Chapter 7: Mind If I Tag Along?

After lunch, we all headed back to our respective classes. As usual, Jake was right behind me, his easy stride matching my pace. 

I glanced at him as we walked. “Do you always follow people around like this?” 

He chuckled softly, his dimples flashing. “Only when they’re interesting.” 

I rolled my eyes but didn’t bother replying. There was no point in arguing with him; he seemed to have made up his mind about sticking close to me. 

By the time we reached the classroom, most of the seats were already taken. I went straight to my usual spot at the back, and, unsurprisingly, Jake slid into the seat beside me without a word. 

The professor began the lecture, their voice droning on about algorithms and optimization techniques, but I couldn’t concentrate. My mind kept wandering back to lunch. 

Someone he liked, but never knew their name…

The words echoed in my head, twisting and turning into something I couldn’t quite grasp. The feeling that followed was even worse... like an itch I couldn’t scratch, a memory that danced just out of reach. It was maddening. 

I stared at my notebook, trying to focus on the professor’s words, but the sentences blurred together. I couldn’t shake the strange sense of familiarity Jake’s story had stirred in me. 

“Hey.” 

I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing Jake was leaning slightly toward me, his voice low enough not to disturb the class. 

“You okay?” he asked, his eyes scanning my face with a hint of concern. 

“Yeah,” I muttered, flipping a page in my notebook even though I hadn’t written anything. “Just… tired.” 

Jake didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press the issue. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting back to the front of the room. 

I tried to focus again, but it was no use. My thoughts kept circling back to Jake, to the way he’d spoken about that person from his past, and to the strange, unshakable feeling that I knew exactly what he meant. 

Class ended before I even realized it, and as I gathered my things, Jake stood up beside me, waiting like he always did. 

“You seem out of it today,” he said as we walked out of the classroom together. 

I shrugged, not trusting myself to say more. How could I explain something I didn’t even understand? 

Whatever was happening, one thing was clear: Jake’s presence wasn’t just throwing off my routine... it was digging up emotions and memories I hadn’t felt in years. And I had no idea what to do about it.

The day dragged on, and by the time our classes were over, I was exhausted. Jake and I left the building together, walking side by side in silence. The quiet between us was heavy, and I could tell he was feeling it too.

Jake cleared his throat, breaking the awkwardness. “So… is it always this quiet between us, or am I just bad company?”

I glanced at him, surprised by the question. “It’s not you. I’m just… not much of a talker.”

He smirked. “Noted. Guess I’ll have to do all the talking, then.”

I didn’t respond, but his attempt to ease the tension made me feel a little less awkward.

As we walked further, I suddenly turned onto a side street, heading away from the direction of the house.

“Uh, Aiden?” Jake called out from behind me. “You know the house is that way, right?”

I stopped and turned to him. “I’m not going home yet. I have a part-time job at the cafe nearby.”

His eyes lit up with interest. “A cafe? You didn’t mention that.”

I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. Just something to pass the time.”

Jake jogged to catch up with me. “Mind if I tag along?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Why? It’s just a café. I’ll be working, and you’ll be bored.”

He grinned, unfazed. “I’ll sit there like any other customer. Order some coffee, maybe a slice of cake. I promise I won’t bother you.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. The idea of him hanging around while I worked felt strange, but he didn’t seem like he was going to take no for an answer.

“Fine,” I muttered. “But don’t make a scene, okay?”

Jake held up his hands in mock surrender, his dimples showing as he smiled. “Scout’s honor.”

We continued walking, the café coming into view as the sun began to set. I couldn’t help but wonder why Jake was so intent on tagging along. But a part of me, the part that had been feeling strangely drawn to him, didn’t entirely mind.

We arrived at the café, and as soon as we stepped through the door, Alex, one of my coworkers, waved at me from the counter. "Hey, Aiden! You’re here!"

“Hey, Alex,” I greeted him with a nod, trying not to feel too out of place with Jake following me.

Jake, ever the easygoing guy, flashed Alex a casual smile before heading to an empty table near the window. He didn’t seem fazed by anything. In fact, he looked oddly comfortable in the unfamiliar setting.

I made my way to the employee room to change into my work uniform. It wasn’t anything fancy... just a black shirt with the cafe’s logo and some dark jeans. I tried to shake off the strange feeling that was creeping over me. The idea of Jake sitting there, watching me work, was making my mind race.

When I finally returned to the main area, I walked over to Jake’s table. He was sitting back, sipping a glass of water, and looking out the window as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

As I approached, he turned his head toward me, his signature smile already in place. That smile. The one that always seemed to make my heart skip a beat, even though I couldn’t explain why.

I cleared my throat, trying to focus on the task at hand. "What can I get for you?"

Jake’s smile widened as he looked up at me, his dimples deepening. “Hmm… I’ll have... A cappuccino, and maybe a slice of the chocolate cake today.”

“Got it,” I replied quickly, turning away to walk to the counter. But as I moved, I couldn’t shake the feeling that his gaze was still on me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I tried to push the feeling down, focusing on getting his order, but I couldn’t help the way my heart was racing. Every time Jake smiled at me, it felt like the world had slowed down, and I was the only one who noticed.

When I brought his order over, I placed the cappuccino and cake in front of him, doing my best to keep my composure. “Here you go.”

He looked up at me, still smiling, but this time there was something different in his expression. Like he could tell something was off.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just been a long day, I guess."

Jake didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t push me. Instead, he simply took a sip of his cappuccino, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I get it. Work can do that to you.”

The way he said it, so understanding, made my chest tighten. It was like he saw right through the mask I was putting on.

I walked back to the counter, my mind racing. What was wrong with me? Why did Jake’s presence make my heart race like this? I had to figure it out before I completely lost my composure around him. But one thing was certain: there was something between us that I couldn’t explain, and it was only getting harder to ignore.

After two long hours, my shift finally ended. I felt the familiar relief of clocking out, but the strange tension from earlier still lingered in my chest. Jake had finished his coffee and cake long ago and was now sitting back, relaxed, watching me as I worked. I didn’t know why, but his quiet presence was both comforting and unsettling at the same time.

We walked out of the café together, the evening air cool against my skin. I was exhausted, but there was something about the walk home that felt different with Jake beside me.

As we strolled down the street, Jake broke the silence. “So, what do you want for dinner tonight? I can make something if you’re up for it.”

I glanced at him, surprised. "You’re still offering to cook after all that?"

He shrugged, a teasing grin on his face. “What can I say? Cooking’s kind of my thing.”

I wasn’t sure why, but something about his casual demeanor made me relax. “I don’t know… I’m pretty tired, honestly. I might just grab something quick.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. “Come on, I promise I won’t burn anything this time.”

I chuckled despite myself. “You didn’t burn anything last time.”

“I know,” he said, his voice playful. “But I’ll make it even better tonight. Trust me.”

I thought about it for a moment. I didn’t feel like ordering takeout tonight, and there was something reassuring about having him cook again. “Alright,” I finally said, “but you’re on the hook for dinner if it’s bad.”

Jake laughed, his eyes sparkling in that way that made my heart do weird things. “Deal.”

We continued walking, the familiar streets of our neighborhood stretching out before us. But as we neared the house, I realized something. Jake had become an almost constant presence in my life, and while part of me was still unsure about what that meant, I didn’t mind it as much as I thought I would. Maybe there was something more to this than I was ready to admit.

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