“Slate! Let’s go,” somebody yells again.
“Go; I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
He jogs a few steps backwards. “The game?”
“Slate!” the voice booms.
“Go. I’ll look at my schedule.”
“Come,” he says one more time, and then he turns and jogs back over to his teammates. I can’t see them clearly from here, but I watch a few of them give him a hard time. I really hope he doesn’t get into trouble for talking to me. I think about how he said it was worth it as I walk, and I wonder what exactly he meant by that. I still can’t believe Slater Thorne is even talking to me. I’m not sure what alternate universe this is, but it feels...good. Really good. I can’t keep the grin off my face as I walk across campus.
When I get to the coffee shop, I’m out of breath. Evie sees me right away and waves me up to the counter where there’s only a short line. “Hey,” She greets when it’s my turn. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. It's just a longer walk than I realized.”
“Did you walk here from the soccer field?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
“You should have driven here. Slate wouldn’t have minded.”
“And make him walk to his own truck? No way. Now, what’s good? I really gotta move so I’m not late.”
“I’ve got just the drink for you. It’s my own specialty.” Her eyes practically dance with delight, and I can’t help my grin.
“Okay. Hit me.” I pull my wallet out, but she waves me off. “Evie, I told you, you have to let me pay for my own drinks. You can’t keep giving me your free drinks.”
“I’m not,” she argues.
“Evie,” I start.
“No, seriously. I have this.” She waves a card at me too fast for me to see it.
“What is it?” I ask skeptically.
“It’s a gift card, and it’s loaded.” She grins maniacally.
“By you?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. Somebody filled this for you to use every time you come in.”
“Are you messing with me?”
Before she can answer, somebody taps me on the shoulder. “Excuse me, are you going to order?”
“Sorry,” I tell the guy behind me.
I turn back to Evie in time to see her swipe the card. “One specialty coming right up.” She winks at me, and I have no choice but to move away from the counter. I move over to the wall, so I’m out of the way. It also gives me a view of the entire shop. I hear loud giggles coming from the back of the shop and turn to see none other than my suitemates—Faith and Felicia.Unsurprisingly, they have several guys at the table with them, and a few more that look like they wish they could be. Faith looks up and sees me. She whispers something, and soon the entire table laughs. I don’t have to wonder what they’re laughing at; I’d laugh at me too. I have; this outfit is seriously ridiculous. But I get paid, and that’s what counts. “Tessa.”
I turn back to the counter where Evie’s holding a drink and frowning. “Who are they?” she asks, looking behind me.
I don’t have to look back to see who she’s talking about. “Those would be my new suitemates—Felicia and Faith.”
“Well, I don’t like them.” I shrug and take a sip of my iced coffee. I don’t know what kind it is, but it has whipped cream and caramel drizzle. So, I’m all in. I take a sip, and my eyes nearly roll back in my head. “It’s good, right?”
“What is it?” I ask after another sip.
“It’s a honeybun latte.”
