1 A Fresh Start
"I see you so clearly in my dreams, yet when I'm awake I don't know who you are"
Beep!
Beep!
Beep!
I roll over and turn the alarm off. Ugh, I had that dream again. Is my subconscious telling me to make time for more than my studies and book club meetings? It could be this new book I'm reading. Either way, it's been a while since…I don't want to think about that right now. I guess I'd better get ready for classes. It's Monday and it's raining. I go into the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face, and brush my hair up into a ponytail. As I put on my purple flannel, blue jeans, and rain boots I decide to stop by the coffee shop on my way to my morning classes to pick up something hot to drink. I gather all of my books and head downstairs to breakfast. Today is going to be different, I can feel it.
"Good morning Mom," I say putting my books on an empty chair and sitting down.
"Good morning Lena, did you sleep well" my mother says placing breakfast in front of me and kissing me on the cheek.
"Yes mom. Did you," I ask pouring us both a cup of orange juice.
"I did," she says sitting across from me.
"Where's dad and the twins," I ask her placing a forkful of eggs into my mouth.
"The twins wanted to catch a ride to school from dad because of the rain, so they left early," mom says sipping her juice.
"Oh, I would've given them a ride," I say.
"I'm sure you would have, they didn't want to bother you," mom says.
"Hmm," I say more to myself than my mom. We finish our breakfast in silence and I wash our dishes. Afterwards I put my books into my bag and get ready to head out.
"Alright mom, I'm heading out," I say putting on my rain jacket and grabbing my bag and umbrella.
"Do you have any plans after class today," mom asks standing in the doorway.
"No, not really. I'll probably go to the coffee shop to get some work done," I answer. She's been trying to make sure I get out the house more since I had that bad break up with Jay. It's been about a year since then though, I thought I was getting better.
"Oh love, you need to get out a little more. Call Rylie and Nova and have a girl's day out or something," she says with a look of concern.
"Yeah, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'll see what they have going on this weekend." I reply smiling reassuringly.
"Good, go make some memories with your friends," she says smiling back.
"You do know that I am okay with being alone mom," I say reminding her.
"I know you are and it's okay to go out and be with other people as well," she says smiling and walking to her office.
"Thanks mom, I appreciate it," I say walking towards the door.
"Okay, be safe and try to stay warm," she yells from her office. She's a successful and well known real estate agent and Dad owns a chain of restaurants and yet we live a modest life.
"Will do, I'm going to stop by the coffee shop to get something hot to drink on my way to class," I yell back at her.
I get in the car and drop my bag and umbrella on the passenger seat. I text Riley and Nova while I'm waiting for the heat to kick in. They're both down to hang out this weekend so we'll meet up at the coffee shop after classes to figure it all out. I head out to the coffee shop to get that hot drink before classes. I pull up and am able to get a spot close to the front. The rain is still coming down considerably so I grab my umbrella and wristlet out of my bag. As I walk to the door, the wind picks up and blow my umbrella right out of my hands! When I turn around to chase it, I see that it's been caught.
"Is this yours," he says with a beautiful white smile and velvet voice.
"Y-yes," I reply trying to find the rest of my voice. He is tall and beautiful with brown satin skin. He look so familiar and yet I don't know where I know him from.
"Well, here you are," he says still smiling closing the gap between us and handing me the umbrella.
"Thank you," I reply looking into his eyes feeling my ears warm and heart racing. Good grief he is handsome. I have to tell myself to take the umbrella and to stop staring.
"It's no problem," he says and walks ahead to open the door to the coffee shop holding it open for me.
"Thank you again," I say closing my umbrella walking past him into the shop filled with people looking to escape the cold wet weather and for something hot to drink.
"You're welcome," he says smiling and follows me to the long line of people waiting to be serviced.
As I stand in line very aware of the beautiful man behind me, I can't get my heart to stop racing so I try to focus on something else. It's proving impossible though, through the heavy coffee aroma in the air I can smell his cologne and it's intoxicating. Not only is he beautiful he smells wonderful as well. It's been a while since my mind and body has been so aware of a man's presence. I just have to pull myself together; I think I'll get a muffin to go with my hot drink just to have something to nibble on. This line is so long, thank goodness I have quite some time to kill before the first class starts.
"So do you go to the university," I hear the velvet voice behind me ask.
"Yes," I reply shifting my wristlet from my right hand to my left. "What about you," I ask.
"Yeah, I go there," he says moving a little closer, I'm guessing to keep up the conversation.
"That's cool, I'm Lena by the way," I say turning around holding out my hand. My heart is racing so hard I can feel and hear it drumming away in my ears.
"Nice to meet you Lena, I'm Mekhi," he says taking my hand in his and giving it a little squeeze.
"Nice to meet you Mekhi," I reply smiling in response to his smile. I can't believe I'm conversing with a man and not giving him the cold shoulder. The line starts to move so I move along with it and I both hear and feel Mekhi moving as well.
"So do you come here often," he asks moving steadily with the line.
"Yeah, this is kind of my go to place. It's between my house and the University so I come here just about every day," I respond moving as the line moves again.
"That's cool. I stop by every once in a while," he says.
"Oh okay," I say. I'm next in line so I think about what I want to order. Is it going to be coffee or hot chocolate? I'm definitely getting a banana nut muffin, so I guess I'll get the hot chocolate. I'll pay for whatever he gets as well as thanks for catching my umbrella and returning it to me.
"Good morning," the young lady behind the counter calls.
"Hey, good morning! Could I have a large hot chocolate, the jumbo banana muffin and I'll pay for whatever the guy gets behind me," I say looking back at Mekhi and moving to the side.
"Okay, ma'am! Good morning sir! What can I get for you today," the young lady says smiling looking between us.
