Dates & Polaroids

Chapter 2.

My first full day in Seattle starts rather early in the morning for me. I end up not being able to go back to sleep at 8:30 AM?!

This better not become a regular thing.

I go into the bathroom and cringe at my reflection in the mirror. My Red hair is in a pony tail, if you could call it that, which is now hanging at my neck. My eyes are small with sleepiness and really red.

I hop into the shower and stand with my head down for a good ten minutes. I let the hot water relax my body and wake me up. I wash my body and my hair and finish. when I step out of the shower I am suddenly glad I am living on my own because I forgot a towel.

I run to the closet ancross the hall and grab one. I wrap it underneath my arms then sit in my bedroom and decide what to wear. The weather seems to be rather sunny considering what I hear about Seattle being unforgiving with rain.

I decide to put on red shorts and a Hendrix shirt. I leave my hair in its wavy state because frankly I am too lazy to spend time doing anything else. I put on sone mascara just because, throw on my black chucks, grab a wrap around purse and I'm out of the door. I am right on Broadway so there is plenty to  eat. There is a Thai restaurant,  a mexican place, indian food. And of course the famous Dick's Burgers. I want to try it so badly but I'm not in the mood for a burger at 9 in the morning .A few blocks down and I see a sushi place and a panera bread. Panera sounds perfect and I don't feel like walking any further and risk getting lost. I cross the street and enter the cooled Panera, it smels like fresh bread and cinnamon in here. i look at the large menu anddecide to just get a sausage egg and cheese breakfast sandwhich and an orange juice. i sit quietly at the window and watch as the people around me rush by. there are students taking summer courses at the school across the street. there is constucutin working in the street causing traffic on the main road. i noticed that down the street is an art store and i put that on my list to visit while i am here.

When i finish my meal i go to throw it away and im taken back when i see three trash bins. One is black, the other is blue and the third is green. i am not sure what it means and it probably show because i am standing there staring at garbage cans. Garbage cans. When does a persone ever need three freaking garbage cans is the real question.

"The green one is compost, blue is recycle and black is trash."

I turn to become face to face with a green eyed tall guy with a smirk on his face. He has an obvious accent, English maybe.

"Uh what?" I respond.

Great job, Emma.

"You seemed confused, the green one is compost, which means its made out of natural things that can decompose into the earth, blue is recycle, im guessing you know what that means, and the black one is trash."

"Oh, um, thanks."

I separate my trash into the bins and turn to see that the guy is still there.

"Hi." He says holding out his hand. "I am Harry."

"I'm Emma, nice to meet you." I smile back, shaking his hand.

"You aren't from here are you?"

'I could ask you the same thing."

"Are you referring to my accent? I moved here about five and a half years ago from England."

"Ah, I've always wanted to go there."

He is extremely nice for someone I have just met.

"Its a nice place but I prefer America. There's a bit more... culture,  you could say."

I nod in understanding. "So do you like work here?" I try to make a little more conversation.

"No I work at Molly Moons around the corner, its an ice cream parlor."

"Ah, maybe I will see you there. I am known to eat as much ice cream that is available to me."

He laughs at me and probably thinks I'm joking.

I'm not. I love ice cream.

"Yeah maybe you will. I got to run, my break is over, hopefully I will see you around." He winks as he opens the door for both of us to step out.

"Yeah, hopefully."

We wave as we turn to walk separate directions. I walk slowly back to my apartment observing everything that I am going to be surrounded by for the next four months.

Once I get inside I take off my shoes and reach inti my purse for my phone. Instead my hand feels something papery and thin. I pull it out and it is a small Polaroid picture. Of me. I am standing at the three trash cans but you can only see the back of me.

On the thick line underneath the photo in sharpie there is something written in a messy print.

June 5th, 2013

First time meeting Emma.

Panera Bread on Broadway

Harry.