Memories

Part 1

The busy and chaotic atmosphere of the cafe was only adding to the jumbled mind of Y/N Parker. She was trying to decide what beverage to order and though it was supposed to be a simple task, it felt to be a burdensome job that she couldn't seem to get away with. Finally deciding on a simple black coffee and a chocolate muffin, she did not pay much attention to the grumbling of the people standing in the queue and went on to find a booth.

The cafe wasn't very big. It was a little cozy place she had found during the first month of arriving here, not that a library is not snug but she needed a place to get to outside work. The cafe had a little corner table, which was her favorite because it allowed all the privacy she ever needed. 'Why talk when you have a whole new world with you?' was her answer whenever she was asked about always carrying a book.

The cafe had a lot of posters of old bands, filmstars, thoughts of great people and what not (of which Y/N recognized none, all those faces just seemed some illusion of the forgotten past). The cafe also had a little fireplace just near Y/N's corner and she loved to read in it's warmth. It looked like the cafe was started by an old-very-much-in-love-couple, which was true, she had met the owners and they were lovely. The cafe became a second home to her and she absolutely adored spending time there. It had wooden walls, the smell of fresh coffee beans always lingering in the atmosphere, a little hustle-bustle.

But today it all seemed like a burden. Maybe because of the mess in her head, maybe because crowds are never good. Even the homey feeling was not helping with the feeling of dread she was having, almost as if she was staring at a cheetah's eyes, who looked ready to attack. She had a strong notion that something would go bad today, which only increased with the prying eyes. Setting these thoughts aside, she rushed to find her booth.

The girl sat at a booth in the corner of the shop and began reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. This was not the first time though, she had read it more times than she cared to count but now she needed something to avoid the people who were staring at her for some reason. She was just glad nobody came to talk to her, for she was not the best at human interactions.

The coffee seemed to arrive in the blink of an eye, this is what happens when people get too engrossed in books, she thought. While eating up her breakfast, she was making plans for the day and failed to notice a man staring at her with pursed lips and anxious eyes. He swallowed his saliva as a ball rolled down his throat. Y/N narrowed her eyes and frowned a little. She turned back to see if he was staring at someone else but no one was behind her.

Y/N Parker was a 20-something-year-old girl, she couldn't remember anything about herself, or her past and nor could she remember why she did not remember. She was an average heighted girl. She sometimes thought with a little more work, she can almost look like one of her favorite characters.

Y/N could only seem to recall events from a year ago at maximum and was trying to balance finding her family or friends with her job at the local library. It wasn't much but it was enough to get by, while she figured out her life.

Though she had met a man, Tom, who seemed to know a great deal about her life, some of which even felt a little like something he was saying from the news but something in her heart, was not ready to trust him. Plus, though handsome, he came off as a little creepy with all the talks he did. He kept kind of popping up, it seemed more and more suspicious to be a coincidence every time. The man was happy, probably too happy to see her all of the times they met, which made her wonder if she had something special or was he just too jolly a person.

The man staring at her previously, chuckled slightly when he finally got a look at the cover of the book she was reading, it was always her favorite one. She used to carry a book everywhere she went, he guessed that hasn't changed at all. The man was trying to figure out an icebreaker because he really needed to talk to her. You cannot chicken out this time, his sub consciousness kept telling him.

Finally deciding on beginning with a thing or two about the book, maybe using a quote, and her favorite drink, he got up and walked over.

"Experience is merely the name men give to their mistakes," he quoted as he walked up to her gracefully even in his tuff jeans and polo shirt. He placed the drink on the table. She looked up to see a dark brown-haired and dark eyed man, almost 6 feet, looking down at her grinning widely. This grin wasn't creepy or fake, just genuine happiness but she could detect a hint of nervousness behind those eyes. A little confused, but excited, she replied with another quote, "Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

The man chuckled and stuck his hand out while having a hopeful look in his eyes, "Believe me miss, some do...they just realize it when they have lost the substance dearest to them."

Shaking his hand back, smiling, which seemed a little awkward to her as this was the first time she smiled in a long time, though she isn't sure how long, "It sure doesn't seem like it, Mr...?"

Whatever little hope was there in the man's eyes, was lost at her words, though he still tried his best to mask his disappointment with a smile, while kissing the back of her hand, replying, "Barnes. Benjamin Barnes ma'am."

Though he didn't seem to ask, Y/N still felt she should introduce herself, as per the social protocol, he seems to be an old-fashioned gentleman, she thought while replying, the smile putting her at immediate ease, "Y/N. Y/N Parker. Pleasure to meet you Mr. Barnes. But do I know you?" she asked, remembering the eyes that stared at her so intensely not so long ago.

"It was just the book," he said gravely.