“Mind if I join you while I take my break?” I ask as I slide into the seat across from Gage. “Not at all, I was hoping I would get more of a chance to talk to you if I stopped by. Both of us were a bit busy last night.” We sat there for most of my break and got to know each other. I told him how I had been attending classes at the community college back home through dual enrollment for my junior and senior years and even the summer before I moved here. I actually had enough credits to technically be considered a sophomore and a half and had all of my prerequisites out of the way for the nursing program that I had been accepted to.
I learned Gage was starting his third year in the law program and had earned a full scholarship to the university through grades and that he was currently living in the frat house that was right next to Ally’s sorority house where the party was held the night before. He shrugs as he tells me this. “Not my first choice to live with a bunch of guys but my dad really pushed me into joining as soon as I got to campus.”
I tuck a loose strand of hair back into my ponytail, "Well it could be worse you could be stuck at one of the dorms. Me and Ally have our own apartment, it’s pretty refreshing to have a space I can do with what I want, well for the most part.” If Ally had it her way every wall would be a different color and she would probably let Caleb help her with some of his finger-paints. He finishes up his yogurt that I had brought over while we chatted and sets his spoon down. “Is Ally the girl from the party, she seemed to be pretty wild."
"Yeah she makes life interesting; we've been best friends since high school. It’s nice to know at least one person here, this is such a big campus.” I drain the last of my coffee and start to stand, stretching my legs. “Well I need to get back to work, my shift ends at 11:30 and then I have to head over to the bookstore to grab a couple of things before classes start tomorrow.”
"Sure,” as he reaches into his back pocket for his wallet and lays out money for his check. “Look I know we haven't really known each other for that long but I was wondering if I would be able to take you out sometime. I could show you around the town a bit." I glance over and smile down at his turquoise eyes. He looks so nervous just by asking me out on a simple date, surely with his looks he’s had plenty of dates.
“I’m not really looking to date right now Gage but we can hang out as friends."
“Friends?” he asks in a questioning tone before plastering a small smile onto his face. “Um sure that would be cool. We’ll hang out soon then.”
After handing Gage his change and him adding his number to my phone, we make plans to meet up for coffee in between classes on Thursday. Remy walks over to the counter where I'm counting out my tips before punching out for the day. “So. Spill,” she anxiously says. “Simmer down girl, he’s just a guy. Besides we’re just going to be friends, he was cool with it." I say as I shove my tips into my pouch. Not bad for the first day on my own. She rolls her eyes at me, "Oh please Leah. Friends with a guy like that?”
“Well, whatever." I toss my apron into the dirty pile and grab my purse. “A few friends in my life to have a little bit of fun with won’t hurt. And if he can’t deal with that, oh well his loss.” Remy twirls a loose strand around her finger while she leans across the counter, “Yeah I would really like to have some fun with Gage. He looks a little Richie Rich for my taste but god those eyes!" Laughing, I turn and yell back over my shoulder. “See ya Remy!"
I head home and pick up Caleb from Ally who heads back to bed as soon as she’s relieved of babysitting duties. “I need to pick up a few things buddy and then we can go grab some lunch, sound good?” I cram his feet into his light up shoes that he’s so proud to show off to anyone who will watch and grab his bag. “’Kay, can we have skettie?” “Sure thing dude, sounds yummy.”
After clicking him into his car seat, we head back towards campus and pick up the last of my books that I needed. Luckily I had a bit in savings but that was going to quickly dwindle with the high cost of books and everything else I needed to take care of Caleb. The end of my schooling could not come soon enough.
Chapter 6
Leah
The next few weeks fly by as I’m kept busy with my hectic schedule of work, school, and juggling Caleb into the mix. Caleb adjusted really quickly with going to preschool and daycare and of course the teachers love him, he’s everyone’s little sweetheart. He picked up pretty quickly from the other kids the word Mommy that he hadn’t really heard before and I really wasn’t sure how I felt about the new title I had been labeled with, but I guess if it made Calebs life easier I could deal with it. He doesn’t need to know that his real mom ditched him.
“Mommy can you turn Diego on for me?” He asks as he wraps his little arms around the back of my legs. I’m getting ready to go out with Gage after he promised me it would strictly be a friend’s thing. We had met up for coffee a few times and lunch once on campus and after a ton of persuasion and Ally agreeing to watch Caleb for a little bit I agreed to go.