The Bond That Binds Us

1: Coffee Shop Love

"Flo, come on!" I urge, grabbing a bottle of whipped cream to top off my caramel latte.

"Safira, quit bugging me about it! I will never agree to go along with your matchmaking craze." Flo cries.

"Ugh, I know those other dates didn't go so well, but this guy is perfect for you! Trust me!" I plead.

"I'd love to trust you, but it's becoming really difficult. How many more times will I have to go on failed dates?"

"He's tall."

"I don't care."

"With sandy blonde hair."

"This is me... still not caring."

I roll my eyes. "He's got gorgeous blue eyes."

"Well..." I could see Flo's resolve melting.

"He works out all the time!"

Flo bit her lip as she thought it over. She looked at me unsurely. "I don't know. How'd you meet him?"

"He came in to the coffee shop a couple of days ago when you were sick."

Suspiciously, she asked, "Why didn't you want him for yourself?"

I shrug and laugh, "He wasn't my type." Truthfully, he wasn't. I had a feeling that attraction was supposed to be so mesmerizing and enticing that when you meet a person you're attracted to, you can physically feel it. And I had no physical reaction when this guy had walked up to the register.

Flo smirks. "Do you even have a type?"

I think for a second. "Well... no. But if I did, he wouldn't be it."

"How would we even arrange a date anyway?" Flo asks.

"When he came in, I knew how great you guys would be together, so I told him a little about you, and he was interested so he gave me his number. I just worked a little of my matchmaking magic." I explain, growing more and more excited as I saw the interest flicker in Flo's eyes.

"It would take some time to arrange a date anyway, right?"

"Well, not exactly. In fact, if you say yes, you'll have one in..." I glance down at my watch, "5... 4... 3... 2... 1."

The bell dings as the door to the coffee shop opens, and in steps Brad, with his gorgeous sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. Flo sees him the same time I do, and watches him with wide grey eyes, cheeks flushing.

"Damn, he's so good looking." She sighs dreamily. In a flash, she's looking at me angrily. "Safira, I'm not even ready. Look at my hair! And my outfit!" She gestures to her disheveled messy bun and apron with Dream Bean Coffee Shop stitched onto it.

"You look great!" I stand up and pull her up with me. I spin her around so that her back faces me. Swiftly, I pull out the rubber band holding her hair up and watch as her auburn hair tumbles down. Afterwards, I quickly untie her apron, wad it into a ball, and stuff it into one of the loose pockets in my apron. "Pinch your cheeks. And you're good to go!" I advise, and give her a big push towards the booth where Brad has sat down.

"Manage the shop!" Flo turns and mouths as she stumbles to the booth.

I flash her a thumbs up and rush back to the register. I stand there, waiting for the next customer, watching Flo and Brad. After about ten minutes, it's pretty clear that there's definitely going to be a second date. Flo and Brad get along swimmingly, laughing and talking as if they've known each other their entire life. Watching them causes a subtle pang in my own heart. How I wish I could have someone in my life like that. Despite my own loneliness, the happiness I have for Flo right now is immeasurable and apparent on my face due to the goofy grin plastered on. And Brad's utterly amazing looks were such a huge score!

I'm completely lost in my thoughts when someone walks up to the register.

"Umm... Can I order?" The person, who has an incredibly smooth, deep voice, asks.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry. I was kind of preoccupied." I say, and when I look up into the eyes of the person in front of me, lose my ability to breath. I'm looking into the most striking pair of eyes I've ever seen. They're a mesmerizing liquid honey color, surrounded by a ring of olive green. Pointlessly struggling to regain my composure, I try to take a deep breath and calm my fluttering heart. It's almost as if-and I know it sounds silly, even for me- time stands still as I'm looking into this man's eyes. The cheerfully decorated coffee shop fades away, and so does everyone in it. It's just me, and whoever this man is. And I feel it, something I've never, ever felt before. It's difficult to place, but after mulling it over for a second, I decide the feeling must be what it feels like to have something click into place. Something pulling you to someone else, and pulling them to you. A bond seemed like the correct word. As soon as this connection clicks, I have an almost primal and carnal desire to be much closer to this man-physically, emotionally, and mentally. Whoa- talk about intense. I wonder if this magnetic pull is something only I feel, and I struggle to keep my flushing face emotionless. After a split second, I see the man's pupil's dilate noticeably, before his eyes flash a piercing grey. And then, for some reason, that he's feeling this too, whatever this is. It only takes another second before the man has completely vanished.

I stand, dumbstruck and confused, at the register, wondering if the man had ever even been there- there's no trace of him at all. I'm almost hurt at how fast he took off. And his dilating and flashing eyes? What was that all about? I didn't even get a good look at him before he split. Finally, it's easier to breath, and my heart rate slows down to a natural pace. I sigh and push any flyaway hair out of my face. I must be losing it. Eyes weren't like rings or something, that could change color based on mood. I must've imagined that man completely. My insanity has reached an entirely new level. I shake my head to rid it of any other delusional thoughts and focus in on Flo and Brad again.

For some reason, my mind can't stop going back to the- completely imaginary- man. If he was imagined, how come I felt almost complete now? Like some puzzle piece I hadn't noticed was missing had finally been filled in the past few minutes, and I was finally complete? And what was this animalistic ache and longing and desire in my chest that hadn't been there before? Even if I was making everything up in my looney head, that attraction was like everything I'd ever hoped it to be.

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