Serendipity

Chapter Ten

I waited outside, leaning up against in my car in a pair of basketball shorts and a lightwear jacket that my best friend let me borrow when he moved to university this year.

"Lighten up man!" He had said. "Life's not about gelling your hair and wearing trousers."

The school seemed to grow smaller since the last time I was there. Most people threw their caps up in the arm and ran down the stairs and around the corner so they'd never have to see the place again on my last day. But here I am not long after, picking up the prettiest girl at Montclair from another day of school.

They rushed out, like they always do in the afternoons. Students bustled through those doors and around the campus, meeting up with friends or studying beneath one of the school's many oak trees.

She walked out, slowly and avoiding those around her. Her tiny hands clung a stack of textbooks to her chest and light blue sweater she wore with faded black jeans. I love it when she wears her hair down, like she did today. Loose and natural.

I notcied girls yelling on the other side of campus, but the distance between us muffled the sound. She turned to pay attention to them, but looked down at her books as she kept on walking. I've memorized the face of hurt from when my sister was in relationships, and Remi copied the exact look on hers.

"Hi." I greeted her with a kiss and grabbed her books when her feet finally met mine.

"Hey." She hopped in the car once I opened her door.

As we drove away from the large, brick builidngs, I asked, "How was your day?"

"Fine. How was yours?"

"Fine." Silence. "What were those girls saying to you?"

"What?" She asked completely facing me.

"I heard some girls yelling at you? Was it about school?"

"It was nothing."

"No it wasn't. What were they saying? Are you okay?"

"It was nothing."

Silence.

"I don't want to go home." She said.

"Wasn't planning on it. Unless you have homework, do you need to go do homework?"

She smiled for the first time since I had seen her today. "No it's fine. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

"I know. That's why they're fun."

She grabbed my hand that I placed ontop of the stick shift, gently. The simple touch sparked warmth throughout my entire body. There was no need to turn on the heat in another one of Beverly's frosty fall days, because her heart was like a jacket that kept me warm.

We drove for a while, until I pulled over into a near empty parking lot that belonged to a once lively shopping mall. Stores surrounded the perimeter, empty and abanonded. The signs that were once lit up with Neon and shop names, were burnt out and broken; just like many of the homeless who spent their nights under the canopies - begging for money and warmth.

In the middle of the parkling lot was a small kiosk. One you could drive up to and tip the workers and make it a daily routine. I parked the car in one of the many spaces surrounding one of my favorite places, and walked in with Remi, still clenching onto her dainty hand.

There was not much room inside, beside from the coffee machines and college students with an apron half clinging to their wasit. They whisked smoothly around the kitchen, singing to the popular songs on the radio and greeting customers with every last ounce of enthusiasm as they stopped by for an energizing drink.