We've had soldiers come in here before, of course. Like I said, there's a bus right outside the cafe. But this one was young. Very young, my age. Which is why it also broke my heart to see him in army greens. Nevertheless, I walk up to his table and give him a smile.
"Hello! How can I help you today?", I ask him. He looks up from the faded red menu and his crystal still water blue eyes meet my chocolate brown ones. To say the look took my breath away would be cliche and cheesy to say, but it was true. He was beautiful. His face was beautifully structured with a defined jawline and a scruffy beginning to a beard. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to snap out of the haze I was in.
His hair was a pitch black that was shaved close to his scalp, but not hardly bald. When he smiles at me, I can see his perfect, straight white teeth. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. So this is what it felt like to be attracted to someone. I'd never felt that before.
"Yes, hi", he begins. His voice doesn't have even a little southern in it. It was all proper, which took me by surprise a bit. "I'm not sure what.. ", he reads over the menu and his hand comes up to point at an item. It's the first time I can see his arm and I see that he has a full sleeve tattoo on his left arm. I try to push all the feelings I was feeling away, and focus on what he was showing me. His finger hovered over the biscuits and grits item. I raise a slight eyebrow. "What is that?".
I can't help it, and I start laughing. I put a hand over my mouth and he just stares at me, seriousness evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry" I clear my throat, still laughing a bit. "You don't know what that is?". His expression changes to confused, to annoyed as he just shrugs. "It's just biscuits with grits. It's really good".
He looks back down at the menu. "Like a brown gravy?", he asks, and his nose turns up in disgust. I smile again. "That must be a really stupid question. Uh, I'll just take eggs". His face turns towards the window and I can tell his cheeks turn a slight pink.
The fact that I embarrassed him makes me panic a little, but I don't try to make it right with my words. I turn and head towards the kitchen, putting in an order for biscuits and grits, sausage, and eggs. The mystery soldier didn't tell me what he wanted to drink, so I bring him a cup of black coffee that was a bit cold. "Um, sorry", I say as soon as he looks into the mug and noticed there's no steam. "Our coffee machine really doesn't work and we have to make due with what we have".
He just shrugs and I sigh softly. I mentally curse myself for being able to ruin something that had barely even started. I go back to the kitchen and bring him out his food when it's finished. "I didn't order this", he says once I bring the food over.
"I know. But I wanted to apologize for being so rude. It isn't every day I meet someone who doesn't know what biscuits and grits are" I say softly and grin a little. This time, instead of getting angry as well, he smiles a bit too.
"I'm sorry for getting annoyed. I don't.. really like to be laughed at" he admits and takes a bite of the eggs. I nod in understand. I mean, who does like to be laughed at?
I leave him to enjoy the rest of his food and go back to the counter where Linda and Amy still are. They had their stools turned around so they could stare at the solider. "Legal. Gotta be. Who would sign for those tattoos?", Amy was arguing. Linda was exclaiming that he couldn't be older than 17, I mean look at that baby face!
"Ladies. He's a man. Not an exhibit" I say and start wiping down the counter. They both turn to look at me and I raise an eyebrow.
"Does little miss Caroline Andrea have a crush!?", Linda exclaims and clutches her chest. "The day has come and the heavens have opened up!". I shake my head and ignore them. I didn't know him well enough to have a crush.
About half an hour later, the soldier waves me down and I come over. "Good?", I ask, then notice his licked clean plate and then his charming smile.
"Hated it", he says with a grin. I laugh softly, which surprises me, considering it was something I rarely did. "I do have one more request though".
"Hm?" I ask. I was in the process of tearing out his bill. I meet his eyes and I almost melt when he says
"Go somewhere with me".
YOU ARE READING
Farewell, Soldier
RomantizmCaroline lived in the middle of nowhere Texas. The people were rude, the roads were empty. Nothing ever happened in the middle of nowhere. Until... Brooklyn was a soldier. He was only 17 but his eyes were big and his heart was set. The life h...
