Colors of Paris ◇ Elijah Stevenson

Chapter Twenty Eight

I never noticed the small little details of a coffee shop until this evening.

The many characters sprawling around on their phones and their laptops. No one seeing each other in a different way. No one making much contact with a different person let alone if it was in their gender or not.

Though truth be told you go to bars to meet people. Coffee with people that you want to get to know screams first date.

Some stressing out over a deadline and they only have a certain amount of time to turn this five page paper into their professor which tgey haven't even finished their research yet.

Some enjoying coffee and reading newspapers though I never knew those still are around. They lick their index finger as if that truly helps them turn each page perfectly. Their eyes scan from each picture and each word by the editor.

Some are just there to watch Netflix  on their days off. Those people don't have internet at home and they would like to watch something. To do something instead of working at their eight hour office job they claim to love. Though we all know that can't be true.

Then some of those people go their local coffee shops to blow off steam. Whether if it by themselves or with another person. Those individuals scan the area searching for their friend when all in reality, their friend is right in front of them.

The tilework in every Starbucks is basically the same. The same scenery in each one. That rustic feeling that makes you want to come back no matter if it was a good visit or not.

The smells are another story that you can go into every detail what makes you want to buy that product and which one you know you can't afford.

I try to look at every detail this time around even though I have been to this particular Starbucks multiple times. Each time for a different reason.

The reason this time has to do with a person I havent been able to stop thinking about for so long. So long that all his details shouldn't matter and I need to focus on the details around me.

However that stops when he clears his throat and wants me to provide to him my attention. I turn to him of course and with my hands I put them under the table we sit at.

He is sitting at the booth part of the table and he leans forward, "look I know you just saw Luke too. Before we put the past behind us you must know what happened. That night. The night we saw each other last. The way I went around things. How I became who I am now. Luke.."

He pauses as he sips a small amount of his cappuccino, "he helped me."

I nod and at first I am not to much interested into his story but as he foretold it in such a way I could understand I nodded and let him continue until the coffee shop was almost closing.

"That night when I gave you the necklace..

It was the best night I have ever had in my whole life. Your dress was hanging around your hips just right and the way you put on your makeup made me realize just how beautiful you can truly be.

When we went into that party I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The scene wasn't what I was used to. After I told you to go find people our age I had to go somewhere that was isolate to the party. It wasn't Carl that was there so Greg can't possibly know what happened but this was a man and this man was connected to Richie. He was giving me a chance and I took it just like any other guy would.