The fall leaves swirled around my car as I sat stopped at a notoriously long red light. I was happy work was over and it was the weekend, and my good mood was heightened by one of my favorite songs coming over the radio. I got into the beat with no shame; singing loudly, banging on my steering wheel as if it were the drums, and happily acting out as if there were a microphone in my face. Originally when I pulled up, I was alone, but I became very aware someone was watching me and I turned to spot a wildly gorgeous woman not more than five feet from me, watching the impromptu show from the passenger seat. The man at the wheel kept his eyes on the road, seemingly concentrating. Struck by the stunning audience watching me, I froze, glancing sideways to see if she was still watching--which she was.
A smirk in the corner of her lips revealed a small dimple in her cheek and her eye contact made me blush at first. She wore a knitted red stocking cap with one of the puff balls at the top, but underneath it I could see black strands spilling out from the hem. Her eyes were a welcoming emerald green that I'd never encountered and I had the sudden need to stare into them forever. As the best part of the song rose, I unashamedly turned toward her fully with an invisible microphone in front of my mouth, and sang with the enthusiasm of the original creator--if not more. Her smirk burst into a wide smile, accompanied by silent laughter as her window was up, and a small head shake that said
silly, silly girl.
The red ball bounced as she laughed. I noticed she actually had two dimples and a Monroe piercing just above her lip.
Her laughter drew the attention of her driver and he glanced at the both of us before he started to pull off to turn. Her breath had slightly fogged up her window and as she passed, she drew a small heart in the condensation, assumingly rating my performance. I smiled and was a little sad as I watched them turn away. A honk startled me from behind and the moment had passed, but the occurrence occupied my mind for the rest of the night. Once in bed, I laid on my back with my tired eyes closed and my mind gravitated toward wondering how her laugh sounded and who the man was beside her. As I started to drift to sleep and my mind lost inhibition, I wondered how her cherry-colored lips tasted as well as between her legs.
The night brought dreams of this green-eyed mystery woman nestled on top of me, naked with a white sheet wrapped around us, binding us. Her inquisitive eyes watched me at first, with her chin propped up on her folded arms halfway down my torso, peeking between my breasts. She spoke with a smile, but no sound came out as she moved her hands to my sides and started leaving red lipstick prints down my stomach to my navel. My entire body tingled with each kiss and even more so the further down she went. As her raven black hair started to disappear beneath the sheet, I woke up and the dream was gone, leaving only a pulsing feeling behind.
Leaving my warm bed was difficult, especially with the dropping temperatures. I tapped my phone to check the time and it was nearly 1 p.m. I slept late and I still felt I could've slept more. Fall was my favorite time of the year, but it always seemed too short, so I tried my best to savor it. To wake myself up, I decided to get dressed and walk to a local coffee shop I'd recently been recommended. The sun was out and while the trees looked nearly skeletal, the ground was full of Autumn-colored leaves that danced at every gust. I threw on a long sleeve thermal, jeans, my sneakers, and donned a worn-out biker jacket. It wasn't the warmest, but it was good enough. I pulled my beanie over my cocoa-colored hair and headed outside to where I was immediately hit with a frigid gust of wind. I almost regretted my decision, but I decided to suck it up and tough the walk.
I passed storefronts and porches that made me smile with their Halloween decorations and their toothy grinning pumpkins. I came upon a very small, hole in the wall shop and I checked the address against my phone: I had found it. Across the storefront window was a simple mug of coffee with the comical steam of the coffee spelling out "Oli's". The window itself was damp with condensation from the humidity within. A blurred woman was sitting cross legged in the window nook with her head down, with a book in one hand and a mug in the other. It was a lot smaller than I had imagined, but before I had time to look over anything else, a cold gust sent me darting inside for warmth.
A bell rang above my head as I entered and a few stray leaves followed me in. A white-haired gentleman sat on a black stool with an acoustic guitar in hand, singing and playing smoothly. Immediately, the place had a calming effect on me. The scent of coffee, the warmth of both the shop and the décor, and the music was relaxing. Embedded in the wall just inside the entrances was shelf of books; some tattered and some new. A handwritten sign above it read, "take a book, leave a book". I removed my beanie and shoved it in my jacket pocket before wiping my feet to head to the counter. The wooden floor creaked as I walked and I glanced at the art pieces hanging on the wall, as so vastly different. The most interesting part was the furniture. Seats consisted of mismatched sofa chairs, a window bench, and random cushions to sit on. Coffee and end tables followed suit, and all of it looked very worn-in as if they'd plucked it all from a thrift store. Yet all of it seemed to fit the personality of the place perfectly. The menu was a chalkboard handwritten in different colors and on the counter was a small service bell accompanied with a placard that said "ring for service." I fulfilled the request.
