PTX Oneshots

Another

Avi Kaplan was a coffee shop person. He loved the feel of it, he loved just watching passerby and sipping a latte or whatever he felt like.
He loved the cookies and cakes you could buy with your drink.
But he had never loved anything more than the petite blond who he saw was sitting across the room from him when he looked up.
His heart raced as he made his way across the room to her.
"Hi... Miss... I just... I saw you from across the room and I... You're very pretty, miss..."
She looked up at him in surprise, smiling a genuine crooked grin which seemed to highlight her eyes which seemed so familiar to him.
"You're sweet." She giggled. "My name is Kirstin. Kirstin Maldonado."
His eyes widened at her words, his eyebrows shooting up in realization.
He had met her before, in high school.
They were best friends.
Kirstin. The sweet brunette with the twinkling eyes. She was pretty, but she wouldn't stand out in a crowd, that's for sure.
She was often the butt of "Where's Kirstin?" jokes that the bullies would make, and he always stood up for her.
She never let their jeers get to her though. She would smile at them and offer them a homemade cookie or a heart sticker, and when she had nothing to give, she would give them a hug, bewildering them all.
She was known as "Little Miss Suck-Up" because of how precious and kind she was to everyone.
She had a lot of baby fat, and he loved that about her. He thought she was adorable.
But here she was, this model worthy figure who was drop dead gorgeous and making him sweat.
But she was the same, for the most part. She was accepting, still, and she had remained kind throughout the years.
He did notice a bit more of a happy glint in her eye when he looked closer.
Still smiling, Kirstin cocked her head.
"Sorry... Kirstin? That's you? It's me... Avi."
Her face lit up and she tackled him in a hug.
"Avi!!!" She squealed happily, still having to tiptoe to reach his eye level.
"Avi, oh my goodness, it's been forever! We have so much to catch up on! Sit down!!"
She ushered him to the seat in front of her and leaned across the table when she saw him staring.
"Hmm... Still a starer are we?"
He chuckled.
"No. Just wondering when all this happened." He said, gesturing to her person.
She laughed the same laugh he had heard years ago.
"I didn't want to be bullied again in college. I had a label for being plain and chubby, so I lost a little weight and started experimenting with my hair. I thought I had it at ginger, but right now I think I'm good."
Her face fell when she saw the look in his green eyes.
"Do you not... Like it?"
He shot up immediately.
"No!! No. You're just... Unrecognizable. And so pretty now."
She flushed red.
"Thank you, Avriel." She smiled again, her lopsided grin.
"I'm glad you couldn't recognize me. Who I was back then... She's a thing of the past. It's Kirstie now, by the way."
"Oh... Well then!" Avi said. "I'm glad you changed. Not that anything was wrong before, but... You're even more beautiful. And I love it." He paused.
"And I-"
She cut him off.
"I'll count this as a first date." She smiled at his flustered expression.
"Save the 'I Love You's for another one, alright?"