(A/N - The song is just for reference to the lyrics that come later in this chapter. It's not the playlist of this chapter.)

Jasmine's POV -

Okay, what was I really thinking, coming here?

That this was the 'it' place for you.

I-I can't just go in there. It's almost been three days since we met, it's going to be real awkward showing up at Xander's door when he didn't even invite me

Then why the hell have you been pacing around his house gate for the past fifteen minutes?

I am in the process of finalizing my next step.

Well, decide quick because I know you don't care about your reputation, but I don't wanna seem like a whacko and ruin my reputation in that colony, where I have to stay for at least two - three weeks.

Wow, thank you so much for your concern.

Before, I could continue my internal battle, Xander opens the door.

"Hey... Jasmine?" he asks, scratching his neck, like he didn't expect to see me here.

Obviously, he didn't expect you. You invited yourself in his house.

"Hey, Xander. How are you?" I ask him while smiling.

"I am good. But, what are you doing here?"

"I-uh, am star gazing."

"Star gazing? In the afternoon? At my house? I thought for star gazing you need night and a telescope for better view and most importantly stars?" he asks, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Busted. I am sorry, I just wanted to see Oreo and I didn't just know how to come uninvited..." I say, unsure of myself.

To my surprise he laughs, before gesturing me to come inside.

"Why didn't you just say that? I would love, I mean Oreo and I would love to have some company around the house," he replies as I follow him inside.

His house seems as big as the Lancaster's, if not bigger. The house takes the whole black, blue, grey theme to another level. But, I am not complaining, I like it, though it does seem a bit... incomplete? Empty?

I shake my head to clear my thoughts. My parents say I over think way too much for my own good and maybe that's why I am so observational.

Did someone order a self - praising whacko? Cause I am auctioning you off, if you said one more word.

You can't auction me!

True, nobody would buy a blabbing fool.

Rude.

I remark to the sassy me as I start climbing up the stairs along with Xander. Al had told me Xander had shifted into this neighborhood almost a week ago. But, his house already seemed to be arranged and decorated. If he was so rich, I wonder why he was doing a barista's job? But, I am no one to judge anyone without knowing their side of the story.

Xander opens a door to the room, which I presume is his room. As soon as I step inside the room, Oreo tackles me down on the floor and starts licking my face.

"I missed you too, Oreo," I say to my Oreo eating buddy while ruffling his head lightly whilst he happily looks at me.

"What do you want? Coffee or coke?" Xander asks as I sit up on the floor and gently pet Oreo.

"No, it's alright. You don't have to do it," I say to him, feeling a bit guilty of making him work. After all I am the one who came here uninvitedly.

"You have come to my house for the first time. Have something at least?"

"Then I guess, you know the answer already."

"Coffee, it is then," he replies as he exits the room.

I get up from the floor as I look around Xander's room with Oreo observing my each moment. It was funny to see him following me around and then quickly sitting down whenever I stopped with his one ear up and the other down.

Like the whole house, Xander's room too had the color theme of blue and black. Though with an exception of nothing being white. The room was dimly lit and the black curtains were halting any sunlight that could have come in through the window.

The walls in his room, like the whole house were bared of any family pictures, of memories. There were showpieces lined here and there, some modern paintings hanging on the walls, but no pictures.

I plopped down on his couch with Oreo sitting beside my feet. Just then someone knocked the door.

Hesitantly, I told the person to come in. After all this room ain't mine.

Why didn't you think that BEFORE coming here?

I look up to see Xander coming inside with a cup of coffee and Oreos.

"Why did you knock at your own room's door?" I ask Xander, as he places the tray on the small glass table.

"I-Habit?" Xander replies, as he sits down on the opposite couch. There were two couches laid out in a L shape in his room.

"Mhmm... It's really good," I say as I take a sip of heaven.

Coffee is my heaven while Oreos would be the angels.

"Let's make milk and chocolate the God," Xander replies while laughing.

"I thought aloud, didn't I?"

Xander nods his head while laughing at my now red face.