The song ended as the older gentleman headed behind the counter and give me the most hospitable smile possible.
"What can I get you?" He asked.
"I think I'd just like a black coffee for now, thank you."
He pushed a silver pair of glasses up his nose and turned to fetch a mug from the plethora of mismatched mugs. As he poured the coffee, I glanced around the room, checking out the other people in the place. Two men shared a table; one using a laptop and the other with a bundle of papers in front of him. A woman with her back turned toward me had on an oversized black hoodie that almost swallowed her, and leggings. A pair of Doc Martens sat empty on the floor beside her and you could see the toes of her socks sticking out from under her, showing small stripes of rainbow. Her hair was dominantly black with a dash of cerulean blue dyed in. It looked chaotic, but as if done on purpose. Nearby was a black cloth crossbody bag dotted with white images.
My coffee was slid across the counter along with a point to the sugar and cream, which I nodded gratefully and declined. I pulled cash out my pocket and the man shook his head and smiled.
"First one is free for new customers."
I smiled and thanked him, but slid the cash in a mason jar labeled
Tips
as he returned to his guitar. His low, calming voice filled the room again as I found my seat. I chose a blue sofa chair with a small yellow pillow that said
home
in cross stitch, and I wondered if someone's grandmother had sewn it. I sunk into the seat and pressed both hands to the sides of the coffee mug to warm my hands. The mug had a frazzled cartoon cat on it that said "You're freaking me-owt." I chuckled, causing the woman to turn and glance at me before flipping another page. She wore librarian-esque glasses that were attached to a small chain leading around the back of her neck.
"You," I said, immediately realizing I recognized her. I felt as though I said it with a little too much excitement.
She turned toward me, meeting my eyes, "Me?"
"Stop light girl!"
She peered at me with her lips pursed in analyzation, as if studying to see if I was strange, crazy, or messing with her. Her eyes lightened as she recognized me.
"Ah, the rockstar," she smirked, "I remember you. That was quite the concert."
"I was glad to entertain." While idiotically grinning, I gave a half-hearted bowed. Her dimples made an appearance.
"I was happy to make you laugh," I continued.
"Hold," she said before reaching out her mug to me, which I held. The book was bookmarked and sat on top of her bag. She removed her reading glasses that she left dangling around her neck and turned to face me. Once she was comfortable, I handed her the mug and sat gawking, unsure what to say and struggling to keep eye contact. The verdant eyes penetrated mine, a similar color to her coffee. I broke the connection and looked her up and down, taking in her aesthetic. She wore a white tank top with a black hoodie loose around her shoulders. Dainty hands clasp around the width of her mug. The same shade of cerulean blue painted her nails and two small rings wrapped around each thumb.
"Tell me something," I said, regaining the confidence to meet her gaze.
"Tell you something? Such as?" She cocked her head slightly while squinting her eyes as if curious. She brushed a tuft of escapes hair behind her ear and I noticed another piercing: a set of plugs with tiny skulls on them.
"Anything. First thing that comes to mind." She bit her bottom lip contemplating and I tenaciously had the urge to kiss this complete stranger. Not just kiss her, but press her up against the wall and kiss her with a substantial amount of passion she wouldn't forget. I shook the intrusive thought from my head.
"The first thing that comes to mind is how this silly person I saw preforming a solo rock concert in her truck is now suddenly very nervous sitting here in front of me," she ended with a sly smile.
"Oh well, I'm much more confident preforming live than I am off-stage," I said without missing a beat. She laughed and it was so infectious that I couldn't help but beam.
"Plus, I don't want to come on too strong." The words came out of my mouth impulsively and I paused to wait for her response, baiting her into revealing if she was attracted to me.
"Come on too strong? What makes you think I'd be into you?" Her tone turned playful and flirty, accompanied by wrinkling her nose. I untensed my body.