"Good morning, I'll have a large breakfast tea and bagel with cream cheese," he says smiling his wide smile at the young lady behind the counter.
"Th-thank you sir," the young lady stammers back.
"Then that's everything," I say to the young lady behind the counter. So I'm not the only one affected by that smile I note to myself.
"Your total is 12.81 ma'am," she says to me. As I hand her my bank card Mekhi moves my hand out of the way and gives her his bank card.
"Hey, I'm trying to pay for your stuff as a thank you for returning my umbrella to me," I say taken aback at his speed and his actions.
"Oh, I wouldn't be a gentleman if I allowed you to pay for my stuff," he says with that easy smile I believe is used to disable women.
"Well you have to let me pay for your tea at the very least," I reply feeling a little self-conscious as I'm sure my eyes are wide because my ears are burning with blush as I put my card back into my wristlet.
"No can do. However if you have a little time before your class starts we can grab a table together," he says walking over to the order pick up counter.
"Sure, I have a little time," I reply following him sheepishly to the order pick up counter.
"Good," he says smiling again sticking his hands in his front pockets.
As we're waiting for our order I look over him as sneakily as possible. He's tall maybe six-two or six-three, he looks lean underneath his jacket and dark jeans. His teeth are perfect and white and his skin really looks like brown satin; I want to touch him just to see if it's as smooth as it looks. Oops! My thoughts are running away while I'm looking at him so I turn away and look at the menu. I thought it would be a long time before I could have these feelings again. A year seems so close and yet so far away I can hardly remember how I spent my time then. I let myself wallow too long over that fool. NEVER AGAIN. I think angrily.
"Hey, I have our food and drinks," Mekhi calls pulling me from those deep thoughts.
"Okay, where do you want to sit," I ask smiling at him trying to recover the mood.
"You lead the way, I'll follow," he says smiling back and just like that my irritation melts away.
"Okay, I know the perfect spot," I say leading him to a corner in the back of the shop that has these comfortable armchairs and little table between them.
"This is a good spot," Mekhi says sitting our food and drinks on the table and taking a seat.
"Isn't it? This is my spot," I say sinking into my favorite armchair. This is different besides Rylie and Nova I've never brought anyone back to "my spot" not even that fool Jay. However seeing as though the shop is still a little crowded I suppose I had no choice. Now we're supposed to have small talk and I'm not even sure I'm any good at that.
"So, Lena how long have you been coming here for this to be your spot," he asks stirring sugar into his tea.
"Hmm it's been for a long time now. I mean my dad used to bring us here whenever we were feeling down or needed to talk away from the house. I've been coming on my own for the last five years though. At first I caught the bus here, then when I started driving I ended up here almost every day," I answer taking a piece of my muffin wondering why I said so much.
"Oh okay, I only started coming here two years ago when I started at the University," he says answering my unasked question.
"Are you not from this area," I ask taking a sip of my hot chocolate looking him in his brown eyes.
"Nah, I lived about two hours away," he says returning my gaze with his own and the mega watt smile.
"Oh okay, that's cool. What brought you to this University," I ask realizing that I am definitely making small talk and I'm interested in whatever it is he has to say.
"Basketball actually. They offered a full ride so I took the opportunity to further my education," he says.
"That's cool. I didn't really follow the basketball team. Maybe I should," I say. If Mekhi asks to me to come to a game I'm not sure that I won't refuse no matter how my mind will tell me "no" the rest of my body is saying "yes". I'm thinking too far ahead though.
"You should come to our next game, we're playing in a tournament this Saturday. I mean if you're not busy" he says laying back into the chair smiling watching for my answer.
"Hmm, I'll think about it," I reply trying to be objective and not give an immediate answer. I just met this guy and even though he make my heart race I'm just not too sure. It's supposed to be a girl's day anyway; we'll discuss this matter later.
"Alright then," he says eating the rest of his bagel.
"Cool," I say trying not to get too dazzled or distracted by this guy. He already has gotten more time and conversation out of me than the last few guys that have approached me. I wonder what's so different about him. I steal another glance at him while sipping my hot chocolate; he's just so familiar I don't know why though.
"Well Ms. Lena, I don't want to take up too much more of your time so I'll be leaving," he says standing up pulling me from my internal evaluation.
"Okay then, I guess I'll see you around Mekhi and thank you again for breakfast," I reply standing myself and sticking out my hand to shake his. Instead of shaking my hand he pulls me into a hug shocking me.
"I'll see you Saturday," he says into my ear with that velvet voice of his and I nearly melt.
"Yeah…Saturday," I respond because I can't think of anything else to say. He releases me and heads out of the shop…and I watch him, like a fool, as he leaves.
Sit down! I remind myself. I have no idea what just happened or how I ended up in this precarious situation on a cold and rainy Monday morning. I was just stopping for something hot to drink and something small to eat yet I find myself invited to a basketball game by a tall handsome guy that I'm sure I want to see again. I pull out my phone to check the time and I still have a little while before class starts so I try to search Mekhi on social media sites. After fifteen minutes of active searching I come up empty handed and admit defeat. Oh well. I think to myself I suppose it's a good thing, he's probably a very private person. I put my muffin back into its bag and grab my drink and umbrella and leave the shop as well.
It's not raining as hard when I reach the door so I just pull up the hood on my rain jacket and walk straight to my car. Taking a deep breath once I get in and close the door; Rylie and Nova are going to have a field day when I tell them about my morning. They've been trying to set me up on dates for a year now and I've rejected every single one. Woah. I don't think inviting me to a basketball game is a date right? Everyone is invited to games it's a public thing. I think I'm starting overthink things; he was just being friendly. Now I'm so confused. Ugh, let me get to class before I'm late.
