NED

Taking a deep breath, Ned found a table by the wall across from the big window that was dripping with cut out snowflakes and Christmas cards attached to thin twinkling strings. The coffee shop was alive with patrons, who resembled a large pile of clothing at the bottom of a closet, everyone a horde of Christmas sweaters and bundled up clothing for the chilly wind outside. It wouldn't be a white Christmas this year, but the cold wind slicing through Ned's bones made a good argument for one. He wished mother nature would make this cold worth it.

Jazzy Christmas music played over the speakers and the whole place was decked out in lights and tinsel. The little tree on the counter was decorated with mini coffee mugs.

Ned took a second to soak it all in.

These were the last few days of the Christmas season and soon, he'd have to wait a whole other year to enjoy it. A smile appeared on his face as he did a little people watching. Not to sound like a knock off Michael Bublé, but there was something magical about this time of year.

"It's freezing right here," a girl by the window complained. She wasn't exactly dressed for the weather as cool as she looked. Style over practicality. She sat across from another girl the same age, who rolled her eyes. 

On the surface, they looked like two opposites, one tall girl with fiery red hair and an eclectic Christmas wardrobe with actual ornaments sewed to her sweater while the shorter girl wore all muted colors: gray and black with a super short black bob.

"What do you want me to do?" The bobbed girl asked. "There's no other seats."

"Um," Ned spoke up. He half smiled and raised his hand like he meant well and hated interrupting them. "If you'd like, we can switch?"

"Sure!" The red head brightened. 

"Oh, no," the other disagreed. "You don't have to do that."

"No, no," Ned insisted. He was already picking up his stuff to move. "It's okay. I run hot, so a little chill sounds nice."

That wasn't exactly true, but the girls bought it and felt good about switching. Like they said, Ned felt a chill emanating from the window. He rubbed his hands up and down his jeans, taking deep steadying breaths. Hopefully, Griffin wouldn't mind keeping his jacket on. 

Ned's nerves were going nuts, bouncing out of him like stray sparklers. He was acting like he was sitting at the tippy top of the tallest roller coaster in the world and not facing only a peppermint mocha and some small talk.

With free hands, he pulled out his phone and glanced at his list of possible topics for the date. Just in case things got too stale or quiet:

1. Ask Griffin about his family

2. Ask Griffin about the kinds of movies he liked

3. Ask Griffin about his favorite places around town

(Last resort: college choices)

It was only 5:25PM. He was a little early because he wanted to make sure they had a table. Worst case scenario they drive a couple of minutes down the road and walk around the outdoor mall. Ned's stomach was still twisting. In a few minutes, he'd juice enough anxiety to fill a pitcher.

He could hear Lena's voice in his head, "Relax, Ned. You'll worry yourself sick."

Ned nodded as if she was there.

He hoped on Instagram to fill some time, watching Indie's story as they heckled the way Lena was baking cookies. The rest of their story was about getting ready for another Christmas party later. In true Indie fashion, they wore a suit set with a belt to cinch them in and it was made out of those sequins that change colors depending on which way they're fixed. The colors went from red to green. Indie put up a poll asking if a Santa hat or reindeer antlers worked better.

Ned clicked on the Santa hat, finding himself in the happy majority.

On Lena's story, Ned watched a sped up timelapse of her preparing the cookies. She put up a boomerang of her and her stepmom clinking two mugs full of hot chocolate. Then, a horde of selfies with the new filter to exasperate her stepmom.

5:30PM.

Ned glanced at the door.

No sign of Griffin yet.

#

SAM

Squeezing his eyes, Sam adjusted to his contacts. He took a step back and wondered why he chose violence today. The guy in the mirror had nicely styled his curls to the side and he wore a whole suit with a belt and everything. He looked like he was trying to hard. Sam grimaced like he had a stomachache.

"Don't make that face!" Margaret griped, smacking Sam's arm. "You look good! Just admit it." She was perched on top of the bathroom counter with her stick legs in the sink. Not quite dressed yet, still wearing some leggings and one of her over-sized t-shirts. She had her mouth open as she applied her eyeliner and mascara. "Sam Hayes. You're good looking  and make great money working at dad's office part-time. If you wanted, you could have your pick of boyfriend."

"But I don't want to and you know I don't have time," Sam said and it wasn't a full lie. Sam Hayes lived a secret second life behind his parent's back. He did everything his parents wanted like join the debate team, and take piano lessons, and in ex-change, he made them the happiest he'd ever seen them, but for Sam it was the time that he spent in book club that made him the happiest. It was sneaking out and enjoying movie marathons at Lena and Indie's house. It was Ned that made him happy. 

Sam had to keep his happiness hidden like a dragon to their horde in beautiful piles that no one else was allowed to see. 

"Yes, you do. You just have bad taste."

Sam shook his head. "Why don't you like Ned? I get our parents, but what has Ned ever done to you?"

"Ned flowers is an idiot and a coward. I've never liked him, but remember that time he rear ended my car, he just left. Literally fled the scene. I knew he was trash."

"That was—first of all, that was an accident and he left to grab a teacher!"

"Remember why he rear-ended me? He was texting Lena."

