Awks. ✓

Chapter 9: Christmas And Cotton Candy.

Saturday afternoon rolled in and I decided to spend my day off walking around town. I had no specific reason to go out but I took some extra money with me, just in case something caught my eye.

As the minutes went by, I was walking deeper into the place I called home for so long.

Georgetown was a tiny, little place, not worthy of being called a city. It was just on the outskirts of New York, only a fifteen minute drive from the big apple itself. It had everything you could possibly need, except for the 'canvas' ambitious dreamers had always longed for. I guess that's why most of them started moving out to the city. It seemed that over the years, more and more people were leaving our town behind.

I don't think I'd ever want to move away, especially not to a big city like New York. Too many people, too much noise. I like my quiet, little town with not enough people to fill its streets.

I love how I can sometimes hear the faintest of noises; the breeze making contact with the leaves of a sycamore tree, the whistling of a kettle coming from the kitchen of a house I just happened to be walking past. Things I think I wouldn't ever hear if I decided to leave like everyone else.

*BUMP*
*SPLASH*

"Oh sugarplums, I'm sorry." I mumbled, my eyes fixed on the empty coffee cup now lying on the ground, next to a puddle of its content.

I couldn't even look up and meet the eyes of whoever's coffee break I just ruined. For someone who's work revolved around the thing, I had come to learn that certain people don't like it when something goes wrong with their coffee.

I bent down and picked up the now empty cup to throw it away. "I should get you another one." I said, walking away from the scene of the crime to throw the cup in a bin close by. When I gained enough confidence and turned I shouldn't have been surprised by who was standing in front of me.

"I'll take you on that coffee date." He grinned.

"It's not a freaking date, it's what anyone would do if they were in my position." I snapped.

Thomas shrugged. "If you say so."

I noticed the Costa symbol on the cup I threw away, so I knew exactly where we were headed. We walked together in silence.

Normally, I would've rejoiced for the fact that he wasn't annoying me for once with his far from true accusations or his random questions or that stupid, stupid nickname. No. The silence was eating me alive. The fact that this tall guy walking along side of me in a plain, white tee and a pair of sweatpants was instead, walking on a runway just hours ago was driving me to the edge.

What do I say? Heck, do I say something? Do I act casual, like nothing ever happened? "Hey, I didn't see a live video of you at some Calvin Klein fashion show." Ugghhhh.

"Ria."

I stopped and realised he wasn't even next to me anymore. I turned around and saw him standing in front of our destination that I just happened to waltz past. He flicked his index finger out at the door with a grin.

"Right." I sighed, walking back and heading inside.

***

There wasn't a line at the cash register, which I was grateful for. Thomas reordered his previous drink as I just eyed the menu above the worker.

"Here are your drinks." The overexcited teen exclaimed, probably happy to be serving Thomas twice in one day. I was still analyzing the colourful boards, comparing them to the miniature booklets we called menus back at the café. Wait, drinks? As in, plural?