Authors note,
This was a request by the lovely EskimoGirl007 hope you all enjoy!
-M xx
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I'm usually the kind of person who is mad at the world anyways, and today was no different.
I sat in the warm bookstore with my mind in another land, as usual.
I walked down the isles and stopped from time to time to look at a book or two. This was my usual routine.
I peered down to my watch.
7:57PM. The bookstore would be closing soon so I better split.
The cold air smacked my face as I exited the cozy store.
I figured I could go grab a coffee, since it was only about 8PM and who needs sleep anyways.
I walked down the brick stoned streets, following the path to my usual coffee shop nook.
This wasn't a Starbucks or some other big chain of restaurants, it was a locally ran independent shop that had been there for as long as I could remember. It has always been my favorite place to stop in and read for a while or grab a coffee.
I walked in and I heard the familiar sound of the bell above the door ring.
"The usual." I told the girl at the counter.
I come to this place so much I had a usual. Now I sound like a prick. I'm not, I promise.
She went to make my coffee as I waited for her to call out my order.
I took a seat at a bar of seats that lined up with the windows. I sat and began to stare out the windows and into the rainy Brighton skies.
After a few minutes the same girl called out my order and I snapped out of my phase of nothingness. I noticed that there were a few other people that had walked in and were placing orders and such.
I walked up to the counter and took my coffee from her hand and thanked her.
Right as I was turning around I ran straight into someone. Or they ran into me. Anyways, I had just collided with somebody in the middle of this coffee shop!
I looked up at this man who I had bumped into. He was tall and had brilliantly green eyes and beautiful curly brown hair.
I saw that he had coffee spilled all over the front of his green shirt.
"Oh- I-I I'm so sorry!" I stuttered.
"No no it's ok, it was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." His deep voice made me jump a big and stand up straight.
"Oh uh n-no I think I might have ruined your shirt." I put my free hand over my mouth, almost in tears at the embarrassment.
"Ruined? No way! I can just wash it out silly." The man giggled. "Let me buy you a new coffee, love."
"Aw no that's alright. You don't have to do that." I sighed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I don't need the caffeine anyways." I laughed.
"If you say so. By the way, I'm PJ!" He held out his hand.
"Y/N. Nice to meet you PJ. Again, I'm sorry for spilling coffee all over your nice green shirt there." I shook his hand. His firm grip was reassuring... Comforting even.
"That's a beautiful name. And don't worry about the shirt! I've got a hoodie to put on over it." He winked. "Want to have a sit?"
"Yeah sure!" I replied.
PJ got his coffee from the girl at the counter and joined me at the table I sat at before.
He took a seat and slung his backpack onto the seat next to him, digging threw it. He pulled out a grey hoodie and put it on, hiding the coffee on his handsome green shirt.
"Better?" He asked.
"Better. Now I don't have to feel so guilty." We both giggled at my smartass remark.
"So, Y/N?" PJ rested his arm on the table. "What is a lovely girl like you doing out here at night alone?"
"PJ, it's only like" I looked at my watch. "8:12." I looked back up at him. Even sitting down he was taller than me. Quite a bit taller.
"I don't care. These streets are full of havoc." PJ joked and I laughed.
"I was just at the bookstore a few blocks down. Why are you out at the late hour of 8:12?"
"I had to pick up some things from the craft store some fabric for a film I'm working on."
"A film? What kind of film?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah! I do YouTube so I make films and put them up there for people to see. It's quite fun actually, ya know, following your dreams."
"It sure sounds like fun. If you don't mind me asking, what is it about?"
"I can show you. We can go back to mine and I can show you all the scripts and layout plans. only If you want?" PJs eyes glimmered as a smile spread across his face.
"I would love to, PJ. That would be great."
-
We walked along the sidewalk, the cold air was getting to us both.
By now, we were basically huddled together as we walked.
He walked to my right and held my hand in his.
I looked up at the amazing sight of Brighton at night.
But I couldn't help but stare at PJ from time to time.
He was quite attractive, he had a nice build but was slightly lanky, his hair framed his face perfectly, his jawline was probably sharp enough to cut me, and those eyes! Ugh those eyes were about to but me into coma.
"Y/N?" He broke me from by daydreaming phase.
"Oh hey sorry, I was just in beep thought." I looked at my surroundings, we were very close to where I live.
"It's fine don't be so sorry all the time. Have some confidence in yourself. A charming girl like yourself should stand up for herself more often." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards him.
"Alright. I can try. Thanks PJ."
"No problemo. Ok this is it." He pointed to the door of a ground level flat.
I noticed that we were only about five minutes walk from the beach.
"Nice flat!" I said, looking up at the windows of the building.
"Thank you. It isn't much, but home is home." He unlocked the door.
He lead me into the house and we sat down in the living room.
"I'm going to go change my shirt. I'll be right back. Don't fall into a time rift while I'm gone." PJ walked out and down the hall.
I found myself looking up and around at the little photos of creatures that he had drawn that were sitting in the coffee table.
They were brilliant! Full of color and some of the most original I'd ever seen.
Before I knew it, PJ was back with a clean shirt.
We sat and chatted about film and animation and music for what seemed like forever. I wish it could have been.
He was truly amazing. So creative and inspiring.
-
My watch read 11:49PM.
"PJ, I think I better go, it's getting late." I stood up from the couch.
"Oh ok, would you like me to walk you home?" He stood.
"Uh-I mean you don't have to, but if you want, you are welcome to join me."
"I would love to."
We slipped on out jackets and shoes and left his flat.
He held my hand as we strolled down the sidewalk.
It had stopped raining but it was a good bit colder than earlier.
We eventually arrived at mine.
"Thank you for the nice evening. Again, I'm sorry that I spilled coffee all over your nice green shirt." I turned to face him.
"Thank you for joining me and not being creeped out by a random man asking you to come back to his house. And stop worrying about the damn shirt!" He laughed jokingly.
"Bye PJ"
"Wait!" He said and I jumped. "Could I get your phone number? I would love to hang or again sometime."
"Absolutely, I would love that." I handed him my phone.
He added his contact to it and handed it back.
"Thank you!" I put in in my back pocket. "See you soon."
"Bye. See you soon." He bent down and kissed my cheek. "Stay out of trouble."
"Whatever." I giggled and rolled my eyes.
I went into my flat and PJ walked off into the night.
I plopped back into my couch and sighed.
This all happened because I'm a clumsy little asshole who can't stay away from a damn coffee shop.
Thank god for that.