Meant to Be

Chapter 2 - Avocados for Phoebe

The time is 10:35 AM. A couple weeks had passed since Michael had moved into the adjacent apartment building. Angelo sat by his window often, seeking just another glimpse of the high school crush in his prime, with little to no luck. It seems that their work schedules were not in sync.

"When are you just gonna go talk to him?" Ashlyn chimes in from the doorway, catching him staring out the window.

"Uh there is no when Ash" he corrects "Because its not going to happen. Besides I thought you didn't like me talking about him"

"I didn't when he was all you talked about, for the past four years. I started to think he was just a figment of your imagination" she responds "But now that he lives next door, I wanna see this play out"

"We don't even know if he's even into guys Ash, he could have just been a really nice guy, or just practicing his people skills." he returns to the window to continue staring.

"Whatever Angelo" she said rolling her eyes returning to the kitchen for breakfast.

It was a Saturday so, everyone had the day off. After a stressful week, they always made sure to do absolutely nothing on these special days. Angelo spent the greater part of his morning cleaning the messy floor of miscellaneous clothes from the week. All the while, staring out the window just waiting for Michael to appear. Cleaning his bedroom took about an hour, with no movement from the neighboring building. Angelo got into his best outfit he could find, and joined Phoebe and Ashlyn in the living room.

"I'm gonna head to the produce market in the North End. Any special requests?" he announces.

"Wow, Angelo doing shopping? Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Ash says jokingly.

"Haha, very funny. For real though. Anything?"

"I'll take some avocados if they have any. I wanted to make guacamole" Phoebe says excitedly.

"Ok sounds good. Be back later!" he yells leaving the two to watch The Office yet another time.

Angelo after a torturous experience on the train, finally arrived at the produce market. It was quite the sight to behold. Every Saturday in the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, a specific street in the North End of Boston is blocked off so an array of produce providers can come to sell their goods to provide for their families. Ashlyn and Phoebe were usually the ones doing the shopping, but Angelo needed to get out of that stuffy room, and to get his mind off of you know who.

He first hit the usual stands, one with the lettuce, cucumbers, celery, and the other with various fruits. There was only one stand left with avocados in stock, which was tucked at the very end of the street.

"Hi, how are you?" Angelo asked the clerk.

"Ah good, good" the man responds in broken english.

Angelo scans the table looking for the avocados. However, upon reaching for his desired avocado, another hand crosses his path. A very muscular and veiny hand, clearly darkened by the late summer sun.

"Oh sorry" the man says retracting his hand.

Angelo picks his eyes up from the table only to meet you know who. Michael. He looked almost exactly the same as he remembered only with a more weathered appearance. He had evidently grown a few inches since Angelo last saw him. His face etched by Michelangelo himself, with a jawline for days. And his arms and abs were practically breaking free from his tee shirt. And his smile. It could practically be seen from the opposite end of the street. Michael must have noticed Angelo fading in and out of reality as he looked him up and down.

"Hey you okay there?" Michael asks concerned. This snaps Angelo back into reality.

"What? Oh I'm so sorry. I-I was just-" he stutters