January 25th, 1995
The twenty-fifth had finally arrived. Julia gripped the steering wheel of her car so hard that her knuckles flashed a ghastly shade of white. She had come straight from work and was sitting in the parking lot of the cafe.
Her stomach was in tangled knots, a thin layer of sweat coating her palms. A million thoughts raced in and out of her head, some good and some not as good. "What the fuck am I getting myself into?" She thought. Would Ellis end up breaking her into a million tiny pieces, just as Dave had done before? They weren't the same people, not even close, but that didn't stop Julia from cooking up paranoid presumptions in her head.
She inhaled deeply a couple of times, before pushing the door of her car open.
Her heels clicked against the pavement as she inched closer to the doors of the cafe, heart rate quickening with each step. She reminded herself that everything would be ok, even though she didn't truly believe it.
Her fingers latched around the door handle, pulling the door open, a gust of warm air embracing her. Her fingertips then tightened around the strap of her purse, her eyes glancing curiously around the cafe.
A shiver violently ran down her spine as her eyes found his. He wore a grin that could warm the most frigid of hearts. Seeing that glimmering smile calmed Julia down the slightest bit.
She quickly made her way over to the small table, the faint smell of cologne filling her nostrils. His scent reminded her of the beach. The saltwater, smooth sand, and fresh air.
There she stood, staring silently at Ellis. She wasn't too sure of what to do. There weren't really any more physical boundaries that hadn't been crossed, due to the night they had spent together, but that was months ago, and she didn't know what was appropriate for the situation.
Thank fucking God. Ellis pulled her into a hug, Julia's cheek pressed against the warm corduroy of his jacket. A quaint smile sneaked across her face. "Hi there," she muttered after pulling away from the hug.
"Hi," He said, sitting down at the small table. She took a seat across from him. A steaming mug of coffee already sat before her. She looked up at Ellis, offering him a quaint, grateful smile.
"Tell me about yourself." She demanded softly, crossing her legs beneath the table. His lips quirked into a smirk. "Well, I'm 29. I'm a physical therapist..." he trailed off, biting his bottom lip nervously, the same way Julia normally did. "What do you like outside of work?" She asked. "Sleeping." He answered, grinning mischievously.
They had a shared interest.
"Yeah, me too. I'm a journalist, and I'm 26." "A journalist? Very fancy." He teased, nodding his head. She rolled her eyes, giggling quietly. "Not nearly as fancy as a physical therapist."
The two sat there for a few moments, still laughing in hushed tones. "We've already slept together, so I'd say we know each other pretty well already," Ellis remarked. Julia felt her face heating up. "I'd say so too."
"So, why did it take you so long to call me?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow suggestively. Julia could lie again, or tell him the truth. She chose the latter. A sad smile stretched across her lips.
"I was really scared." She admitted, hot shame bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers fidgeted with the zipper of her jacket as she tried to explain herself. "I've gotten hurt, Ellis. I've gotten hurt so much." Melancholy appeared on his once elated face. His eyes dulled with sorrow. He hesitantly extended his arm across the table, offering it to Julia.
She removed her arm from her lap and stared down at Ellis's hand. His flesh looked soft. She could feel his warmth radiating onto her. His hand extended towards her was like a beam of light, illuminating a new path. Gently, she laid her hand on his, a shiver erupting violently down her spine. "I've been hurt too, Julia. But we can work against this. We can grow. You can trust me, and I know you probably don't believe that right now, but just let me show you."
Julia was surprised to feel a tear roll down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away, letting out a deep breath.
"I hope I don't regret this." She muttered, her thumb grazing Ellis's knuckles.
"I hope I don't either," Ellis agreed.
