sonder » c.h.

two

She sipped the hot liquid tentatively, the warmth spilling onto her tongue with a splash. She had found a booth in the back corner of the café, but it still had a perfect view of the small stage near the entrance. She cupped her coffee between her hands, finally regaining feeling in her frozen fingers.

She leaned back in the booth, resting her head against the cushioned seat as she listened to the act that was just starting. He sat down on the lone stool, guitar in hand as he introduced himself before launching into the song he had planned.

She watched him carefully, noticing how his eyes drooped slightly as his sang, his lips pressed intimately close to the microphone. He had a nice voice, one that everyone could like. She took another sip of her coffee, letting her eyes ease close from the warmness it spread through her body.

She kept her eyes shut for a good moment, before picking up her head and opening her eyes again. But when she did, she almost lost her breath. The boy from before was stepping through the door to the café, sloughing his hood off and letting it lay against his back.

His dark eyes surveyed the café before moving through the maze of tables. He finally sat down at a table next to a tall blonde, a sleek acoustic guitar cradled in his lap. It was then that she instantly recognized him. She had seen him perform at previous mic-nights before, but why had she never seen his mysterious friend before?

She watched as the blonde stood up as the act performing ended and made his way to the stage with guitar in tow. He situated himself on the stool, strumming his guitar once before introducing himself as Luke. And then he started singing, his voice washing over the crowd.

She always loved hearing him sing, how he always gave his all into the small performance. Her gaze drifted back to Luke's friend who sat at the table, watching the performance. He was fiddling with the table tent that listed some of the seasonal drinks, twisting it around in a circle as he listened to Luke sing and play guitar.

His feet were stretched out beneath the table, one crossed over the other as he leaned back in his chair. She wondered where he had gone in the time that he had disappeared on the street, only to end up where she had wished he would be.

She wanted nothing more to learn his name, to learn more about him as a person rather than just watching from afar. And that's what made him different to her. She had watched tons of people before, but never had she had a desire to actually get to know them.

She watched Luke again as he finished his song, singing the final notes before thanking the crowd and making his way back to his friend. He returned his guitar to its case before sitting down beside the brunette, watching as a smile graced his full lips, creases deepening at the corners of his eyes.

They launched into a conversation that she couldn't hear, but she only wished that she could. She sipped down the rest of her coffee, the now empty cup offering her no warmth. She got up; tossing her the cup into the trash can near the exit.

She knew she had no other reason to stay at the café. There were only two acts left and she was sure that it was getting colder outside by the minute. Even with the coffee in her system, she'd be freezing by the time she made it back to her apartment.

But she wanted to stay; she wanted to get as many glimpses of the brunette as she could. Even if she had seen him for a second time in one night, she knew this was going to be the last time. New York was filled to the brim with people, and once she walked out the door, she was going to be just another one of them.

She pushed the door wide open, the chilled air washing over her skin with a sharp snap. She slipped on her gloves again as she started down the sidewalk. She couldn't help but look through the glass of the café, finding the brunette still at his table inside.