“I’ll have a caramel latte, please,” she says, fishing her wallet out of her bag as the barista taps the order into the register.
Before she can swipe her card, I step up beside her. “Matcha latte,” I add quickly, pulling out my debit card.
Alli frowns, glancing over at me. “Wait, what are you doing?”
I ignore her, handing my card to the barista. “I’ve got it.”
She blinks, clearly taken aback. “Jared, you don’t have to—”
“It’s fine,” I cut her off, giving the barista a nod as he processes the payment. “Consider it a gift from me.”
Alli opens her mouth to protest but stops, her expression relaxing as she tucks her wallet back into her bag. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
I grin. “I’ve been told.”
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a smile tugging at her lips as we step away from the counter, waiting for our drinks.
“So,” I say as I walk up next to her, “my game is coming up.”
“I wouldn’t have known with all the banners across campus with your face plastered on them.”
“Gorgeous, right?”
She huffs out a laugh, giving me another eye roll.
“Anyway,” I fish out one of my extra jerseys from my bag, “you’ll need this for the game. Can’t let my girl go empty-handed.”
Her fingers linger against mine as she takes the jersey, and for a beat, everything around us fades. She meets my gaze, eyes wide, as if the touch took her by surprise.
“Thanks,” she says, folding it neatly before slipping it into her bag. “I’ll cherish it forever.”
I laugh, a soft chuckle escaping me. “You better. That’s top-quality fabric right there.”
She quirks an eyebrow, her smirk growing. “Oh, really? Should I frame it instead? Maybe auction it off?”
“Nah.” I shrug, keeping it casual. “It’s yours to keep.” The words come out light, but they land between us, heavier than I meant. There’s something about handing over that jersey that feels bigger, like an unspoken claim.
Alli raises an eyebrow, her expression shifts for a split second before she clears her throat. “You know, if I wear this, people will ask if we’re dating… since we… you know, haven’t said much.”
I step a little closer, my voice drops. “Let them ask.”
Her breath hitches slightly, but she quickly recovers, tilting her head as she looks up at me. “What makes you so sure I’ll even wear it?”
I lean in, close enough that her breath brushes against my skin. “Because let’s be real, you can’t resist me.”
She laughs, giving me a gentle shove but staying close enough that our shoulders brush. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you love it,” I say, throwing her a wink.
Her gaze holds mine a beat longer than usual, the giddiness slowly fading. Just as I start to feel its weight, our drinks are called, snapping us back to the present.
We grab our cups, and stepping outside, we’re hit by a breeze that makes me turn to ask if she’d like my hoodie. She just smiles at me, then shakes her head. We walk side by side, a quiet settling between us. I can’t help but glance at her out of the corner of my eye, wondering if she feels it too.
As we reach her building, she turns to me, her smile warm and genuine. “Thanks for the coffee and the jersey.”
“Anytime, Bob the Builder,” I tease, giving her a mock salute.
She laughs, shaking her head as she steps backward toward the entrance. “Good luck with the game, Collins.”
