A/N:  Ok, so again with the sorrys, its been ages I know and I promised to get back to this story but yeah just ugga, things haven't really been the happiest right now, but hey-ho.

I have to say a big thank you to ddzz008.  I love all my reviewers, and I am truly amazed every time someone takes the time to give me feedback, because it shows that you really are paying attention to what I'm writing, but I wanted to say a special thank you to ddzz008 because when I read your review it just made me so happy and it gave me the kick I needed to start this chapter.  So to you and all my wonderful reviewers thank you!

Chapter eight: Living without Coffee

Crap.

            This is now officially Really really really bad. 

            Why does he want to talk about me, for the love of god why would he care what some 16 year old skater has to say?

            He is smiling again, his eyes widen just a fraction and his head tilts a little to one side, god does he know how adorable he looks, how perfectly kissable his lips look just slightly parted, how much I'd love to run my hands through that perfectly silky hair…

            "Well, what do you want to know?"  Thank god for…. There's a thought, what do you call answers to questions that are questions? 

            Damn, Pay attention Zack!

            There is the tiniest little line between his eyes.  He's really putting a lot of thought into this isn't he?  I shouldn't grin, I know I shouldn't.

            I quickly take a sip of my express to hide the offending facial expression.   God, I'm such a girl, just the fact that he's thinking about me is making me all happy and… warm?  It's probably just the espresso.  Yep, that's what it is, the espresso.

            His face relaxes again and he regains the newly dubbed 'adorable' expression. 

            "There is much I would like to know about you, but for now, I am curious, how is it that you live in France but cannot speak a word of French?"  His voice raises just slightly at the last word, and his expression becomes serious.

            Oh, I didn't think it was that big of a deal.  Crap, I really should have made more of an effort.  Fuck!

            His lips twitch just slightly.

            The sod! He was teasing me!

            "Don't look so serious, it took me years to learn English." His lips spread into a dazzling smile and he laughs just a little.  All the tension suddenly drains out of me.  He has such an amazing laugh, and his smile.  Damn, just how obsessed can you get?

             "S'il vous plait, tell me?"  He adopts the adorable look again and looks genuinely interested. 

            "Well, I moved over, from England obviously, about three months ago and just never learnt it."  He doesn't say anything.  Crap, am I supposed to keep talking?

            Guess so.

            "My mom and dad kind split up, and she wanted to get out, you know, just away from everything, a fresh start and stuff.  Her sister lives out here, so, well, long story short we sold the house and moved over here, and it was all so sudden I didn't have any time to learn the language."

            He's easy to talk to, or maybe I'm just desperate to talk to him.  But he nods in all the right places, its nice being listened to, it's not as if Mrs K gives a rats ass, and mom, damn, I really should focus more.  Probably the espresso.

            "My I ask, why did your parents split up?"

            No.

            "Just stuff."  His eyes darken and he looks like he doesn't believe me.  Please please just drop the subject. 

            "So, have you ever been to London?  I have an apartment there."

            I want to thank him, for not pushing the subject, for smiling again, for just, anything. 

            "Yeah, we used to hang around there all the time, me and my friends I mean."

            "Do you miss them?" Of course I do.

            "Well, you know, we still talk on the phone and stuff, so I haven't really lost them…  But yeah, I suppose I do, they keep going on about stuff they have done together and I dunno, I feel like we're not really friends anymore.  Sorry I'm whining."  If I look at the table maybe I he won't realise that I've just told him something that I haven't even told Joel, I mean come on, how sad does it sound, pining after your old life while all your friends have obviously moved on.

            "Non, your not whining." He looks like he means it too, "It must be hard having to move to a different country where everyone speaks another language, having to leave everything familiar behind."  He suddenly goes back to his latte' as if it was all getting to serious and then grins again.

            "France is beautiful though.  Perhaps one day I can show you around and you can tell your old friends exactly what they are missing."  I can't tell if he's being serious about wanting to show me round or not.  To be honest, I've been here long enough not to need being shown round, but hey, I'm not complaining, a day with him out side the confines of this coffee shop, sounds almost unreal.

            I shouldn't get my hopes up though, he was probably just joking.  Yeah.  He'll just have been making conversation…

            "Sounds fun, but I think I've seen most of the places worth seeing around here."  There, I don't sound all over eager.  He really was probably just joking anyway.

            "Ah pity," he just smiles secretively and looks at me.

            He's just looking at me.

            Still.

            What's he looking at, oh, I haven't done something stupid have I?  Crap, shows what I know, I thought this was going well.

            He's still smiling.

            He shakes his head a little and sighs almost imperceptibly. 

            "I should probably go, I have a meeting shortly."  He looks like he really doesn't want to go.  He's still just sitting there, with an almost…. Disorientated look. 

            Maybe I can ask him something before he goes, because I'm just really confused. 

            He takes one last look at me and stands up.  I stand up with him and watch as he puts down some money on the table to cover the drinks.

            "Um…eh…?"

            "Oui?"

            "Nothing…"  I admit it, I'm a coward, complete and total wuss.   

            "Will I see you tomorrow?"

            "Yeah, can't live without coffee after all." 

            He just nods and walks away.  I follow a few minuets later after fishing my CD player out of my bag and putting on a mix CD.

My espresso is left sitting stone cold and barely even started.

Yep, can't live without my coffee…