee thing? It’s for him. He was worried I wouldn’t make friends, so I told him I did. You’re my proof.”
The knot of embarrassment in my chest loosened a little. I found myself smiling, despite the mortification still sizzling in my veins. “So, I’m your decoy friend.”
He shook his head. “Nope. You’re my actual friend now. My best friend here, in fact. You’re not getting rid of me. Who else am I supposed to mooch pens off of?”
I laughed then—really laughed, the sound surprising even me.
On the walk to Ken's, Cooper kept me talking about coffee. My favorite drinks, secret menu hacks, the smell of fresh beans. By the time we reached the café, I wasn’t shivering anymore.
But something else had taken root in me.
Nerves. Excitement.
My stomach fluttered as we approached the door, an almost electric energy buzzing under my skin.
It wasn’t just about coffee anymore. Something told me this stop would change everything.
And I had no idea how right I was.
The moment we stepped into Ken’s, the rich, comforting scent of freshly ground coffee beans enveloped me like a warm blanket. My eyes fluttered shut without permission, my senses reaching out to savor it fully. Coffee has always felt like a kind of safe place to me, sharp, bitter, yet sweet when you need it. If peace had a smell, this would be it.
“Smells good, doesn’t it?” Cooper nudged me with his elbow, a little smirk tugging at his lips.
I nodded, still caught in the aroma. “Like paradise,” I murmured, half to myself.
We moved toward the counter, but it was empty, no barista in sight. Probably in the back brewing another pot or stocking pastries. While we waited, Cooper leaned closer and lowered his voice.
“My boyfriend and his friend are sitting on the other side,” he said, jerking his chin toward the far corner.
I turned my head, expecting to see just a couple of guys sipping lattes. Instead, my gaze landed on him.
And just like that, the entire room faded.
- Writer
