Firsts

1 Kismet

It was just a normal morning until it wasn't. I was up, dressed, and at my local coffee shop getting my tea to start my day. The place was bustling when I got there, so I had to wait in line to get my usual, Irish breakfast tea with honey. I placed my order and waited patiently for it to be ready. A few minutes later they called my name and I picked up my order. Normally I am rushing in and out, but a lot of the crowd had cleared out, so I decided to have a seat and review my plans for the day. I had some time to spare. I found myself daydreaming and staring out the window when someone pulled me out of it by tripping over my chair.

My day started out much like it always does these days boring and alone. I showered, decided to leave my hair down and dressed. I didn't have anything special to do that day, just some mundane stupid shopping and hanging out with Brad. It was relaxing and peaceful but compared to the crazy I was used to it was kind of boring. Still, it was good to slow down. Brad picked me up and we headed out to another friend's house. On the way, we stopped by a little coffee shop for tea and coffee. It wasn't too busy, so we got our order rather quickly and some flirty winks from the barista that served us. I looked around, there were just a few people about. I was laughing at something stupid I had said when my foot caught on the leg of a chair that someone was seated in. Time froze as my tea shifted in my hand. I went with the flow and moved my cup up and away from the girl sitting in the chair, narrowly avoiding spilling my tea all over her. As a result, my body crashed into her shoulder and I spun away from the fall and her. With my cup unnaturally over my head and my face has hot as the tea inside my cup I turned back and looked at the girl. She wasn't a girl. She was a very beautiful woman, with soft reddish-blonde-brown, I can't describe that color and give it justice, hair. The sun was shining on her. She was simply radiant. Her eyes were like sapphires wide and shocked.

"I'm so sorry. Are you okay Ma'am?" I blurted it out probably a lot louder than I needed to. "So, sorry. Did I hurt you? Please forgive me." Mile a minute embarrassed, and heavily blushing clumsy Avi, strikes again. Man, I was a mess.

"Watch where you -" I turned to address the perpetrator and was startled to discover who it was. I blinked a couple of times and opened and closed my mouth. I probably looked like a fish. I had been crashed into by Avi Kaplan. 'Keep it cool Lizette. He's just a normal guy.' My inner voice was trying it's best to hold me together. "No, It's okay. I'm fine." I flashed my brightest smile at him. "Are you okay?" I stood up to greet him properly. I held my hand out to him. "I'm Lizette, Lizette Michaels." I mentally slapped my forehead. Real smooth Liz.

Man, she was a very beautiful woman and those eyes were killing me. I had to have been redder than a beet. I was so embarrassed. That could have been really bad. My tea was too hot to drink. If I had spilled it on her I'd have been paying for her hospital visit. 'Oh God, be cool Kaplan, you got this. You're not cool, you're a nerd. Seriously get a grip.' She started to say one thing, the words got lost on her lips when she turned to me and were replaced by a reply to my question. She stood and offered me her hand and her name. But I couldn't move other than to lower my tea and switch it to my other hand. Brad stepped in and took her hand. "I'm Brad." I was instantly miffed. Her eyes hardly left mine to register my best friend.

Avi seemed to be flustered. His friend offered his hand to me, but I barely registered his name. I think it started with a B. I glanced at him and said hi and took my hand back. I refocused my attention on Avi. I put my hand on his arm and guided him into the chair next to mine and sat back down. "It's really okay. I promise I'm fine. Are you sure that you are okay?"

She blew Brad off and somehow convinced me to sit opposite her. "Ah-Avriel Kaplan." I gave her a nervous little smile and glanced up at the scowl on Brad's face. I offered her my cold hand and tried to give her a bigger smile, but it seemed broken. "It's nice to meet you, Lizette Michaels," I said a bit stronger. "I can't stay," I whispered, still lost looking into her eyes. "We're going to a friend's house on the beach." Since when do I tell strangers where I'm going? "Huh huh." I chuckle self-consciously, "Um- maybe I'll see you again?" I let go of the hand I didn't know I was still holding and got up. "Bye," I whispered and wandered away with Brad who was waiting impatiently for me to get a move on. I'm surprised he didn't just leave me.