"Because her mom was back in town, and she's always had a weird relationship with her mom. His foot slipped. Maggie, he meant well, and he did apologize—"

"Well, him meaning well cost me a couple grand." Sam's father poked his head into the bathroom. He was so obviously their father. The same brown curls, but with swirls of grey, glasses, and a lithe frame. He just had a thick mustache and crow's feet. Usually, at this time of day, he'd be dressed in his old pajama bottoms and his old sweatshirt from college, but he agreed to drive Sam and his sister to this party.

"That family brings nothing but misfortune. The only reason Andrew Flowers even bought the house across the street was because he saw your mother and I looking at it first. Never forget that you could've had a basement bedroom and that family took it from you."

Sam boiled, steam billowing out of his ears. He could just rip his hair out. That had nothing to do with Ned, but it didn't matter. All Ned had to do was breathe and say that oxygen was meant for the Hayes family. The Flowers were always going to be a family of crooks to them.

"By the way, where'd that bookshelf in your room come from?"

"Oh, uh—" Sam crossed his arms and pretended to look as casual as possible. "Mrs. Dawson had a yard sale. Lena and Indie helped me bring it in."

Margaret rolled her eyes.

Their dad nodded in approval. "Well, alright, but you should really think about donating some books. there's no way you're gonna read all that junk."

Junk was high fantasy novels, science fiction, mysteries, and a slew of other fiction from all genres, ages, and sizes. 

Neither of Sam's parents knew he had a library card for multiple counties. They weren't aware Sam actually read around two or three books a week. 

If they knew, they'd only be disappointed.

Their dad said, "I'm gonna watch a little more of that cult documentary with your mom and finish my sudoku. Call me when you're ready to leave."

"Thanks, dad," the twins said.

After a beat when the sound of their father's rickety bones were a distant memory, Margaret raised her glare at him. "You should've just told him. If you finally start rebelling, maybe I can be the favorite."

"You're already the favorite. But not in those shoes. Do you have no other shoes?"

"What?" She glanced at the black slip-ons thrown lazily in the corner, underneath her maroon party dress. "What's wrong with these?"

"They look like you're going to sell me cookies. I wouldn't even want to do anything in those shoes. I wouldn't even want to trek through the mud or die in those shoes."

Margaret rolled her eyes again and muttered under her breath, "So dramatic." Sighing louder this time, she snapped a fierce look at him and stated, "Fine. Go grab something from mom's closet, but..." She whirled around and hopped off the counter. "But let's take a picture first!"

"Fine."

Taking selfies was not the hill he was going to die on. It was after all the least Sam could do for everything Margaret did for him tonight and what she'd probably continue to have to do. Sam assumed the picture taking position at her side and tilted his head. He smiled a little goofy and put up a peace sign because he didn't know what else to do with his hands. Margaret posed with her foot kicked up.

"Thank you," Margaret sang on Sam's way out.

#

NED

Margaret's feed popped up next and after a dozen about her day around the house, one of Sam popped up. He was fussing with his curls. The next one, he was trying to put his contacts in with a caption from Margaret: "Should I be worried? Is he gonna poke his eye out?"

The next shot was of Sam barreled over in what looked like prayer before he was trying to do it again. This time, it was a video of him crying and Margaret cackling in the background. "Just put them in you blind bitch!"

Ned's chest clenched. In a weird way, he wanted to be there. It looked like so much fun.

Ned glanced back up, around the cafe and then back down to a mirror selfie with them both. Sam used his standard pose. The caption this time read: "The twins on the prowl. Watch out."

Sitting back, Ned dropped his phone face down. He took a deep breath. Two girls at the table beside him snapped their heads at him and Ned sat back up, awkwardly smiling and nodding like he didn't just black out for two seconds. He summoned all his power to look like a regular person and decided he needed coffee and he couldn't wait for Griffin anymore. Leaving his jacket on the table, Ned got in line.

"Oh, Ned," the barista exclaimed and Ned jumped, realizing it was Jason, Lena's boyfriend and resident man made of sunshine with a smile so big and wonderful his eyes disappeared. His qualifications for Lena's boyfriend included: Enjoys the same stuff, cool with Ned being the third wheel sometimes and he orders all food and isn't afraid to speak to service staff.

Ned forgot about the part about him having a super cool job like this. He wore a little Santa Hat and a scarf made of tinsel. He said, "I'm surprised you're here! I figured you'd be making cookies with Lena tonight."

"Oh, no!" Ned's face was already flushed. "I'm actually on a date."

Jason's eyebrows flew up his forehead. "Really? Anyone I know?"

"Do you know Griffin?"

"The name sounds familiar, but that's awesome man." He rang Ned's order up and asked, "When's he coming? I can bring over some cake pops."

"5:30."

Jason glanced at the clock and an unreadable expression flickered across his face. He smiled, but it wasn't as shiny and blinding as usual. He nodded and said, "Okay cool. I'll bring some around when he gets here."

"Thanks, man."

Ned walked back to his table and settled down to wait for his coffee. He decided to take off his coat and drape it over the back. His phone buzzed and he jumped to answer it, but it was just some message from Pizza Hut about a dinner deal. Then, Ned noticed the time.

5:40PM.

Griffin must be running a little late.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello! Hello! Seems like it's gonna be a busy night... hope nothing happens to derail it for everyone... 👀

Hope you liked the chapter! Let me know what you think! And tell me how you prepare for dates? Do you come up with a list of topics too? Do you get super nervous (like me)? And what do you think about Sam's dad? Is it fair for him to dislike Ned? 

See you soon with another update! 💗