Tea & Tattoos

5☕

❝When you smile I melt inside❞

The two teenagers had been walking for about fifteen minutes in the cold Winter air as they shared a word or joke here and there when some cafes and small shops came in sight after walking through endless roads with ginormous houses on both sides.

Elliot quickly led Desiree to one of the many cafes in the wide street, because he was afraid that if they stayed outside for another five minutes she would freeze to death. He didn't take long to spot an empty table next to the fireplace which he led Desiree to in hope that her purple lips would turn to their normal pink colour.

Desiree didn't say anything as Elliot opened the door for her to get inside Old theatre Cafe, which coincidentally was her favourite cafe in town.

When she was a little girl she used to go there with her grandmother Holly every Sunday after mass, where she bought her a chocolate muffin and her usual cup of tea as they filled each other in on what had happened in their week. Sadly she hadn't been to that cafe in about a year and a half since Holly couldn't get out of her house that often because of her condition.

As Elliot led her to the table next to the fireplace she looked around and was glad to see that nothing had changed in the cafe's theatre theme. The gold candelabras where still on the counter and on the several window sills and the single red rose on every single table was still there.

They sat opposite each other as they enjoyed the warmth coming from the fireplace not far from them. 

Just as Elliot was about to speak, a waiter in his early twenties with blonde hair gelled back and a million dollar smile came to take their order. Desiree smiled politely at him and ordered the same food that she used to have with her grandma and Elliot ordered a plain black coffee while death glaring at the smart looking waiter.

''What was that all about?'' She asked him when she was sure that the waiter was out of ear shot.

''It's nothing don't worry, I'm just really cold'' He told her as he gave her a reassuring smile which she didn't believe but let it go.

A few minutes had passed when the same waiter returned with their order, but this time Elliot avoided eye contact and played with his cutlery until he left them alone and took a sip out of his steaming black coffee.

''Can I ask you something?'' Desiree asked him as she looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, he couldn't tell her no even if he wanted to.

''Anything'' He told her with a smile, expecting one of those typical twenty questions like what he did for a living, his hobbies, favourite colour and other pointless things. But instead she asked him something that he wasn't expecting.

''Why did those guys beat you up?'' She asked him cautiously as she looked at the butterfly stitches on his cheek and the bandage on his knuckles. 

Elliot stood there without saying anything for a while, thinking of a way that he could answer the question without scaring her off. ''It was just a misunderstanding, everything's fine now.''

''But-''

''Just drop it ok, it was just a misunderstanding, I promise.'' He told her as he looked into her dark brown eyes to try and make her understand. To his surprise she nodded in agreement and asked him one of the typical question to get off from that particular subject.

''How old are you?'' 

Elliot had never been that thankful before to be asked a simple question. ''I'm nineteen, and you?''

''I'm seventeen years old, I thought that you were older.'' She told him surprised that he was just two years older than her as he gave a small laugh and told her that he got that all the time.

Desiree couldn't help but think that there was something about him that made him appear older, more experienced than an average boy his age, maybe it was all of the tattoos that decorated his skin or the dark look in his eyes.

It was Elliot's turn now to ask her a question.

''Are you a virgin?'' He asked her loud and clear.

Desiree spat out her tea and quickly reached for a napkin to wipe her mouth as she blushed at Elliot's question while he threw back his head in laughter at the mess that she had just created and at her embarrassment, he knew her answer just by her reaction.

''That's none of your business!'' She told him as she took a bite of her muffin instead, afraid to repeat the incident again.

''Fine, I won't ask again. Will you forgive me?'' He told her as he tried to stop from laughing.

''I will only forgive you if you buy me a muffin.'' She told him a completely serious voice.

''But you already have one.'' He told her as he looked at the empty plate where he was sure that a chocolate muffin had been sitting on seconds ago. ''Fine, I'll go and buy you one, but don't go anywhere!'' He told her with a smile as he got up from his chair.

''I won't go anywhere I promise.''

a/n: Thanks for helping me reach 2,000+ reads on this story!

I have a question for you, who do you picture as Desiree and Elliot? Comment and the next chapter might be dedicated to you :) x