The Butterfly Effect

The Golden Rim

As I opened the door to bakery a sense of comfort washed over me. The smells put me in a trance and caused my stomach to growl. I spent so much time talking to Arionna that we were rushing to get me dressed and ready for my date. We decided on a cute red keyhole fit and flare dress, and some simple two-inch gold strappy pumps. I wasn't the best at walking in heels so anything under two-inches was safe. Thanks to my natural curly hair I just had to put a little moisturizer in it and we were good to go.

The bakery was gorgeous. It was simple yet elegant, and everything about it reminded me about Paris. It wasn't too big, it was actually on the smaller size, but so were most bakeries in Europe. But that was something I liked about their restaurants, they made you feel welcomed and at-home. When I finished panning the room I saw him standing at a little table near a picture window. I fought with my jaw, to keep it from dropping. He was more handsome than I remembered. He looked like a cutout from an international cologne catalog. He was well groomed and his brown hair was tousled in the perfect way. I dropped my head in embarrassment from staring and sauntered over toward him.

"You look beautiful, I feel a little under-dressed." He chuckled

It took everything in my power to keep from scoffing. He definitely didn't look under-dressed. He made me look like a Target model in comparison to him. "You don't have to flatter me."

"Don't be so modest Sri, Your gorgeous." He stared in my eyes with so much intent, I actually believed every word. "So what do you think?"

"Its unbelievable, I love it." I said while spinning to look around the room. 

"Are you hungry?"

"Starved, I kind of forgot to eat breakfast." I admitted.

"Well we're at the right place I can't wait for you to try everything. Are you up for it?"

"Are you kidding? I'm so famished I could eat your shirt." Oh my gosh did I just say that. I felt my face flush with red, I could even feel my ears burning. When he started to laugh, I closed my eyes so tight in attempt to go back in time. But that didn't work. 

"Don't worry, if it comes to that I have a spare in my car." He smiled a dazzling smile that I'm sure charmed many girls before me. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the display cases of tons of pastries that were no doubt made with great care and love. Each dish in some way or fashion had an imprint of a butterfly on it, it was either disguised in icing, crust or toppings. When one of the workers came out from behind the counter, Derrick ordered in french and I was again enthralled by him. He ordered us a platter of the chef's favorites, and her eyes lit up. I've never seen a worker so excited to prepare food before.

I was just so excited to be here that I forgot one of the reasons I came. To find out what was so dangerous about Monsieur Fantastique over here. But I had no idea where to start or how to even bring up one of my burning questions, so when my lips blurted out, "Do you believe in fate?" I sadly remembered I didn't have the power to travel back in time. 

Instead of laughing at me like I half expected him too, he smiled a warm kind smile and tilted his head to the side and looked at me. I figured he was concocting some response to not make me feel more embarrassed than I already did. So I awkwardly walked back to our table, set my purse down while he paid for our soon to be delicious meal. What the heck did Derrick see in me? I know that there are girls out there who are much more suitable for him than I am. But for what ever reason he took an interest in me.

I begun to bore my eyes into the intricate carvings of the table we were going to be sitting at. It was obviously man made by a professional. I could tell he spent a long time working on it and put careful consideration into each design on the table. I was too busy tracing the butterfly within the table that I didn't hear him approach. 

"Yes."

"What?" I asked confused.

"You asked me if I believed in fate, the answer is yes." I expected him to elaborate further, but he didn't. Instead he asked me to, "Tell me about yourself."

Without hesitation I did. Worried I might put my foot in my mouth again, I figured talking about myself would be a piece of cake, I couldn't screw that up. I told him everything about my love for vintage things, my passion for cooking, my best-friend, about my family, and even funny high school mishaps and in return he shared his story. He was so easy to talk to I felt like I could talk to him for hours. He told me about growing up in Paris, being home-schooled and how sometimes his life felt so lonely and incomplete. He too, had a close friend back in Paris that he said reminded him of me.

When I thought he was about to tell me another  story he stood up, held out his right hand and tilted his head to the side. "Would you dance with me?" He asked, and for a minute there I thought I heard his voice waver. Was he nervous?

"Um." I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing until I heard the clap in the song playing in the speakers above us. I wasn't the world's greatest dancer, but I did want to dance with him. But the thought of embarrassing myself kept me glued to my chair. When I didn't answer he smiled and met my gaze more intently with those gorgeous eyes that I liked so much.

"C'mon it'll be fun." As soon as he said the words, despite my timidness my body began to rise and I slowly placed my palm in his. "Don't worry I'll lead."

For what ever reason I trusted him with every fiber in my being. He pulled me in close and wrapped his arm around my waist, so I put my free arm around his shoulder. "Just don't let me fall." I laughed humorlessly. 

"Never." And just like that he whisked me away. He took steps and my feet rhythmically followed. I think we were doing the waltz. I had no recollection of doing the dance as gracefully as I was now, but I remembered the steps. Dancing with Derrick was effortless, he made me feel like a pro. He spun me around a couple of times, and we intricately weaved through the tables and chairs in this little bakery. He was an amazing dancer. I figured someone would stop the two teens gallivanting away, but noone did. We probably looked like professional dancers, practicing for a big performance at a royal ball. Once I got over the fact that I wasn't falling flat on my face I realized that I was having fun. We were in tune with the rhythm of the song. 

What was so dangerous about him? He was taking great care of me and he had been nothing but sweet since we first met. What could he possibly have done to make Damien and Anthony hate him so much? And what was his power, charisma? I felt comfortable with him, and even though I kept embarrassing myself in front of him, he never made me feel out of place.

 I almost felt weightless, like I was hardly trying. I wasn't sure how long we had been dancing when it happened. The ambiance in the room changed. I couldn't exactly remember but the other man in the bakery with us now had a female companion. As I got spun around again I looked at him again and noticed his clothes changed too, and he was no longer the older man I saw before, but more of a middle aged man. He was wearing a nice blue suit and his lady was just as equally well dressed. When I glanced at the window I noticed the scenery changed as well. There were large green oak trees across the street where there were once buildings, and the paved cement roads turned into brick roads. Oddly the interior of the bakery stayed the same and so did the man in my arms. But what didn't stay the same was our clothing. When I snuck a peak at my dress it was similar to the one I already had but more flowy and a tad bit longer. There was also an accented ribbon tied across my waist. Derrick however looked almost entirely the same. The only difference was his hair, it seemed to be a bit neater and filled with a little more gel.

Derrick begun to twirl me repeatedly and we both begin laughing. "Oh Derrick stop, or we'll both fall and scuff our shoes." 

"Nonsense, I'll never let you fall. But if we shall there's a shoe shop just around the corner." He laughed a hearty laugh, that said there was nowhere else he'd rather be than with me in this moment. 

"Oh Derrick, you really are quite the charmer." 

He finally stopped spinning me and dipped me lower than I thought possible. I could see his chest throbbing rapidly and feel my heart beating in unison as we were both exhausted from our dancing shenanigans. As I stared into his eyes, I saw for the first time that they did look a little different, the golden rim around his irises was gone. 

"Derrick," I whispered. "Your eyes."