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Dixie

I had practically begged Noah to let me cook tonight before he left for work. Meeting his parents was a big deal for me; I had no idea what he and I were, but meeting them had to mean something. It's like I know that we're together, but there's no official confirmation. This would not be challenging for me because I have always known how to cook and work in a kitchen. Noah had run out of food, so I only needed to go to the supermarket. His house was only packed with goods from the health store until I started buying him normal groceries, which would have been boring.

He's a very clean eater who prides himself on sticking to his diet, but I love food and cook frequently, so we're always eating. He overfeeds me, which is the root of my weight gain. Either I'm going to get pregnant or I'm going to gain weight, so he chose the latter. Unfortunately.

Before I left, I decided to clean up the house. It wasn't a large house, but it was comfortable and well-kept. Even if it's clean, I'm sure his parents wouldn't want to eat on a place where he bent me over last weekend, so a little extra scrubbing wouldn't hurt. His mother, according to what I've heard, is a sweetheart, his father is a bit rough, and his sisters are just existing, without really giving their two cents.

I used Clorox and Lysol to clean the counters, swept the area, and wiped it down. I'm easily distracted, so this took me approximately an hour to complete. I'm scrubbing the counters one minute and then scrolling around Instagram on my phone the next. I exchanged a few texts with him, as well as selfies, but nothing too lengthy or distracting.

It was the middle of December, and Christmas was rapidly approaching. I knew he'd spend his time with his family and I'd spend mine with mine, but was it really a bad thing that I didn't want us to be apart? Attachment anxiety and separation anxiety were always major issues for me.

My outfit was just sweatpants and a crop top, with my hair in a bun. Going to the grocery shop, I didn't need to be extravagant in dressing. I texted him as soon as I got out of the house, but he didn't respond. It's safe to presume he's either in a lecture or not near his phone right now.

3rd Person

Dixie remembered that she had not driven her car to Noah's place, and as a result, she contemplated following her gut. Life was meant to be lived on the edge, and Noah wouldn't be too upset with her. She snatched the keys to his BMW i8 and sped away. The vehicle felt magical and powerful to her. It smelled exactly like him and was silky smooth and lustrous.

Dixie drove into the mall area where the supermarket stood, and to her amazement, there was also a coffee shop. She was happy because it was part of her morning routine. Her senses were greeted by the greatest smell as she entered the coffee establishment. The aroma of fresh coffee beans boiling and tasty sandwiches hit her in the face and made her tummy grumble. Dixie could become used to coming here.

"Good morning," she said as she approached the cashier, "Can I have one macchiato, a latte, two breakfast sandwiches, and a cookie?"

She realized her college was less than five minutes away while ordering, so she decided to take some to Noah. Dixie stopped giving a fuck, despite the fact that the risk was significant because she skipped the day and whom she was dating. But regardless, it's her life, and no one was going to stop her from doing whatever she wanted with it.

Her self-assurance grew while dating Noah, which she credited to the numerous risks she was forced to take. Being in that type of relationship, when everything is complicated, unknown, and emotional, gives you a lot of stamina and a tough exterior. She couldn't manage the world, but she couldn't care less what other people thought.

"Sure thing," he said, "and what size are these?" Dixie admired the workers' pleasant demeanor. They deserved to be rewarded with tips.

"Grande, please," she answered with a smile.

"Do you want the sandwiches to be served warm or cold? What are the names of the coffees, by the way?" She saw that this place was run similarly to Starbucks, but it was a cleaner, better, and more economical atmosphere, with far superior customer service.

"Please warm them up, and Dixie and Noah are the names. Noah for the espresso and Dixie for the macchiato,"she clarified.

"Sure thing gorgeous. Your total is $20.06 dollars."

"Do you take cards?" she gently asked.

He replied with a smile, "Yes, we certainly do." A simple grin may brighten anyone's day.

Dixie handed him the card and took care of the bill. Interacting with service personnel was nerve-wracking, but she felt at ease here. It was made better by the workers' presence. They showed her to the café's waiting area, where she waited for around five minutes for her order to be called.

The sandwiches were larger than she had anticipated, and all she could hope for was that they tasted as delicious as they looked. The cashier was quite pleasant, and the shop's general service was pleasant. If she didn't live so far away, she would have switched her morning coffee runs to this location.

Dixie exited the store and proceeded to the grocery. Thankfully, it wasn't a particularly busy day, which surprised her considering everyone seemed to be shopping excessively on Fridays, especially given the season.