"Shshh... My coffee and I are having a moment, " I reply while glaring at him for disturbing our moment.

People are so moment ruiners these days. I mentally nod to myself while Oreo munches on a Oreo.

"You are so weird, Cocoa."

Deja vù, anyone?

"So, I have a nickname?" I ask Xander while cocking my eyebrow up and ignoring my inner voice.

"Yes, you do," Xander says while cracking a smile.

"But why Cocoa? Xandy," I ask while smirking.

"Xandy? I think you can do better..." he says, frowning at me.

"Cocoa? I think you can do better," I reply, mimicking his voice, which I failed to do so. His voice is so deep like his deep blue eyes.

Okay, off topic.

"Cocoa suits you so much. It represents your chocolate brown eyes and your love for coffee," Xandy explains to me.

Yes, but till I think of a better name, he's stuck with Xandy. You got any problem? Bury yourself in a pile of Oreos.

"Fine, Xandy."

"Ughhh... Xandy sounds so feminine and this ain't looking good with that name," he says, flexing his biceps.

My eyes nearly expand to the size of a saucer, but I quickly look away. However, I am pretty sure I would have turned red. So, I quickly take a big swig of coffee.

I am forgetting something, something very important.

"Shouldn't the coffee be hot?" Xandy asks, looking at me as I gulp down my coffee.

"Shit!!!" I scream as my mouths burns.

I quickly open my mouth, fanning it with my hand to ease my probably burned taste buds.

"How can you forget that coffee's supposed to be hot?' Xander asks, giving me a glass of cold water.

I quickly gulp down the water, eager to cool down my mouth and try my best to ignore Xander's failing attempts to not laugh at me.

"When you get your mouth burnt, then we'll see who's going to laugh?" I say, glaring at Xander as I put down the glass on the table.

Oreo climbs on the couch and licks me as if to comfort me. See! Oreos are the only one who understand me.

"You know what? That's not gonna happen. I am a barista after all," Xandy says, smirking at me.

"Whatever," I reply as we both stare at each other.

"So, um, let's play something?" I suggest cause trust me I hate awkward situations, though I am a queen of it.

"Why play? When you are keeping us entertained?"

"I don't make ppl laugh--"

Just then as luck would have it, I trip over air. Yes, air! I hate air, it can go rot in hell.

How are we going to survive without air?

Shit! You are right! Don't go rot in hell, air! Come back, stay on Earth.

"You alright?" Xander asks as he bends down to inspect my leg.

"I can't believe you tripped over 'air'," Xandy says as he starts to laugh again.

"Hahaha, very funny," I reply, glaring at--

His handsome Greek God face?

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore. How about we play twenty questions?"

"Okay," I reply as I sit back on the couch.

"I'll go first?"

"Fine with me.

"Your favorite color?"

"Black and blue," I reply, looking at his blue orbs.

"My turn, your favorite color?"

"I think you can guess by now," he says, signalling his room.

"Black?"

"Bingo!" he says, flashing a smile, a sad smile.

"Okay, where's your hometown?" he says, clearing his throat.

"Luckow. It's the capital of Uttar Pradesh, one of the states of India," I explain to Xander, while he looks partly amused and partly shocked.

"Wow, so you are not an American-Indian?"

"No, but I have been studying in San Diego from the past six years. That's why my accent sounds American."

"That's really great."

"Thanks, my turn and since you asked two questions, I get to ask two too."

"Hey! That's unfair, you can't consider the second one as a question."

"No, no Xandy. I am definitely considering it. So, your hometown?" I ask him as I munch down an Oreo while Oreo jumps down from the couch and lays besides my feet.

"New York City. Born and studied there," he replies with a distant look.

"So, what brought you to San Diego?" I ask, taking out another Oreo, but this time Oreo quickly eats it from my hand.

"San Diego is a really beautiful city. Much more calm and relaxing than NYC. So, I guess, I wanted some peace in my life for a while," he says, scratching his neck.

"True. I agree with you. San Diego is not called America's finest city, for no reason."

