"Hey!" I exclaim as Clyde and I walk into the café, waving to our friends.
Rider, who is sitting in an arm chair with Amelia on his lap, is the only one who waves back at us. Everyone else's hands are too occupied with their drinks.
"Hey," Tristan says around his mouthful of blueberry muffin.
"We're gonna go order and then we'll come sit down," Clyde nods toward the counter and leads me over to it.
Just as Clyde begins ordering his drink, the bell over the door rings, marking the arrival of another customer. I glance behind us just in time to see Ashley waving towards me as she and Parker enter the café. I wave back and then turn my attention to the menu and placing my order.
"So an iced chocolate coconut mocha," The employee says back.
Clyde nods, "yes."
"And I'll have a carmel macchiato with extra carmel," I request.
"Extra sweet too or just extra carmel?" The employee looks up from the computer screen.
"Just carmel, lots of carmel," I laugh nervously, "drown the drink in carmel."
The employee laughs, "that's how I like it too."
We pay using my card and he hands me a five.
"Thanks," I shove the five into my wallet with my card as we walk towards the group.
"Is your friend coming?" Ashley asks.
"Yeah, she said she's on her way," I pull my phone out of my pocket, checking my messages.

Aubrey: down the street
Me: sweet

Clyde and I sit down on the couch with Ashley and Parker on it. The blue-grey fabric has a hint of softness on my bare lower legs where my dress doesn't reach.
While situating myself, I pull lightly at the end of my deep red dress, a simple summer-y dress I had found at the mall last time I went shopping.
Kaitlin takes a long sip of her coffee, it must be hot because I can see the steam rising from the cup as she removes it from her lips, "I can't believe our Junior year is going to be over in just a few months."
We all nod.
"We'll be graduating next year," Ashley points out.
I nod quickly, "Thankful-" I'm broken off by the bell over the door as Aubrey walks into the café.
I hop up from my seat beside Clyde and head over to Aubrey.
I follow Aubreys eyes as she glances to the direction I had came from, "am I the last one here?" She asks.
"Yeah-" I break off.
"I hate being the last one anywhere," Aubrey says with a disgusted tone, fidgeting with the bottom of her dark purple shirt.
"If it makes you feel any better, Ashley and Parker only just got here a few minutes ago, they haven't even gotten their drinks yet," I shrug.
"Speaking of," Aubrey begins walking towards the counter, her tall block heeled boots squeaking quietly as she walks.
I stand by her as she orders her blended, chocolate filled, coffee, and wait with her until her drink is ready.

Once we sit down, Me beside Clyde and Aubrey beside me all squished onto the couch with Ashley and Parker, we begun discussing our classes and what we hope to take next year.
Aubrey was the youngest of us, though only by a few months, so she was still a Sophmore this year. She would be a Junior next year, which means that after next year I'd be leaving her behind in high school.
"I really want to get into art," Kaitlin says.
"Its a good class," I nod, I can feel both Clyde and Aubrey staring at me as I speak, "I like it."
Kaitlin nods, glancing to her brother, "Kev is in Yellowstone's first period pottery class and he likes that."
"Oh, cool!" I say.
I had never taken a pottery class before, but I think it would be fun to try.
"I took pottery sophomore year," Clyde nods, "it's a good class."
Aubreys elbow brushes my arm as she readjusts her shirts neckline and I scoot slightly towards Clyde.
Kevin nods, adjusting himself on the cushion of the greenish couch he, Kaitlin, and Owen are sitting on across from us, "I have a bunch of stuff I've made in that class. I took it one semester last year too."
We continue talking about the various electives offered at our school when Jasper pipes in with a suggestion.
"I think the school should have a geology class," he says.
"That'd be cool!" Ashley nods.
"We had Geology at my old school," I glance between Jasper and Ashley, "my brother is in Geology."
"You have a brother?" Rider asks.
I nod, "three sisters and a brother."
"Huh," Rider nods once, "cool."
"One of the twins told her brother she and I were dating and he decided he had to meet me," Clyde laughs, rolling his eyes.
I roll my eyes as well, "I'm starting to think they told him that on purpose."
The group laughs and I feel Aubreys arm brush against mine again and I glance to Clyde.
The group sits and talks for at least another hour before finally breaking up and heading our separate ways.

~•~•~•~•~•~

Later that night, I'm laying in bed on my phone.

Aubrey: my family has decided that we're going to buy a peice of land in Arizona!
Me: Whoa
Aubrey: yeah! We chose a spot already, so we just have to pay for it and get blue prints for a house!
Me: neat!
Aubrey: my parents are headed to look at the property and place an offer rn
Me: oh wow, nice
Aubrey: so I'm here alone with my grandparents and my brother

Aubrey, like Kaitlin and Kevin, is a twin. She's older than her brother by nine minutes, which she holds over his head constantly.

Aubrey: I'm going to go to bed now
Me: good idea, I should too lol
Me: good night
Aubrey: night