What You're Missing

Chapter 4

"Where are we going, anyway?" Charlotte asked. "You didn't really specify." Their steps fell in sync as they continued walking.

"I was thinking the Swell Café?" Henry answered nervously. "'Cause they have really good cupcakes there, and coffee is half off on Monday's- not to seem like a cheapskate or anything, but as long as you're okay with that-" Henry stopped once he heard Charlotte burst out laughing.

"What?" he asked.
"You're seriously a dork." Henry felt his face grow warm, embarrassed.
"But it's a cute look on you." She grinned up at him after her remark before skipping ahead of him, earning a smile from the blond.

"Really?" he asked, jogging to catch up to her.

"Yeah, see, from first glance you just seem like the average dull-witted jock," she replied as Henry's mouth fell agape.

"Seriously?"
"But," Charlotte continued. "Instead you've shown to be slightly neurotic and not have a stale sense of humor, so that's one point for you." Charlotte laughed as Henry shook his head, his lips pressed into a tight smile.

"Besides," Charlotte spoke. "You think I don't know about Swell Café? I've lived here my whole life, Henry. I know what's around."

"I guess you're right," the blond responded. "Would've saved myself from that whole embarrassing ramble."

"Yeah," Charlotte agreed. "But it was amusing to see you so flustered." She grinned cheekily up at him, prompting the blond to roll his eyes.

"Well," he started as they turned to the entrance of Swell Café. "We're here, your highness." Henry dramatically held the door open for her, to which Charlotte sarcastically brought her hands up to her chest.

"A gentleman," she answered impressed, stepping through the door. "Two points for Hart."

"Yeah, how's that for an average dull-witted jock?" he joked. Charlotte restrained from rolling her eyes as she walked up in front of the counter and greeted the cashier. The dark-haired girl ordered a caramel frappe while the blond solely asked for black coffee.

"Black coffee?" Charlotte questioned in surprise. "Isn't that a little too strong for a sixteen-year-old boy?" Henry shrugged.

"Probably." Charlotte's previous playful spirit vanished as her eyebrows furrowed in concern. She had almost forgotten about the reason she became so intrigued in the blond in the first place. She looked up at the tall boy by her side, noticing that the bags under his eyes were less visible than they were when she had first met him. Henry looked down, realizing how concerning he may have sounded, though it was typical of him to have to resort to immense amounts of caffeine to stay awake in school after long nights as Kid Danger.

"Oh, I was just kidding," he followed up quickly, handing the cashier the money. "I just like my coffee strong. It asserts my...manliness." Charlotte couldn't help but snicker.

"Asserts your manliness?" she repeated in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, no, I'm completely serious."
"You just got down to negative three points."
"What? I lost five points?"
"Yep. It was that horrible."
"Oh, come on."
"Nope."

The two laughed as they went to sit down by a table near the window after the cashier alerted them that their order would be out soon.