Taking Risks by Cassie Allee Read Free Book Online

plain gray shirt would have to do. With one last good scowl in the mirror I rushed out to the Delray and headed towards town.
                  On my way to the coffee shop I quickly typed out a text explaining that I was running late and that I was on my way. A moment later he replied saying, “ K.” What a waste of a message. One letter that’s the most impersonal way to say “Yes, I understand, thank you for letting me know.” Not that I expected him to write any of that out or to be so concerned with me being ten minutes late. I guess that it’s just a pet peeve of mine, and I know it’s a little ridiculous. I’m a girl about things sometimes.
                  When I got to the little coffee shop and walked in I saw that there was no sign of Risk. Gray and I took a seat at a booth near a window and waited for his arrival. With every passing minute I started to freak out. “Oh my God, Gray. What if he’s standing me up? What if he really was laughing at me at school? What if there’s a group of jocks waiting outside to publicly humiliate me?” It wouldn’t be the first time. When I was fifteen a boy asked me to a pool party and I gleefully agreed. I was never invited to parties and I was so excited. I wanted to wait until I got there to change into my swim suit so I packed a bag with a suit and towel. When I got there everyone was staring at me and when I finally found the boy who had invited me he motioned me over to him. He was sunbathing by the pool and before I could take the seat beside him he yelled, “FREAK!” and pushed me into the pool, fully clothed.
                  “I don’t think so, Spud. I think he’s a good guy.” Gray said and I bit my lip trying to keep my nerves under control so I wouldn’t bolt out of the door.
                  I waited another five minutes before I saw him walk by the window. Boy did he look good. He was wearing a green and black Green Day t-shirt with some faded-from-wear blue jeans that fit his butt just right. Whenever Risk entered the coffee shop I saw a few women take notice of him without even trying to hide it. I also noticed that he had something in his hand, a quaint bouquet of wild flowers. Gray smirked at me and I felt my face get a little warm.
                  “Hey, I’m so sorry. I saw these on the way here, and when you said that you were going to be late, I went back to pick them for you. I don’t know if flowers are proper etiquette for a coffee shop date, but I thought that it couldn’t hurt.”
                  So it was a date. “Oh, thank you so much. No one has ever given me flowers before. Well except for on my birthday my parents would always send flowers to school for me so I would feel special.” My inner self was shaking her head. Stop talking! What I should have said would have simply been, “Thank you, they’re beautiful” but my mouth traveled faster than my brain.
                  Risk blushed and then took his seat across from me, beside Gray. I glanced at them both and wondered if Gray being there was a good idea. We made small talk about the weather and ordered our drinks. Risk ordered a black coffee and I got a cappuccino. When the waitress dropped off our choice beverages Risk started in on the “Q and A.”
                  “So why do you seem to be a loner at school?” He was curious enough to ask, but not brave enough to look me in the eye as I answered.
                  “Um well, I guess everyone thinks I’m strange. I don’t ever go places with any of them and sometimes they catch me talking to myself. I suppose I’m just a sort of mystery and shallow minded people are scared of what they don’t know or can’t control. I’m content being an outcast, but it does get irritating when they shower me in milk or artificially flavored drinks.” I flashed him a smile, but he looked