Rescuing Atticus

Saving Stella

Song: Right here- Ashes Remain

I promised myself to never fall in love again. All the girls I come across are fakes...they all want a quick fuck and that all it ever will be so I don't bother looking for a girl that will stay with me. Besides Zane was right no girl would ever want to live this life that I live.  

A few weeks later, I walk down to one of the cafés to grab a coffee. I watch as the thin girl behind the counter rushes around to fix every ones drink. Her hair is a golden blonde color and pulled back loosely in a bun; a few strands have already escaped and fell gracefully around her soft face. She rarely looks up as she greets the person in line and asks for what they would like. She turns to fix the order and then hands them their order and goes right on to the next customer in line. When it is my turn, I order. "Can I get a straight black coffee please."

She punches it into the register. "Would you like cream or anything else added to it sir?" She ask without looking up.

"No thank you."

"Ok." She  shrugs while turning to pour me a cup of coffee in the to-go cup and hands it to me. "There you go sir, hope you enjoy it."

I take the cup but grab her hand in the process. I don't let go till she looks up at me. When she tilts her head up at me she tries to smile politely back at me but I see it in her eyes...fear. There is a day old bruise on the side of her right eye and she quickly pulls away from me.  I guess she fixed her hair to fall that way instead of it coming lose after all afraid what people would think.

She glances around to see if anyone is watching and then just a quickly hides her face again. I should have left but something inside me tells me to stay. I find a corner table and sit down to drink my coffee and pick up the morning paper on the table to pretend that I am reading it. I look up every so often to watch her, not once does she look up to see who's order she is taking. Not once does she look in my direction.

For the next month I go into the café every single morning. I order the same thing and every time she hands me my cup I make a point for her to at least glance up at me. The bruise fades in time and I start to see her light up a little more when she sees me. Today is no different. "Thanks for the coffee...by the way I'm Atticus." I finally have the nerve to really talk to her.

She glances up shyly. "Atticus...I take it you want straight black coffee."

I nod my head in response because I replay the sound of her voice saying my name and the fact that she remembered my order not like it's hard but still. I watch her pour the coffee and then hand it to me. Again I graze her hand lightly for her to glance up again at me. "So what is your name?"

She looks around to see who all is watching. "Stella."

"Nice to meet you Stella; thanks for the coffee." I turn and go sit down at my usual table. I take out the paper and open it up to read. I want to talk to her more but I don't want her to feel awkward around me. She already seemed really nervous just telling me her name. As I get ready to leave I call out to her, "Bye...thanks for the coffee."

"Have a good day, Atticus." She calls back. There it is again...her sweet voice saying my name. If only I could hear her say that every morning...in my bed now that would be a great morning. However I am pretty sure that she is seeing someone due to that nice shiner on the side of her face, so I don't bother asking her out.

This morning I walk in and there are several people ahead of me in line. I watch as she works and in the past week I had noticed her wearing her hair up and smiling more however today her hair is back down and she keeps her head down. She rushes around quickly to finish orders and then finally it is my turn. Yesterday she would have looked up at me with a smile and greet me with, "Good morning Atticus...same as usual?" However today she waits for me to tell her what I want with her head still cast downward. "What can I get for you?"