Treacherous

Friday, October 16th

Friday, October 16th.
06:23 PM

Sam nervously checked his watch for the third time that day. It had been almost a week Sam had a hard time falling asleep. For six straight days Sam had been drinking two cup of coffee. His heart was beating too fast. It was a stupid idea, he had to admit. Waiting for her with no certainty, nothing to grasp except for a couple of things he knew about her such as her favorite coffee and the fact that this could be her favorite bench, too. He knew he couldn't take it any longer.

Sam exhaled loudly, thinking that night would be another sleepless night. He looked around one more time, prepared to get home, only to be stopped by a girl that he's been waiting for, crossing the roads and walked towards his bench. Her expression was slightly perplexed.

Turning his gaze back at the river, Sam tried to act calm.

"For you." Sam offered her her cup of coffee.

"For me?" Mary asked as she sat next to him.

"Yeah."

"But why?" Now Mary was fully perplexed.

Sam hadn't been thinking of it, why, he debated inside his head. 'Why Sam? You can't say that it's because you've been desperately waiting for her and chuking another cup of coffee down your throat every night! That would ruin everything you creep. Why does she have to be so difficult?! Just accept the damn coffee, ugh.. Wing it, Sammeh!!'

"Hello?" Mary stared at him furrowing her eyebrows.

"Just think of this as my way of apologizing for suffocating you that night."

Lie.

"All right," Mary took the paper cup from his hand. "Thanks... Sam. How did you know I was coming today anyway?"

"I didn't. I just got the feeling I should do it today. Maybe faith wants us to meet again."

Lie.

Sam cringes internally at himself. He cleared his throat and tried to change the subject. "What about you? What brought you here?"

These past five days, Mary's mom had managed to drive her to school and pick her up like she normally would. Before this, she got to work overtime at her office. Her turn had passed and she started picking up Mary from school again.

To be completely honest, Mary's mind had found its way back to Sam a couple of times a day. She was glad that her mom started picking her up again, because she'd didn't have to walk her long way back home. But then again, she didn't really mind either if she could walk home on her own, she could do something that she couldn't when she was with her mom, for example; 'accidentally' stumbled upon a 'random bench'.

Mary got home early that day. She absentmindedly thought about Sam and that bench. She told herself, 'This is not normal, Mary! Cut it off!.' But at 05:50 Mary decided to go out to get herself coffee and see if he was there or not.

"Hello, Henry." Mary greeted, Thank God the line was empty.

"Hi, Mary."

"Can I have my usual please?."

"I don't think you should order today." Henry smirked.

"Why? Mary asked incredulously.

Henry walked towards the window, and motioned Mary to follow him, "Come."

"See that bench across the street?"

"Uhuh..." Mary answered nervously because she not only could see the bench but also a familiar blonde hair that sat on it.

"Why don't you go there to see yourself why."

"Umm.. Okay.."

"Go on now."

"Uh all right, thanks, Henry, See ya!" Mary walked out the door and across the street trying to figure out why.

********

"Umm, I was just walking around."

Lie.

"So I guess this is your favorite bench then?"

"Not.. Particularly, no." Mary chuckled.

"Why this is my favorite bench by the way." Sam said stretching his long legs.

"You're weird."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome... And this is the weirdest conversation I've ever held to someone."

"Why is it?"

"I don't know, I don't really do.. small talks." Mary sipped her coffee slowly wondering why she said that to a stranger."

"Now I feel really special," Sam said turning his gaze back to her, small teasing amile crept out of his face, "and by the way, that was a cute way of saying we should get to know each other."

Mary blushed, did he just flirt with her? "I.. That wasn't what I meant," Mary stutered.

"Let's start from the beginning, since our first.. encounter was a bit inaproppriate. Hi, my name is Samuel Emerson, you can call me Sam, I'm 22 years old, and I'm currently taking a chemistry major in Oak Ridge university, nice to meet you." Sam stuck out his hand for Mary to shake.

Mary tentatively shook his hand, "Mary Stonem, 17, senior year of Winterville High, nice to meet you, too."

Sam shook her hand back and forgot to let go, Mary cleared her throat and pulled her hand back.

"Umm you look young for a 22 years old."

"I know, everyone said so."

Mary chuckled and the ice was breaking.

"What?"

"What?"

"Why did you chuckle little miss 17 years old? Sam raised his eyebrows

"Because you don't look 22." Mary chuckled again.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I don't know, but in my theory you could probably live longer than anyone else,"

"Smart aren't ya?"

Mary chuckled and they fell into a comfortable silence. After a few moment, Mary checked her phone to see what time was it and decided to go back home.

"It's getting dark, I should probably get home." Mary got up. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Umm no problem.." Sam got up too, "Can I walk you home?" Sam tried.

"I guess." Mary said, wondering to herself why she felt like trusting, and start walking.

Sam caught up and walked beside her. He felt relieved for all those sleepless nights were paid off. He didn't know why he just found it pleasent being in her presence. Was it because she was pretty? Yes, that was one reason but he felt like there was something more, it was strange he could really like this girl. He tried to stay calm and memorize the way to her house.

Mary halted when she was in front of her house. "This is it, thanks again, Sam."

"No problem," he scratched the back of his neck nervously, he suddently wanted to know if Mary had a boyfriend, but he didn't know how to ask. "Umm off to study?"

"Yes, I have homeworks. Plenty of them actually."

"Ohh, can I help?" Sam offered lamely.

"My homework is math, but thanks for the offer."

"I understand high school math, Mary."

"But I thought you were-"

"Yes my major is chemistry but I have to understand math too," Sam chuckled.

"Oh," Mary chuckled, "Come on in then.