Ink || h.s [sequel to grapite]

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"It's like I was never gone." I smirked a little, stirring my coffee half-heartedly until the milk had turned it a lighter colour. The coffee shop was quiet, as usual. A few people were huddled into booths but other than that it was practically empty. It reminded me of all those years ago, when Harry and I had visited for coffee in the middle of summer.

"Your absence was noticed here," Cara replied, sipping her cappuccino and leaving herself with a foamy outline around her upper lip. She wiped it off with a tissue and the two of us broke into laughter.

"I see you've grown more sophisticated since I left." Grasping my own tissue, I dabbed a little at the corners of my own mouth. I knew there would be nothing there, since I was drinking my coffee plain, but I wanted to be certain.

"Enough about me, tell me everything about LA." Cara leant forward and propped her chin onto the palm of her hand. Her eyes held the inquisitive look that I had become accustomed to before my departure.

"LA was...wonderful," I sighed, wishing that I could be back on the beach soaking up the warm rays of the summer sun. Everything there moved at a much faster pace than in England, but I didn't mind. I'd rather have had to keep up with the ways than be sat idly twiddling my thumbs.

"Were there any cute boys? Were they interested in you?" She quizzed, wiggling her eyebrows comically.

"I'm not going to dignify that question with an answer." I shook my head and folded my arms across the wooden surface of the table.

"Oh, there so wa-" Cara's eyes wandered to the door of the coffee shop and she hesitated.

"What? What is it?" I asked. All I could tell is that whomever it was, they were certainly of interest because the few occupants of the booths in the coffee shop had stopped what they were doing to catch a glimpse. Cara's eyes kept diverting from mine to the doorway.

"Just don't turn around," She warned me.

"Why?"

"Just don't." She finished sharply.

I had to though.

"Cara, I swear..." I paused mid-sentence, straining my eyes at the figure who had leant himself against the counter of the shop. The girl behind the counter seemed nervous, her hands were shaking as she poured the coffee into a cardboard cup.

It was as if somebody had cast mute upon the bystanders in the shop. Hushed silence enveloped the space. Nobody dared to breathe louder than they were. Nobody wanted to disperse the quiet cloud that hung over us.

Him. Everything about him made me lose my senses. I acknowledged the new paintings of tattoos up his arm and the beanie that casually slouched over his curls. For a quaint town in England, this was not the norm. He looked so out of place; his whole appearance was a stark contrast to the surroundings.

He smirked appreciatively as the waitress handed him his coffee and left wordlessly. It took a few minutes for the murmur of chatter to resume as usual. I sat in shock. I didn't know what I'd expected, but it was far from what I'd seen.

He was barely recognisable now, and we were merely two strangers passing by.