After our quick introduction the conversation fell quiet. This lull in conversation between us wasn't necessary awkward, it was more peaceful and relaxing. Both he and I looked around the shop, passing our eyes over the diverse variety of customers. When I finally pulled my head back in Josh's direction I saw that he was already looking at me, studying my face closely.
"So Emerson." He began.
"So Josh." I retorted.
"Are you from around here?" He said, gesturing in the air to the general area.
"No I'm actually from a ways away," I laughed to myself, "a small town in Iowa; somewhere you've probably never heard of. I just moved here about two weeks ago." I confirmed, taking a small sip of my coffee.
"Oh really?" He laughed, "well L.A. is great I'm sure you'll love it here."
"What about you, are you from around here?" I said mimicking the gesture he had made.
He let out a small laugh before answering.
"I've lived in L.A. for a while but I'm originally from Ohio." He added.
"Interesting." I said, tipping my head slightly to the side and examining him that way.
Although most of his hair seemed to be trapped under the black baseball cap he wore backwards on his head, I could see some of his bright pink locks curling out from underneath. He wore a black cut off shirt that exposed his muscular arms which were riddled with tattoos. He had slight bags under his eyes that made him appear slightly tired, and when he looked up at me, he did it through his long dark eyelashes. His chocolate brown eyes peered into mine for a second before he continued to talk.
"So what do you do for a living?" He questioned.
"Well." I said swallowing the last sip of my drink, "I'm a professional dancer."
"Oh really?" He said, his lips turning up into a slight smirk.
"And no it's not what you think." I laughed. "I'm a ballerina, not a stripper."
"See now that makes more sense." He said, the small smirk still present on his face.
"The academy is just a ways down the street, in fact I was there this morning before I came in here."
"I was just on my way to work actually." He added.
"And where do you work?" I asked.
"Well my best friend Tyler and I are in a band, but since we're just getting started I also work in a record shop."
"Ooh a band geek." I laughed, "what do you play?"
"Drums and a little bit of trumpet." He replied in a deep tone.
"Impressive, I am absolute garbage when it comes to playing instruments." I admitted while laughing to myself.
"It just takes a lot of practice, you know?" He said he tone rising to sound almost like a question.
"Yeah but still the drums seem like they'd be so difficult to play."
"Honestly I think you'd be good at them." He said tilting his head to the side and giving me a small smile.
"And whys that?" I asked.
"Well if you're a dancer then that means you've good coordination and rhythm, which are two of the most important skills drummers can possess."
"I guess I've never thought about it like that." I said looking him in the eyes.
As we held eye contact he continued talking, "maybe you could swing by the record store sometime and I could teach you, they've got a drum kit there."
"That sounds like fun." I smiled.
"Well," he said starting to stand from his seat, "I should probably get going."
"Wait." I said catching onto his bicep as he began to turn away. I pulled out a pen and wrote my name and number down on a napkin before folding it and handing it to Josh. "Call me sometime, yeah?"
"Sure thing." He smiled, grabbing the note, "see ya around."
And with that, he turned and exited from the store. I watched as he walked away, his posture made him look tall and strong. In all honesty he was quite an attractive man and I was wishing I would get to speak to him again.
Maybe tomorrow after practice I could follow up on the invitation he had offered. Besides dance, they're wasn't much else I had to do.
I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and I pulled it out to see it was a text from an unknown number.
"It was nice meeting you today. Maybe we could get coffee again tomorrow? -Josh"
"I'd love to. Same place, same time?"
"Sounds like a plan. :)"
And with that I shoved my phone back into my pocket and gathered up my things, throwing my empty cup away as I passed a nearby trash can. As I went back out onto the street, the sun had fully risen and was now casting a warm glow on the city. Making friends in this big city was something that was fairly new to me. Besides Kendall, I was alone. Although I was weary about some of the men in this city and what they were capable of, I somehow knew I could trust Josh.
