Mittens

"Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough." ― Mary McLeodBethune

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Acts of random kindness.

An occasional smile or wave offered to a stranger when you're walking or driving through town.

A, "here ma'am, let me help you with those groceries," as you're walking empty handed through the grocery store's parking lot.

A casual conversation with the man in the elevator who appears to be going through a rough time.

An ice cream cone, bought for the little girl who, minutes ago, looked down to see hers splattered on the pavement.

Something you hadn't originally planned to do, but it happened anyways.

You may not know it at the time, but these small, yet important, acts can make someone's day.

You might even save a life.

One random act of kindness could fuel many more.

A domino effect, if you will.

To show you the importance of kindness, I'm going to relate to you a beautiful story, of love, sadness, and joy.

The first domino is knocked over by a boy in a coffee shop.

What this boy doesn't know, is that he started a chain of events that changed many lives that night, including his own.

And it all started, with a pair of mittens.

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Quincy's.

A place that insomniacs alike flocked to and were found late at night, doing whatever they could to ease their boredom while sipping on freshly brewed coffee.

He was seated in his normal corner, alone of course, clicking away on his laptop, editing some photos he had taken earlier that week, his camera sitting next to him in the booth.

The doorbell jingled and the sound of boots squeaking across the hardwood floor broke through the late night silence.

But it was the girl's voice that made him look up.

She ordered a simple cup of hot cocoa, extra whip cream hold the marshmallows, and sat at a table for two near the windows.

The girl dropped her bag on the ground with a loud thud, and the way she scooted her chair around caused not only obnoxious squeaks, but annoyed glares. Watching her, he knew that, unlike himself, this girl was someone who didn't go unnoticed.

Her jet black hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and her exotic eyes told him that she was a mix of races.

Unique. Yet utterly beautiful.

She took off her wool jacket and while she loosened her scarf, he couldn't help but notice that the girl didn't have any gloves or mittens. Her fingers were red and stiff and she gripped her hot cocoa in an attempt to warm them up. Slowly, the girl sipped her hot cocoa, but it must have been too hot because she recoiled quickly before pulling out her sketch book.

He watched the girl carefully as she pulled out a pencil pack and selected which one to use. Her hands were still stiff with cold and she flexed her fingers to regain blood flow. Finally, she began to sketch, her blue eyes full of determination, dedication, and concentration. He couldn't help but admire the girl's obvious love for sketching, it reminded him of his own love of photography. Part of him wanted to walk over to ask her what she was drawing, but the other part just liked to observe her beauty from a distance.

Before he knew it, an hour had flown by and he decided to head home, not wanting to worry his grandpa. So, he began gathering all of his things when he heard the door jingle and looked up. The girl was gone.

Putting his camera and laptop back in their cases, he pulled on his jacket, his beanie and his mittens before grabbing his things and walking towards the door. As he passed the table the girl was sitting at, he noticed a piece of paper she had left behind.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he flipped it over.

It was a drawing of himself.

He was astounded at the sheer realness to it. Almost like a black and white photo.

On the bottom corner of the sketch, there was a note written in messy yet somehow elegant handwriting, and he realized it was the girl's.

"Dear quiet-boy-in-the-corner,

You know, staring is rude. I decided to give you a taste of your own medicine.

~ M"

His heart skipped a beat and his cheeks flushed as he realized he had been busted. Tucking the paper away in his laptop case, he hoped it wouldn't get too wrinkled.

When he walked out the door and into the night he wasn't expecting the girl to be leaning against the building, smiling a brilliant smile. Her hair was covered in snowflakes and her scarf was bundled tight around her neck. Her hands were buried deep in her pockets and before he could change his mind, he took off his mittens.

"Here." He said handing them to the girl, his voice coming out raspy and hoarse.

It was the first time he had spoken in 7 months.

All because of a girl, a drawing, and a pair of mittens.

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A/N cover made by muah