CHAPTER THREE
( FREDERICK )

     THE FOUR SAT together in Starbucks. Carmen chewed on chocolate chip cookies, watching in amusement as Aurora stood at the front counter questioning the ingredients of everything on the menu. Zach, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off of Carmen- all the while a smile was placed on his lips.

Jonah stared openly at Aurora, amazed at her beauty. To an old man in the booth beside them, the sight was truly precious. He watched as the four interacted with smiles, finding the whole experience perfect.

"I remember when I looked at my wife that way," The man said in Zach's ear as he got up to throw away his coffee cup. "Keep going, son. You'll get her soon."

Zach smiles widely, before nodding at the man. With one last glance, the man was gone, leaving Zach to stare at Carmen again.

"So does this have sugar in it?" Aurora questions the girl behind the cash register as she points at a picture of a grandé caramel frappuccino. "Or is it sugar free?"

"Most everything here has sugar in it," The girl replies, looking annoyed. It had been nearly half an hour since they had entered Starbucks, yet Aurora still couldn't decide what she wanted- despite her many other encounters with the store.

"Are you sure?" Aurora furrows her eyebrows.

"Ma'am, I'm positive." The girl states, tapping her fingers on the counter impatiently. "So would you like to order?"

"I think I'll have a regular coffee- just dump a bag of sugar in it." She chuckles, turning back to the table where Carmen, Jonah, and Zach sit. "You hear that, Jonah? I like my coffee black, just like my-"

Carmen giggles, waiting for her to finish her sentence. Aurora glares at her jokingly.

"Why are you laughing, Caramel? I was gonna say oreos," She chuckles, looking at the cashier, who still stands with an angered expression. "Why are you just standing there, Jeanette? Shouldn't you be brewing my coffee?"

"My name is Jennifer."

"Hi, Jennifer. I'd like my coffee now, please. I don't think you'd like to meet my friend," Aurora reaches into her bag, confusing Carmen. "Would you?"

"What friend-?"

In an instant, Aurora pulls out an air horn, and pushes the button. The loud noise blares like a siren, scaring the cashier and Carmen. Zach and Jonah on the other hand, don't look surprised in the slightest.

Aurora shoves the air horn back in her bag, before turning to the others. "RUN! I DON'T WANT TO GO TO JAIL TODAY!"

__♔__

"I think I like the brown teddy bear," Carmen says, scanning over the unstuffed animals in Build-A-Bear Workshop. "What do you think?"

"I like the panda!" Aurora squeals, pulling one off the shelf. "It's name is Frederick."

"Frederick?" Zach asks, handing a brown bear to Carmen. "Why would you name it Frederick?"

"Because I like that name, so . . . " She shrugs. "It's name is Frederick."

Carmen smiles at Zach, before rushing over to the stuffing machine. Jonah continued to talk with Aurora, keeping her occupied for the moment. But Carmen wasn't sure how long that would last, based upon her last reaction to a toy store.

"I've had fun today," Carmen says, looking over to Zach as her teddy bear gets stuffed. "I would thank you for blackmailing me, but I'm not sure that's something that deserves encouraging."

Despite Carmen's wariness towards boys, she meant what she said. She truly had fun, even though she promised herself no more dates.

"You could always go out with me again," Zach suggests, his lips twitching up in the slightest.

"Are you asking me out again?" Carmen raises an eyebrow.

"I am."

"Then yes," She replies without thinking. She stares deeply into his brown eyes, lost in the moment. "I'll go out with you again."

"I heard a yes!" Aurora yells from behind Zach. "OH MY GOODNESS, ZACH, DID YOU HEAR THAT? SHE SAID YES!"

Zach blushes, his cheeks growing a bright red as Carmen looks at him.

"Next time Jack and Callie can join us," Jonah says, tossing his arm over Zach's shoulder. "I believe they'd get along just great."

"Who's Callie?" Carmen asks.

"She's Jack's crush," Zach says, pushing Jonah's arm away. "They met when her dog attacked him."

"Awww!" Aurora grins. "Did you hear that, Jonah? It's like us, except I attacked you with hot coffee."

"I need to hear this," Carmen says. "What hot coffee?"

"We met at Barnes and Noble." Aurora states proudly. "I made the first move, and gave him my number."

"She wrote it in my book," Jonah glances over at her. "I'm glad she did."

"That's so cute!" Carmen coos.

"No, this-" Aurora says, motioning to Zach. "Is cute. Don't you agree, Caramel? I believe you two are relationship material."

Once again, Zach blushes, looking to the floor and hiding his hopeful smile.

"I don't really do relationships," Carmen admits shyly, rubbing her arm. Zach's face visually falls, his expression changing.

"And why not?" Aurora crosses her arms over her chest, her sassiness displayed through her voice.

"My ex kinda ruined that for me," She replies, frowning at the harsh memories. "I haven't really tried since then."

"Oh, sorry." Aurora shifts her weight. "I just think you and Zach would be perfect together. He's sweet, and he deserves someone like you."

This time Carmen blushes, trying to hide it from Jonah and Zach. Jonah nudges Zach, who looks up to see a flustered Carmen. Zach holds back a grin, his face lighting up once again.

"Now," Aurora says, taking Frederick from Jonah. "I believe we should put some voice boxes inside of these bears. What do you say, Caramel?"

"Lets go," Carmen says, nodding.

They link arms, before walking away. Zach stays behind, biting his lip as Jonah winks, then follows behind the girls.

__♔__

"So you guys live together?" Aurora asks from beside Carmen, leaning forward to see Jonah and Zach.

"Yes," Jonah replies. "We have our own house."

"That's cool," She says, petting Frederick. "And I'm warning you- if you don't have gummies, I'm out."

"We have gummies," Zach assures her, tugging on Jonah's sleeve. "Jonah has a thing for them. I guess you guys are meant to be, right? That's another thing in common."

Aurora sinks back into her seat, blushing furiously as Carmen and Zach had earlier. She stays quiet for a moment, before speaking up.

"Hey! Do you guys want to hear the Frederick talk?" She asks, holding up her panda with a pink collar.

"Sure," Carmen says, covering her ears with a smirk.

When Aurora presses the button on Frederick, a loud, eery screech fills the car air. Zach jumps, slamming his knee on the dashboard. Jonah shakes his head, not fazed.

"Isn't it adorable?" She asks, giggling wildly. "You guys should hear Caramel's bear! Turn it on, Caramel!"

"Okay."

Within an instant, the noise of a grudge erupts from the teddy bear. Aurora laughs loudly, seeing as Zach screamed loud enough to wake the people of Arabia. Carmen can't help but smile; she was already falling for the boy.

Zach glanced at her through the car's side mirror, his mood brightening as he saw her smile. He was truly in love with the girl he barely knew.

_____