Coincidentally Fated

Chapter 20

"Didn't I tell you," I exclaimed.

"Yeah yeah. You win." He says and goes back to checking the list of books in the store.

"That doesn't mean you understand anything. Talking and smiling does help people. Didn't you see that man over there. He came in with a sour look and just by talking he laughed."

"Ok I understand that smiling does help so can you quit bothering me now."

"Why is it so hard to convince you."

He shrugs and doesn't say another word. I then try a different approach.

"What's your favorite color Jake," I ask leaning against the counter.

"And why do you want to know?"

"Because. I want to know more about you,"

"That's not a real reason,"

"It is a real reason. I just realized that I know nothing about you except that you're name is Jake."

"And that's all you're ever going to know about me"

I grow impatient at this. At this rate, I was going to lose the bet. I try again.

"Can you please tell me? I'll tell you my favorite color. " I offer.

He doesn't answer and I sigh impatiently. He's impossible. Instead of talking to him, I start sweeping the floor since I have nothing to do and the store was empty. It was 10:00 am on a Tuesday during summer. I was surprised anybody came here. Normally it was during the afternoon when people got of work that people rushed in to buy books.  After doing that, I grab my latest novel that I was reading and curl up on the couch behind the counter waiting for a customer to wall in.

Finally, he speaks up.

"It's green,"

"I'm sorry what?" I ask puzzled.

He sighs and continues to talk.

"My favorite color is green," he repeated again.

I smile at this. I underestimated him.

"My favorite color is blue," I reply.

"What shade of blue?" He asks.

I think about this for a minute.

"Like the ocean. I watched the sun set before at a beach and that color of the ocean was absolutely breathtaking." I say remember that memory.

"Where was this beach?" He asks curiously.

"Half moon bay. I used to go there all the time during summer. I remember splashing in the waves and building sand castles till we got so tired and fell asleep on the soft sand."

And finally, Jake offers a tiny smile.

"I remember when I was with my friend and we  got everyone at the beach to build a sand castle with us. We spent the while afternoon there building that castles. It was 3 stories high and was huge. We used shells to decorate it and it was the most fun we had all summer." He says.

I smile at this. He was finally talking. So this was the real Jake. He was way different than the Jake I first met.

"So what's your favorite bird?" I ask.

"The penguin. What about you?"

"A hummingbird,"

"What about your favorite fast food restaurant......,,,.........."