Book 1: Lost In Translation (Another Reason To Cry) (Izzy Stradlin FanFic)

Ch. 4: Lost In Oblivion

I leaned back into the bench, blowing out smoke as I moved. Sunlight was pouring in through the window beside me, and crowds of people bustled by without a second glance. The bell over the door would chime every so often, but each time was the same result: no red hair.

I hadn't seen Melody since that first conversation, despite having visited the café rather obsessively for the passed few days. The suspense was beginning to wear me down. I was turning into Axl: coming late to practice and flaking out on the guys whenever they invited me out to parties and get togethers. I just knew that every time I would say yes to hanging out with them, that would only add to my stress over the possibility of Melody showing up at the café and me not being there.

"More coffee, Mr. Stradlin?" The waitress was back, her eyes smoldering with lust.

I gave her a weak smile and slid my mug closer to her. I watched as she poured the coffee and handed the cup back to me. As soon as it was back in my hands, I began adding cream and sugar to the concoction. I stopped and peeked up at the girl through my bangs and saw an amused smirk on her face.

"What?" I demanded, not knowing what she found to be so funny.

"You've been coming here more often," she pointed out, batting her eye lashes.

"Yeah, well, the service here is great," it was meant to seem like a compliment but it came out as more of an insult.

She ignored my tone and giggled. "Waiting for someone?"

I quirked an eye brow as she erupted with laughter. How did she know? "What on Earth would make you think that?"

She nodded to the notebook I had placed beside me on the chair, her laughter growing in volume as I nudged it onto my lap protectively.

"It's really too bad, Mr. Stradlin," she teased, turning on her heel to go to the next table. "Especially since she only comes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and today just so happens to be Saturday."

"Tuesdays and Thursdays?" I hissed. I slammed my fists onto the table out if sheer frustration. "Fuck!"

An elderly couple seated at the table next to mine shook their heads at me, their eyes like daggers as they glared.

"Sorry," I muttered, shrugging awkwardly.

The old woman rolled her eyes and whispered something to her husband before ushering the waitress over for their bill. The waitress stuck her tongue out at me as she passed me to get to their table.

I began mulling over her words in my mind. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Why would she show up every week at this café only two days out of the week? And, if this was true, how was it I had never seen her before? I myself was a regular here, surely I would have noticed someone as beautiful as her?

I figured that I either never came into the café when she was in, or I had just been completely oblivious to her existence up until I had actually seen her standing right in front of me. Was I really so blind?

I snagged the waitress by her sleeve as she sauntered by my table.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" She whined. When she saw it was me, her cold glare softened into a heartfelt smile. "Oh. Hey there, mister."

"Tuesdays and Thursdays," I demanded. "Are you sure?"

She giggled and nodded her head. "Positive. She always comes in and orders just about the same thing every time. Four cups of coffee. Except some days they have cream and sugar, other days they're just black."

I nodded, wondering what a small, bubbly girl like Melody would need four cups of coffee for.

"Alright. I'll be back Tuesday then."

The waitress quirked an eye brow. "I knew it."

I rolled my eyes and tried to hide my smile. I dropped a fifty onto the table and winked at her. "Thanks, uh...."

I leaned closer to her to read her name tag. She blushed, but pushed out her chest until I was practically motor boating her.

"Kim," I finished.

"Always a pleasure waiting on you, Mr. Stradlin," she breathed plucking the bill up off of the table with a perfectly manicured hand. "Come again."

"Will do."