THE LIFE I NEVER EXPECTED

CHAPTER 6 - ONE COFFEE

I decided to do it after last period.

If Ethan really left that note, I wanted to ask him to his face. And if it was a joke from someone else, I wanted to know that too.

The coffee shop is right across from school. The small one with the green sign that all the seniors go to because the school vending machine coffee tastes like plastic.

I stood in line for ten minutes, overthinking everything.

What if he laughs at me? What if he says "What note? I didn't leave any note"? Then I would look like the crazy girl who thinks Ethan Cross likes her.

"Next!" the barista called.

I ordered two iced coffees. One black, no sugar — because somehow I just knew that's what Ethan would drink — and one cookies-and-cream frappe for me, because I am not a black coffee person. I am a sugar person.

With both coffees in a holder, I walked back to school. Ethan's car was still in the parking lot. The black one at the far end. The one everyone knows.

He was leaning against it, backpack over one shoulder, looking at his phone. Alone. No headphones today.

Okay, Mia. You can do this.

I walked up, trying to act normal. My hands were sweating around the coffee holder.

"Ethan?"

He looked up. That same gray-eyed look from the hallway.

"You," he said.

"Me," I said. I held out the coffee holder. "I got this. You know... because of your note."

He frowned a little. He took the black coffee out and looked at it, then at me.

"My note?" he said.

My stomach dropped. Oh no. Oh no no no. It wasn't him.

"The note in my locker," I said quickly. "It said 'You owe me one coffee. - E' So I thought... E is for Ethan?"

He was quiet for a second. Then he took a sip of the coffee. Black, no sugar.

"It is from me," he said finally.

"It is?"

"Yeah." He looked away, like he was a little embarrassed, which was weird because Ethan Cross never looks embarrassed. "You said it at the party. When I was driving you home. You said 'I'll buy you coffee for being my taxi.' You don't remember?"

I stared at him. "I said that?"

"You said a lot of things," he said, and a tiny smile appeared. Not a big smile, just a small one at the corner of his mouth. "Mostly about your bracelet and how you were going to kill Janea for leaving you."

"Oh my God," I whispered, covering my face with my free hand. "I'm so sorry. I was... Sandra said I was dramatic."

"You were," he said. "But you still promised coffee. So I was collecting."

I laughed, finally. A real laugh. The awkward feeling went away a little.

"Okay, well, debt paid," I said. "We are even now. Bracelet for coffee."

"We're even," he repeated, looking at me over his coffee cup. "You actually brought it. I didn't think you would."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Most people would just throw the note away."

Before I could answer, I heard a voice from across the parking lot.

"Mia? Is that you?"

It was Janea. She and Sandra were standing by Mike's car, staring at us with their mouths wide open. Sandra was literally holding her phone up like she was going to record.

Ethan saw them too. He took another sip of his coffee.

"Your fan club is watching," he said quietly.

"They are not — they are just —" I groaned. "I'm going to get teased forever now."

"Get used to it," he said. "After Chloe this morning, the whole school already thinks we're dating."

My head snapped up. "You heard about that?"

"Everyone heard about that. Chloe doesn't whisper."

He pushed off his car. "I should go. Thanks for the coffee, Mia."

"You're welcome... for the coffee you blackmailed me into."

"I didn't blackmail," he said, walking to his car door. "You promised. There's a difference."

He got in his car and drove off, leaving me standing there with my cookies-and-cream frappe.

Janea and Sandra ran over to me in two seconds.

"MIA!!" Janea screamed. "You bought him coffee! You didn't tell us!"

"I was collecting a debt!" I said. "He said I promised at the party!"

"Oh my God, you promised him coffee? While you were drunk? That's so cute!" Sandra grabbed my arm. "What did he say? Did he smile? Did he like it?"

"He drank black coffee. Who even likes black coffee?" I said, trying to act annoyed, but I was smiling.

We started walking home. Well, to my house first, because it's the closest.

My mom's car was in the driveway. 5:30 PM. She was home.

Inside, the house smelled like food. Mom was in the kitchen.

"Hi, sweetie," she said when I came in. "How was school? And whose coffee is that?"

"Just... a friend," I said, putting the frappe down. I didn't want to say Ethan's name because Mom would ask a million questions.

I went to my room and dropped my backpack. My bracelet was on my desk where I left it this morning. I picked it up.

I still don't remember the ride home from the party. I don't remember promising coffee. What else did I say to him that I don't remember?

I took out my phone. One new message in our group chat from Janea:

*Janea: OMG GUYS CHLOE SAW MIA GIVE ETHAN COFFEE IN THE PARKING LOT SHE IS FUMING LOL*

Great. Tomorrow is going to be interesting.

I looked at the empty coffee cup holder on my desk and smiled without meaning to.

Debt paid. But somehow, I felt like I owed him more than just coffee now.

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