Collateral Beauty

Chapter 2:

Do not judge my story by the chapter you walked in on.

-Unknown

Once I got all my crap together, and by crap, I mean all my medicine and needles and oxygen I drove to Starbucks. The little store sat back in the corner of the stores. I like it though. The sun is just starting to peek out over the hills and it brightens all the stores giving them all the light that 'they would need.  The new sign shines as the light peeps at it.

I settled down in my usual spot by the biggest window. The light peeked over at me and spread it's rays across my books. Ok, Mary left her house with a big grin on her face.... I shivered. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that someone was looking at me. Weird, ok, Mary left her house with a big grin on her face.... WHAT THE HELL? I look up and there he is. Blinking, I turn my head and peek out the side and try to catch him. He's still staring. WHAT THE HELL? WHAT DOES HE WANT? I turn back to face him and he just stares straight into my eyes. All of a sudden he breaks into a smile. What do you want? I mouth He breaks into a smile and the edges of his eyes crinkle up. I got to admit, no matter how much a stalker he seems like, he's still pretty cute. He mouths back, A chance.

I'm confused. Why? Is there somebody behind me that he's mouthing to? Is he talking about a chance to get away? This guy must be drunk or something. Why would he want a chance with somebody he just met, let alone me?

Oh god. He interrupts my thoughts as he sets his bag and coffee down next to mine and scoots across the bench next to me.

"James."  He reaches out his hand and pulls mine into his, shaking it.

"Um, Bella?" I try to pull my hand out of his grasp, but he holds on.  His eyes hold on to mine and he doesn't look away when I talk.

"Um, can you let go of my hand?"

"What, oh, yeah." He shakes his head as if he didn't notice he was holding my hand still and lets go.

"I couldn't help but notice you were reading Lost in the Stars..."

"And?"

"And there aren't many people who read anymore and you're reading one of my favorite books so I had to get to know you."

He leans back and closes his eyes. The sunlight makes streaks through his hair and makes it looks shiner and brighter than it already was. He dark brown eyes were hidden behind his eyelids and his weirdly long eyelashes.  A smirk played across his lips making his dimples pop up.

"We just met and you're already checking me out?" He lets out of laugh as I gasp.

"YOU'RE THE ONE TO TALK! YOU ASKED ME FOR A CHANCE?" I shot back. No matter how much it annoyed me that he was being cocky, I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Maybe I wasn't talking about dating... maybe I was talking about a chance to beat you in a game." We both laugh at his failed attempt to be flirty.

"So what game do you want to beat me in?"

"Huh?"

"The chance to beat me, remember?" A smirk playing on my lips.

"Um oh yea. You pick. I could beat you in any game." He scoots back against the chair and crosses his arms.  I didn't realize he'd been leaning in until then.

"I don't really play games."

"Why not? I love them." Oh great.

I let out a deep sigh, "If you haven't noticed I have cancer and I don't feel like wasting my life playing video games." Just when I thought I found someone nice.

"Oh I wasn't talking about video games. Oh no, no, no, no. I was talking about board games or sports."

"I don't know.." I turn my head and look out the window. Why are we taking about hanging out when I just met this person?

"Oh PLEASE! PLEASE BELLA...... damn it I don't know your full name. What is it?

"I just met you and you want me to hang out with you and share some personal information with you? What are you? Some kind of stalker or something? Are you going to kidnap me?"

He lets out a chuckle, "Come on you sound like my mom! Besides if I was going to kidnap you I wouldn't talk to you in a place with this many cameras." He gestures to the cameras stationed around the building.

"You got a point there."

"Of course I do. So am I going to have to ask you to come over to my house or are you going to let me in yours?"  He raises his eyebrows and cocks his head to the side in an adorable way. Forget it. It's never going to happen and even if it did you couldn't let anybody else who cares about you get hurt when you're gone.

"Why do you even wanna hang out with me? I'm not pretty, smart, or talented and I have cancer." Then it clicks, "You wanna hang out with me because you want to be the amazingly nice guy who helps the poor helpless girl whose about to die! I don't want your pity!" I could literally feel the blood rushing through my body as I stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Bella? Bella, wait!"

I can't see him because I'm already walking out the door of the building on my way to my car. I feel warm fingers grip onto my arm and spin me around to face him. The look on his face almost makes me feel bad, oh wait no it doesn't. I don't want anybody treating me differently just because I have cancer. It makes me feel weaker, like everybody else is better than me.

"WHAT?" I spit.

"That's not what I'm doing! I honestly want to hang out with you and get to know you!" Wow, he just doesn't know when to stop!

"Uh huh. And why would you wanna do that with me, of all people?" I ripe my arm out of his and cross them over my chest.

"Because you're the most beautiful girl I've seen." He says the words so quietly, I almost thought they were never said.

"Sure," How can anybody think I'm pretty? How when my hair is almost gone, there's bags under my eyes from sleepless nights, and I have tubes sticking out of my face?

I don't give him a chance to respond because I've already left and in the car before the words even sink in.

Looking back in the mirror I catch him still standing there. The shock and, is that hurt written all over his face? It can't be, they were just true words. Weren't they?