Freckles - Ed Sheeran

Bus and vinyl shop

I got onto the bus just in time before the doors shut closed.

I walked along the aisle looking for an empty seat I probably wouldn't find. And as I thought, I got to the end of the bus without having found any free spots.

-Linnea?-

I turned around and saw Edward sitting next to the window. The seat next to his was free. I was wrong then, I had missed an empty seat, even though the bus was stuffed full.

-Hi- I said. I walked over and sat next to him. There was an awkard silence, a long one. I was the best at creating them.

He finally broke it. -I'm Ed.- I looked at him. Ed? I liked Edward better. -I'm Linnea, but you already knew that.- He blushed. -Yeah uhm, I looked you up on the yearbook.- I smiled to myself. Should I tell him that I did the same? Nah.

-Nice to meet you Ed. So uhm..- I didn't know how to bring up the "music class encounter" subject. Actually I wasn't even sure I was going to, but Edward turned over to look at me and so did I. He had typical northen fair traits: ginger hair, pale skin, invisible eyebrows and light blue eyes that his glasses couldn't hide. I was glad to see his eyes weren't showing pain now. But they were very serious.

-Thanks for what you did the other day.- he said, with a tone of voice as serious as his eyes.

I quickly looked away, unable to hold his gaze. -That's okay. But you never told me why you were crying- I mumbled.

I felt Edward shuffle on his seat. Just when I though he wasn't going to answer, he speaked in a very low voice. -I'm not sure either. I think I had a breakdown, or whatever you want to call it. I had a fight with my mum but that was just the trigger, it wasn't the real reason. Then I found more and more reasons to keep crying. I just felt like everything in my life was wrong, you know? And it probably is.-

I turned to look at him and saw him staring out of the window. I was surprised that he was being so open with me. I didn't know what to say. The thing was, I knew exactly what he ment, I just didn't know if it was for the same reasons.

-Yeah, I know the feeling.- I decided to whisper, before quickly getting up from my seat and walking towards the nearest doors without a word. Before leaving the bus, I looked at him. He was smiling at me, but he seemed a bit sad. I stepped down at my stop.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of pouring rain, which instantly made me smile. I loved the rain, especially when I could watch it from inside a coffee shop with the smell of coffee and burning candles, and maybe a crackling fire, so I decided to go out and find one. I got ready with no rush, since it was a Sunday. After a quick shower, I got dressed in a pair of dungarees over a knitted jumper. I put on my red wellingtons and a black raincoat. I grabbed my backpack - it was easier to carry than a handbag- and looked in the mirror. I had no make-up on and my sense of fashion was rather unique today, but I shrugged since I wasn't going to meet anyone I knew anyway. It was only 8am but my body clock was used to gettig up early in the morning for school. My parents and my sister on the other hand were still asleep, enjoying their Sunday morning lie-in, so I wrote a note explaining where I was and left it on the kitchen table. They already thought I was a weirdo for going out by myself anyway.

I walked along the wet streets of the outskirts of London I had yet to discover, since my famiy and I had moved here from Sweden only a few months ago. I spotted a coffee shop on the other side of the road and decied I liked it. But before walking in, I noticed that next to it was an old vinyl shop. My father had an old record player, so I decided to go in there instead.

There were many classics but also new albums. I spotted an album by an artist my father liked on one of the higher shelves and thought it could be the perfect present for his upcoming birthday, so I got on my tiptoes trying too reach it, waiting for the person next to me to get out of the way. I frowned and turned to look at the person again. Damn it. I was Edward. It was too late to get out without him noticing me so I might as well go full on. -Hi Edward.- He turned to look at me and a croocked smile appeared on his face. -Hey Linnea. You looking for old records?- I nodded.

-I've never seen you here before.-

-That's because I've never been here before- I replyed flat.

He looked down and after a moment of silence he awkwardly took off his glasses and cleaned them with his shirt. His smile had disappeared. -Okay well, see you around.-

Without looking at me, he walked towards the exit. I stood there still. I did it again. My antisociality pushed someone away. But do I care? Of course not.

The door slammed closed.

-Hey Edward!- I said, reaching the door, opening it quickly and looking at either side  to see which way he had walked off. He looked at me with his piercing blue eyes behind his newly cleaned glasse which were being covered in raindrops.

I can't do this. Taking the firs step? That is so outside my comfort zone.

-There's a coffee shop just next to this record store. Do you drink coffee?-