She bought steak, shrimp, chicken, rice, potatoes, vegetables, seasonings, and vegetable oil from the produce area. She needed those as the major elements for the main meal. She made her way over to the bakery aisle and purchased all of the ingredients for the blueberry pies. Right now, her housewife assets were on display. She cashed the products and went on her way to school after getting what she needed and extra.

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•

Dixie parked at the far end of the school, gathered Noah's food, and strutted through the main gates. She had a habit of forgetting that this school had three levels: elementary, high school, and university all rolled into one. Tarton was the largest and most costly school, and she could see why.

Dixie purposefully walked along the halls, checking to see whether Noah was in the psychology rooms and if Richard was there. She was still traumatized by the way he treated her, but she could picture how embarrassed he must've been with himself. He was well aware that he would never be as good as Noah because he lacked respect.

As she approached Noah's office, she noticed Kate, Larry, and Richard seated by the school's statue, the teardrop. She knew she wouldn't be able to get by without being noticed, so she didn't bother trying to hide. What would they do? Interrogation is the most that could have been done.

"Dixie?" Larray said as his gaze fell on her. Richard and Kate were both surprised when her name was mentioned.

"How are you doing, Larray?" she said sarcastically.

"I'm great, but you didn't go to psychology class today; it just ended."

"I wasn't feeling well," she admitted uncomfortably, "but I came to bring food for Halley," she continued, pivoting her statement.

"Take care then," he added awkwardly, "and I'll give you the work we got."

"This is strange," she said flatly, "Why is everyone behaving so fucking awkward?"

Before responding, everyone at the table exchanged eyes. This irritated Dixie a great deal.

"Those two broke up, and Dr. Beck fucking killed us with assignments today; they're all due by 11:59 p.m. tonight," Larray screamed.

"Damn," Dixie muttered, "I'll just check the online platform and oh Kate," she continued as she walked away, "you could do a lot better than Richard."

Richard was mortified as the rest of the table fell silent. He understood why Dixie said it, but he was ashamed by what he had done to her. Some people have no right to know or come into touch with women.

Dixie walked to Noah's office and was surprised to find the door unlocked. She was able to tell since the tag was green rather than red. There was some noise, and she could tell he was either on the phone or had visitors, which she hoped the first option.

She knocked on the door and waited for it to be answered. He finally said "come in" after standing for almost a minute, and she walked in.

When Noah realized Dixie was the student, he replied, "It's chaotic, but I can— sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

"You don't seem happy to see me," she murmured, her face flushed.

"Of course I'm happy to see you," he responded, motioning for her to sit on her lap. Dixie walked over to him and sat down, only to notice Bryce sitting on the opposite side of the room.

She chuckled as she said, "Oh, hey Bryce."

"You two are clearly in love," Bryce observed, "but don't you have any class now?"

"I skipped today due to unforeseen circumstances, but I'm here to drop something off," she smiled as she turned to face Noah.

Noah's grip on her waist tightened as he said, "Drop off what?"

"You can't squeeze my side like that because I'm trying to get pregnant here," she chuckled, "and I'm here to drop off these things for you." She smiled as she handed him the coffee, a sandwich wrap, and a cookie.

"Everyone around here is trying to get pregnant," Bryce stated as he checked his phone.

"Thank you, my love," Noah said with a smile as he accepted the dish from her. All of these gestures were novel to him. It was customary for a man to perform all of these things, but Dixie changed the narrative.

"You're welcome," she said with a smile, "and sir, I heard you went a little crazy in my psychology class today."

He laughed, "Ah yes. When I saw Richard's face, I became indignant." He shrugged and said, "You don't have to do the assignments if you don't want to, it's just for fun."

"I'll do them this weekend," she said as she rose from his knee. "I have to get going now; I have a meal to prepare."

"Of course, and be safe," Noah murmured as he leaned in for a kiss.

Dixie exited the office after saying her farewell. Noah had already started eating and drinking his coffee. It was delicious, and what made it even better was that it was presented to him with love and sincerity. Bryce stood there, contentedly watching everyone.

"Do you love her, bro?" Bryce asked, his tone grave.

"Why?" Noah asked, looking up at him.

"When you're in love, you're a completely different person. You're not such an asshole; she brings out the best in you," Bryce observed.

"She does," he said after a little pause for thought. "She really does."