Ride the Waves | Chris Brown

25. Incentive

Chapter 25: Incentive

The smell of incense is thick and heavy, mingling with the somewhat distinctive scent of burnt toast and brewing coffee. Outside, it's quiet except for the shrill yap of a dog and the rogue shriek of a child's laugh. My eyes fixate outside the window, watching as the clear drops of rain splatter against the glass and race each other down to the bottom. Inside the small coffee shop, it's cold and empty, as I expect at these early hours of the day – my numb fingers tap away at the smooth, wooden table where I'm sat as I wait for Chris to finish ordering us something to eat. The strong smell of ground cocoa beans lingers in the air, simultaneously bitter and sweet.

Whenever it poured like this, I felt as if time was pausing. It was like a cease-fire during which you could stop whatever you were doing and just stand by a window for hours, watching the performance, an endless curtain of tears falling from heaven.

"What're you staring at?" Chris' voice sounds, a low but smooth grumble as I hear him taking a seat in front of me. I see him place two cups of hot chocolate down on the table through my peripheral vision and sort the products off of the tray, one in front of him and one in front of me. I don't bother shifting my gaze to look in his direction, and instead, tighten my loose fitting knitwear cardigan around my body.

"The rain drops... on the window ... I like the way they race each other down" I say, a subtle smile stretching across my lips. I could hear Chris' deep chuckle and when I look at him I see his wide smile, accompanied by his deep dimples.

"I love the way you think, you pay attention to the little things that most people ignore or are just simply oblivious to. It's so different to anyone I've meet" Chris slides a golden baked croissant on a napkin towards me and I smile, gripping my steaming hot beverage to warm up my numbing fingers.

"By different you mean weird?" My brow arches while Chris' gaze locks on mine just as he takes small sips from his cup.

He shakes his head, his eyes creasing with amusement. "I mean unique"

"Nice save"

I swirl my hot chocolate around with a small silver tea spoon watching how to chocolate and milk intertwine and dance around in my cup. I liked how quiet it was this morning. Besides the fact that everyone was either at school or at work at this time of the day, it seemed like whenever the floodgates of heaven would open and pour it's tears down onto the earth like this, everybody would go into hibernation. I personally loved the rain and today It was allowing me that quiet time that I needed. Although I know I'd be stressing out later on when it really sinks in that I've missed a day of school skipping classes with Chris.

"How do you feel?" Chris asked. I glance at him from my cup, confused at first at what he may be talking about or why he had sprung that sudden question, but when I catch glimpse of the sly smirk that slowly stretches across his lips revealing a naughty grin, all confusion instantly melts away. I feel my face redden to a crimson hue as I tilt my head down, my hair curtaining over my face and images of last night and earlier this morning invade my mind.

"I feel beautiful ... sore, but still beautiful. I don't think I've felt that way—ever" I just about mutter. I catch his expression through the coils of my hair. His arms are crossed over the wooden table, his lips pursed.

"You've always been beautiful Nina, both inside and out. And I'm going to make sure you feel that way all time. I never want you to doubt that about yourself"