The Artist

1.

The October winds blew in and everyone had on their autumn sweaters. The hole-in-the-wall coffee shops were lined with customers waiting for their orders. While everyone huddled inside to keep warm, a young man pushed through the crowds to get behind the counter. "Louis you're late! Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry, El. I've been busy. There are better things in life than coffee." The little brunette girl behind the counter glared over at Louis as he tied his apron around his waist. Without saying another word, or even picking up on an order, he began making coffees and swirling caramel into plastic cups. He whipped through more orders than he thought he would. Since he'd been a bit later than usual, he figured he'd be behind with his orders.

"Hey, Lou," Eleanor called from the coffee stand, "Do you see that guy over there? He's been in here all morning." Louis peeked over her shoulder and focused on the back of the shop.

At first, all he saw were couples and business people in a rush to get their coffees and get back to work. Then, he saw the boy El had pointed out. He was tall, slightly tanned, dark hair, and the brightest green eyes. He was wearing all black, with an unbuttoned shirt and black denim jeans. In his hands, there was a pad of paper and a pencil. He was studying the scene and drawing it out on the paper.

"Has anyone given him a drink?" Louis asked in hushed tones. Eleanor shrugged and turned away from Louis. Their conversations hadn't been very long since the beginning of the year. Louis had broken up with Eleanor because he had lost the spark that he had for her once. They just weren't on the same level anymore. El had been to ashamed to admit that Louis dumped her, so they went along with the plan that the roles were reversed so nobody would think she was lousy.

Louis continued to take sudden glances at the boy in the corner of the room. His hand moved softly but swiftly against his canvas. He was curious to know what he had been drawing. "I'm gonna go see if he wants a drink. I'll be back." he stepped out from behind the bar and approached the young man in black. His hair looked like is pulled back by his beret and that only made his face appear flawless and childlike. "Excuse me."

The drawing boy looked up from his sketch pad. "Hm?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you," Louis began. "But I just wanted to see if you would like something to drink. You've been sitting here with nothing." The cheeky boy smiled and sat his pencil and paper down. His smile was so perfect, it could've brightened up the foggy October morning. "If you don't mind. I'll just take a coffee. Black."

"Do you like everything black?" Louis joked and laughed at himself. The boy didn't seem to understand the joke. He just stared at Louis awkwardly and gave a little smirk. "Never mind. Can I have your name, please?"

"Harry." Those two little syllables rolled off his tongue and permanently into Louis' mind. The sweetness of his voice flowed through the air and settled. "I'll be back with your coffee in a second."

Louis walked back to the counter and headed straight to the coffee pot. The steaming coffee poured into the styrofoam cup. Once it was finished, Louis sat the cup on the counter and called Harry's name. But even after he called to him, Harry didn't move from his seat. The sketchpad was still in his hand and the pencil was still scratching its surface. Instead of waiting for him to get up, he walked it over to him.

"Thanks. I'm sorry I didn't get up. I just get so distracted by what I'm drawing."

"Oh, don't apologize to me. You're focused and I like to see people that way." Harry and Louis smiled at each other. Harry turned his pad over and took a drink of his coffee. After he swallowed, he pursed his lips and sighed. "This is really great coffee." He took another sip and smiled.

"How much do I owe you?" His green eyes were becoming darker with the dissipating light in the shop. Louis swallowed his heart in his throat. If only you knew what you could do for me. Louis swept the impure thoughts from his mind and looked down at Harry.

"Don't worry about it. On the house." But Harry shook his head and dug his fingers into his pocket. "I'm not leaving here until I can pay you." Then you'll have to stay in here forever, Louis thought. Harry fished out a ten dollar bill and stuck it in one of the front pockets of Louis' apron. When Harry's hand fell into the pocket, it brushed against Louis' thigh. The touch sent shivers all throughout his body. He could've fallen to his knees if he really wanted to.

"Keep the change, okay? You deserve it." Harry's sweet, deep voice flittered through the space between their bodies and made its way into Lou's stomach. "Well, thanks." Louis caught his breath in his throat and stood still in front of Harry's sitting body, admiring him from the limited distance.

Harry sipped his coffee and glanced at the giant clock on the brick wall. "Shit. I have to go. Thank you for the coffee. Maybe we'll see each other again." Hearing that made Louis' stomach churn and twist like a rag. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Harry. Stop by again sometime."

Harry smiled, "Sure. It was nice to meet you too, um..."

"Louis."

"Okay, thanks Louis. I'll be seeing you." He grabbed his cup and sketchpad and pushed his way out the door. While Louis watched him walk away, he felt a small jolt of boldness burst through his body. He was brave enough to write his phone number on Harry's cup. Hopefully he'd see it before he threw it away.

He finally moved away from where Harry had been sitting and made it back behind the counter. Just as he had expected, he was met by a very annoyed Eleanor. "What the hell, Lou? I kinda needed your help back here!"

"I'm sorry. I was talking to a customer."

"Louis, that's bullshit. You forget I know when you're lying." Louis tried his best to ignore her as he drizzled caramel into the plastic cups. Ever since they had broken up, Eleanor was always picking fights with him to make him feel trapped. It was something that she enjoyed doing, during and after their relationship.

"Stop trying to control me, El. You forget that I left you. I don't have to come to you or tell you my problems nor do I have to say anything about my interactions with other people. So get the hell off of my back." His baby blue eyes turned grey as he stared her down. She cowered and grabbed one of the plastic cups from Louis and went to the opposite side of the bar.

He had once been happy with Eleanor, but their spark was quickly put out after a few months of dating. They stayed together for about a year, but Louis couldn't take the feelings of hostility from his girlfriend anymore. He managed to escape, but she haunts him with the memories of owning him. All he wants more than anything is to be free and loved by someone with the same feelings, not ownership. His mind slowly drifts to Harry.