"My turn, your favorite hobby?"

"Writing and reading."

"That's so cool. Being able to express yourself so freely in words, is amazing."

"Thank you. But it's not that great, I get too nervous and start to ramble and stutter. In short, embarrass myself. Ironical, cause I am still doing honors in English," I say, looking down at my feet.

"Hey, no one's born a perfect, okay? I am sure, you'll do great, you just need to have more confidence in yourself. Next time, you make a speech just remember the reason you wanted to do it all, the reason you want to do honors in English. Things will appear  easier then," Xander says, lightly squeezing my right hand.

A weird feeling comes in me. I guess I just got a new friend and my body's reacting like that cause of too much coffee.

"Thank you Xandy, but I don't think I'll be able to do it. What about you? Your hobby?" I say, trying desperately to change the discourse of our conversation.

"Right now, I am trying my hands at cooking, hence the barista job. Though, earlier I did like singing and playing guitar," Xandy replies, but his eyes they were really distant. I guess it was a touchy topic.

"So, would you sing a song?"

"No, I stopped singing and playing guitar a long time ago. I got busy dealing with... my life," he replies, giving me a sad smile.

"Always remember, if you have come this long then you can go further, you have to go further," I say to Xander while squeezing his hand lightly.

"Thanks Cocoa. But really, I can't... sing--"

"It's okay, I get it. But you ain't telling me to make a speech either. If either one of us wants the other to do what they haven't done since years, first they'll have to do it themselves. Deal?"

Xander looks at me then at my stretched hand, sighing he runs a hand through his hair, making them look a lot more dishelved. In this might I add, his muscles look really good flexing. I quickly avert my eyes, before he caught me staring.

"Fine, I guess it's only fair. I don't ask you to do that and you don't ask me to that either," Xandy replies as he shakes my hand.

Before I could reply, my phone starts ringing.

"I ain't gon' be cooking all day, I ain't your mama,
I ain't gon' do your laundry, I ain't your mama,
I ain't your mama, boy, I ain't your mama,
When you're gon' get your act together?
I ain't your mama,
No, I ain't your mama,
No, I ain't your mama, no,

Wake up, rise and shine,
Let's get to work on time,
No more playing video games,
Things are about to change, 'round here, 'round he."

I quickly pick up the call, cursing myself. Al had set Jennifer Lopez's -  Ain't Your Mama as Mrs L's caller tune, to annoy me.

Suppressing my frustration I talk to Mrs. L, who tells me to come back as she wanted to make something different.

Translation in Mrs. L's world  - Indian food.

Yes, Mrs. L loves Indian food. So, once in a while she tries to make it. Keyword : try.

"That's a great song," Xander replies, smirking at me.

"Yeah, laugh at me. But I gotta go, Mrs. L, my best friend's mother needs some help," I say as I ruffle Oreo's hair one more time.

"Hey Cocoa, don't be angry. You know it was funny. Wait here, I'll give you something to cheer you up instantly," Xander says as he exits the room.

It's not like he can give me a freaking library or bring Mr. Fluffy Pants here or help me break my sister's phone, so that she doesn't call me or --

"Oreos!!" I cry out as I see Xander bringing two packets of Oreo in his hands.

"Am I forgiven, milady?" Xander asks while giving the packets to me.

"Yes! You know me so well, Xandy!!" I say, teasing Xander.

"And the annoying nickname's back," he says, shaking his head in disbelief.
______________________________________________________________________________
Hey guys!

I can't believe I have been regularly updating since six days!!🎊

Okay, back to the story, this chapter was all about Xander and Jazz. What are your thoughts about them?

Was it humorous enough?

Please do answer, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Oh and The Barista's Girl (TBG) crossed 100 reads! Thank you so much to all the lovely readers for giving this book a chance.🎉🎉

Please do comment and share your thoughts!

This chapter is dedicated to my friend and an awesome person TSTurcotte. Thank you so much Tiffy! 😍😘😍

Till the next update, keep shining ;)

- Love Addy :)