The Encounter

Chapter six

Harley

He is here.

This is fate.

Right?

I take a deep breath as I walk over to the front of the café and to Mateo. I want to keep looking at him but I don't want to make it too obvious. I have to gather the courage to talk to him before he leaves.

I told myself I would talk to him.

I have come to the café every day for the past three days and he hasn't been here.

Now he is and he is even more beautiful than he was the last time I saw him. his eyes shine. I am not even playing. His eyes literally glow. The man doesn't seem human. He seems like some god. The kind you hear about. The kinds that have the perfect body. the kind of smile that could kill you.

This man is perfect and it seems like he doesn't even know it.

I take steady breaths as I drop my books on the table and Mateo smiles at me. slowly pouring coffee into a cup for me. "Stop whatever you are doing kid,'' he tells me immediately.

He notices things and he has noticed my interest in mystery man.

"What am I doing?'' I ask innocently as I bat my lashes.

He shakes his head "He is not the kind of person you want to be interested in. He looks like trouble.''

I scoff "You don't even know him. How do you know he is not the kind of person that I should be interested in?'' I ask playfully.

I always see the best in people and that is one of the reasons why I am in the mess that I am in. "I just want to talk to him. it is not a big deal,'' I brush it off and my eyes find their way to him again.

He is drinking a cup of coffee but he is still looking at me. he doesn't seem to care that I caught him. his eyes remain fixed on mine and for a second, I think I see a smile on his full lips. it vanishes so fast that I almost feel like I imagined it.

"For once in your life Harley. Listen to me. this man is not the kind of man you should be around. He is not the kind of person you should be talking to. You are just a kid."

"I am eighteen. I think I am old enough to decide if this is what I want. I will be back,'' I manage slowly standing up from the stool and walking over to him.

I don't know where this courage is coming from.

I don't even know what the hell I am doing.

I might just end up making a fool of myself but I already promised myself that I would do this—talk to him. I said the next time I met him, we would have a conversation and that is what I intend to do.

He watches me as I walk over to him. his eyes never leave me. his expression is stoic. His hands are on the table as I stop in front of him.

He raises a brow slowly.

My eyes find their way to his hands. They are strong, covered in veins in that sexy man's hands kind of way. my heart thumps so loudly that I almost think he can hear it.

"Hi,'' I manage in a stutter.

My voice is unrecognizable to me.

Who the hell am I right now?

I don't walk up to beautiful men.

I don't strike up conversations.

He remains quiet, still watching me.

I take a deep breath.

"I saw you the other day. You are not from around here, are you?'' I ask him.

What the hell am I doing.

Quit while you are ahead.

"Can I sit?'' I add.

He is not answering me.

Why isn't he answering me?

He raises his brow again.

This time, I see the smile and I am so sure I didn't imagine it. Why is he so quiet?

I want to hear his voice.

I have imagined how he would sound all weekend and he doesn't even want to give me the privilege.

He tilts his head and I take that as an invitation. Slowly sitting on the opposite side of his booth. He watches me. hie eyes are very intense. Almost like he has seen a lot more life than I have. I want to live vicariously through him. I want to see the things that he has seen. I want to live a glimpse of the life he has lived. I don't even fucking know this man and I want all of him.

Does that even make any sense?

"What's your name?'' I ask, wanting something from him.

"Do you normally talk to strangers?"

Finally.

Jesus Christ.

This man.

He exceeds my expectations all the time. His voice is rich. So rich. It is like music on a lonely night. It rubbles and shakes the earth. It is everything that I thought it would be and more.

What the hell is happening inside me right now?

My heart is throbbing, just from a voice.

I smile.

I smile because I want him to like me. I want him to continue talking to me. Dad always used to say my smile could save lives. A happy Harley is a happy world.

I am happy, just being near this man.

"Are you the bad kind of stranger?'' I ask.

He laughs and my hands tremble because he just keeps doing more things to drive me crazy. His voice is so deep that it feels like his laugh echoes in the confinement of this room. Suddenly, no one else matters but him.

Does that even make any sense?

"What does that even mean?"

I shrug.

I want to be cool in his eyes.

I don't want him to think I am a loser. "You know, everyone in town seems to be scared of you?''

"And you?''

I am not scared of him.

"I am curious, you are too good for this place. I can tell you belong somewhere more majestic. Somewhere where they don't gossip. Somewhere that has more than one mall.''

He laughs again.

I didn't even think I was funny.

I don't even think I have said anything funny.

Why is he amused?

"You should listen to people."

I don't know what he means but I smile.

"What is your name?''

He smiles, this time wider than before and I see his teeth. White and perfect. Just like the rest of him.

He is dressed in the same clothes as the last time I saw him. it seems like he only wears black. I don't even think I want to see him in color. It suits him and somehow, it feels like he owns the color black.

"If I tell you my name, you die,'' he mutters.

My heart dings.

I would die if I could just touch you.

"I am Harley,'' I reach out for him because I want to know what he feels like. I want to know if this is as intense as my heart is telling me. his eyes dart from my face to my hands.

He doesn't take my hand.

He robs me of the contact that I desperately.

"You should listen to the people here. Stay away from the bad kind of strangers.'' He stands up from the chair and I watch him walk out of the café.

My heart sinks as I watch the door close.