Coffee & Blood

Chapter Four: First Date

I would be lying if I said my nerves weren't going haywire right now. After he left and I got home I spent hours trying to figure out the perfect first text I was gonna send to Rael. At first I was just gonna drop my address but then I was thinking that he would be confused on who's texting him. So, then I opted to add a "hey it's Aniyah" but then my mind was questioning whether there could be another Aniyah in his life. Just when I had that all figured out the thought of giving him the exact location of where I live started to creep me out so in the end, I told him to meet me in the park a few blocks over. Despite the date beginning in the evening the park is usually still pretty active late into the night.

I regret that decision now.

My legs shiver as the wind blows straight through the stockings and boots I have on. I wanted to look cute and was tired of wearing jeans, so I figured I put on a dress today. One that showed the curves that were always hidden under that thick brown apron at work. I even left my hair down to frame my face. I wrap my trench coat tighter around my body and snuggle deeper into the scarf wrapped around my neck. My mother bought this coat for me when I first decided to move up north, it's a pretty green and the perfect length, unfortunately though it's not actually built for a northern winter. It's thin material, while soft, does nothing to stop the wind from stealing all the heat from my body. I bounce in place hoping to build up some type of heat.

My freezing is interrupted when a black sleek car pulls up in front of me. I watch as the door opens and Rael appears on the other side. My eyes widen as I look over his body. He's abandoned his signature all black outfit and instead wears a pair of brown slacks with a thick cream sweater. His black straight hair is combed back, and silver jewelry decorates his body. I watch him speechless as he opens the passenger door for me and guides me into the seat.

"Why did you choose a park for a pickup spot?" He asks immediately as he gets in the car. "What sense does it make walking from your home to stand in freezing weather wearing a dress and sad excuse for a coat."

Well damn, I just didn't want to give you the chance to murder me in my own home.

"I thought it would be easier that way," I lie. "And what ever happened to "hi" or "hello" huh."

"Terrible liar." He shakes his head and cranks the heat in the car to full blast. I almost moan as I feel the seat begin to warm up under me melting my frozen legs. "Hello Aniyah, you look beautiful tonight."

"You don't look too bad yourself." I smile and unwrap the thick scarf from around my neck. "I see you decided to switch it up tonight. You're not wearing black."

"I assumed you would have a spring color on, so I decided to wear brown to match." He says looking straight ahead. I look down at the very spring green trench coat I have on.

"How did you guess that?"

"I noticed your umbrella was pink the night it was raining, so I just assumed."

He noticed the random pink umbrella that was in the drying rack at the coffee shop and just accurately guessed my favorite color palate. I glance at the man sitting next to me from the corner of my eye. "Are you secretly old?"

"Why do you ask?" He glances at me briefly as he drives.

"Because that's definitely something my grandfather would have done for my grandma." I tilt my body towards him and study his face. There's not a single wrinkle on his scarily perfect face. Not a single sign of aging, stress, or exhaustion anywhere. Botox maybe, I heard that's a pretty popular thing. "I'm 24."

"I am 29." He answers. "I simply pay attention to my surroundings and the people I take interest in. I would not have been able to guess that if I wasn't solely focused on you."