Fate's Touch

The Coffee Shop

~Tom~

My wrist was glowing, a pale pinkish colour shining from beneath my already pale skin. This had never happened to me before, and yet I knew exactly what it was. "Who could it be?" I whispered quietly to myself.

Before this change had startled me, I had merely been sitting in my local coffee shop sipping what was now a luke warm cup of hot chocolate to try and warm myself up from the miserable temperature outside. Still staring at the light in my arm, people rushed past me, getting on with their own lives while I put mine on pause.

Suddenly I felt a presence beside me. Looking up I saw her. The familiar long red hair down to the bend in her back, those large emerald eyes staring back at me. "Tom! Lovely to see you! It's been ages hasn't it?" she announced. Slightly more startled now by her than my wrist, "Hey Emily, how's everything with you?" I replied. "Oh, not bad. Work has been crazy though. Oh and Gemma keeps begging me to start dating again although...." I couldn't help but stare, not in a creepy way but long enough that she realised I'd stop listening to her. I didn't mean to zone out on her but there were just other things preoccupying my mind at the moment. My own work taking over my life, my sister getting married in a few weeks and now this light. "Well, I can see that you're busy so I'll leave you to it. Hope we can have a proper catch up soon, yeah?" Emily concluded. "Oh I'm so sorry Em, just too much on my mind right now. How about we go out for a coffee tomorrow?" I answered.

~Emily~

I was so glad to be back home. I had been running errands all day around town and then had to take a detour to Helena's Coffee Shop to pick up a Cappuccino to keep me going. Gemma was supposed to be coming round soon because I was apparently in charge of deciding what outfit she wears to her all important second date with Kyle. I hadn't actually met him yet but if he makes Gemma as happy as she is, then he must be okay.

Just as I had managed to take off my boots and hang up my coat, my doorbell rang. And then rang again. Gemma must be in a rush. As soon as I open the door I hear, "OH MY GOD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO EMILY! Kyle is taking me out for a meal and I don't know whether to wear a dress and heels or my jeans, a smart shirt and my boots. What do you think?" she blurted as she stormed into my hallway carrying two large bags, presumably with the outfits to choose from. "Well it's almost -5°C out there tonight so I'd suggest something warm," I explained.  "OMG, I totally didn't consider that Emily! Do you have a coat I could borrow? The one I'm wearing won't match!" she cried, becoming more and more hysterical. I followed her into my bedroom where she placed the bags on my bed and removed a knee-length, green, peplum dress from one and then a cream blouse and boot cut denim jeans from the other, leaving the shoes in both of the bags. "Well without seeing them on you, I prefer the blouse and jeans combination. Plus I have the perfect coat to match that outfit," I proposed.

After about an hour of Gemma trying on one outfit and then the other, she finally agreed with me and settled on the jeans and blouse. Finally. She then gave me a hug, a quick, "see you tomorrow!" and then she rushed out of the front door which left my flat eerily quiet again.

I stumbled into the lounge and slumped down onto the sofa. It had been such a long day, never really getting a chance to sit down at all. Thinking back on my day, I realise how weird Tom had been acting in Helena 's. I mean, fair enough he perhaps did have a lot on his mind, but something seemed rather peculiar about how he was acting. Just then I remembered  that Tom had invited me for coffee tomorrow and we had exchanged numbers. I should probably text him come to think of it. I forced my reluctantly tired body back off of the sofa and over to where my phone was sitting on the side. Unlocking my phone I see an unread text message from Tom.

"We okay for tomorrow then?-Tom"

I replied with a somewhat half-hearted response:

"Sure, what time are you thinking?-Emily"

I locked my phone again and carried it into my bedroom where I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep almost straight away.

~Tom~

Somehow I have managed to find myself back at this same coffee shop a day later, but at least this time it's for a good reason. I go and order myself yet another hot chocolate and realise how much I've been unnecessarily spending on hot drinks recently. Although it's not unnecessary at all in this freezing weather. I go over to the corner and sit in one of the booths to allow more room for myself and Emily to talk. I allow myself this extra bit of time to myself to check back on my wrist. Yup, just as I thought, it's still glowing. At least it's still pink and not red yet. My phone chiming snapped me out of my thoughts once more.

"I'll be there in ten minutes. Had a Gemma 'emergency'-Emily"

I laugh to myself and decide that I really must meet this Gemma.

Just as I begin to relax again, my phone chimes once more.

"Tom, I need to know if you're bringing someone to the wedding! I have seating arrangements to organise!!- Mia"

Just great. That's all I needed. My own sister getting on my back about finding a +1. She knows I'm not seeing anyone right now and nor do I want to. Who the hell am I supposed to invite? Just then I hear the shop's door open and see Emily rush in and do a little shuffle on the door mat to brush the thick snow off her boots. I take a glance out of the large shop window to see the snow coming down thick and heavy. I do not wish to go back out in that again.

Emily made her way over to the counter to order and then a minute later headed over towards the booth and myself. Sitting down on the seat across the table from me, she asks, "Gosh, I hate do hate this weather. Don't you?" "Indeed I do," I sigh.

"So what was this about Gemma forcing you to date or something?" I started. "Well, she's totally gotten it into her head that if I start dating then I can start going on double dates with her and Kyle," Emily responded, all in one breath.

We sat there for what felt like hours , just talking about anything and everything. It had been about 6 months since I had last seen Emily. We had both just graduated from the same university but I had a vague idea that she lived around here. I had always thought she was pretty, in a non-obvious way. Her long red hair formed large curls around her face which just made her eyes seem much greener and her lips that more full. Not many guys saw her in the way I do, I guess she scared them off by talking non-stop. But I didn't mind it.

~Emily~

"So enough about me Tom, what about your love life?" I added with a giggle. "No one at the moment but-" I suddenly just notice his left sleeve bunched up, exposing his wrist. "Tom, is that what I think it is?" I interrupted. That light in his arm could mean only one thing, something I was yet to experience. I look up at Tom's face which now had flushed, pink cheeks. "Urm, I think so," he mumbled. He was now mirroring me, both of us staring down at our own wrists. Although not the perfect mirror as mine was missing that important aspect of the pink light. Tom looked up at me, "Have you ever had it Em?" My eyes avoided his face, knowing that surely my own face was giving me away, "No, I haven't. Gemma got it once last year, she was ever so excited about it. But it doesn't always mean something though Tom," I reasoned. "Really?" the worry seemed to escape from his face. "Yeah, sometimes it's just not meant to be," I sighed.