Assailant [H.S]

Chapter 13

**Trigger Warning**
blood, bruising, cuts

Nora's POV

It's six-thirty in the morning and I'm walking into my favorite coffee shop just down the street from my house.

I've always adored the smell of coffee in the mornings, it reminds me of my childhood and good memories.

This coffee shop in particular was where I held my first ever job. I worked here for about two years in high school, and luckily they still let me use my employee discount.

I walked in the doors and the bells chimed, signifying that someone had entered the shop. A few employees looked over in my direction and waved with a welcoming smile.

I smiled and waved back, walking up to the order counter.

"Hey! I'd like a-"

"Nora, I know, the usual right? " An employee jokes, typing in my normal order into the machine.

I nodded, "Yep. You know me too well. Cinnamon Dolce Iced Latte with cold foam, please!" I reached into my tote bag and grabbed my wallet, unzipping it and pulling out my debit card. I swiped it into the reader and waited for my receipt. I slid my card back into my wallet and threw it back into my tote. "Thank you!".

Then, I walked over to the pick-up counter and waited for my drink.

"Hey, excuse me-uh, you dropped this." A deep voice from behind me tapped my shoulder.

I turned around, seeing a man holding onto my drivers license. "Oh shit, thank you. It must have fallen when I took out my wallet."

He handed me the drivers license and I quickly pulled out my wallet, putting my license back.

"Yeah, of course. I figured you would need it to get to whatever destination you are headed to next, this early in the morning?" He questioned with a smile.

A very attractive, somewhat familiar, smile.

"Actually, no. I'm walking to my training session this morning. I work out at the gym down the street so I usually just walk to save on gas." I peered back at the order counter to see if my drink was ready, which it wasn't.

"Well, alright then. I guess I'll just be straightforward so you can be on your way. I think you are absolutely gorgeous and I would love to take you out sometime. Do you have any plans after this training of yours today?" He asked with a questioning look on his face.

My cheeks flushed with red as I heard this man ask me out on a date, I think?

"Not really, just a few errands but I could always do them later!" I spat out, a little too excitedly.

"Nora! Your latte is ready!" An employee yelled out.

I quickly turned around and grabbed my drink and avoided turning back towards him out of pure embarrassment, awaiting a response.

"Let's do lunch? Here's my phone number. You can text me when you finish your training session and I'll send you the address for lunch." He handed me a piece of paper with his phone number on it and I gladly accepted it, placing it into my tote.

"That sounds wonderful, but I'm going to be all gross and sweaty, and I'd hate for my first impression to be that way." I joked, taking a sip of latte and losing track of time.

It's quite easy to get lost in his beautiful sea blue eyes.

"I think you've already made quite the impression." He cracked a smile from the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you later." He turned away and walked out of the coffee shop, without coffee.