Bump
Lucinda was down. Her butt hit the floor while the hot mocha was all over her and the gentle man who bumped into her. "Great, just great" she mumbled and sighed to herself.
"Would you watch where you're going" the man peered down at the girl. Trying to get to her feet, Lucinda bent her legs only to slip again. She pouted to herself in frustration, while her friends, who were engrossed in what to order finally saw what was transpiring.
Sighing to himself Dracston knelt down before the woman, "I'm sorry little one for my earlier tone" he spoke softly, "let me help you up" without looking up she slipped her hand into his and she was up in seconds.
Finally meeting eyes with the stranger, Lucinda smiled. She was in professional mode "I accept your apology, and I am sorry myself for making a mess of your shirt" she said her eyes widening noticing the stain on his white tee shirt. That was going to be hard to get out.
She met his eyes once more. Her brown ones melting with his gray. "Forget about the shirt. Are you hurt little one?" he responded taking her chin between his thumb and index fingers turning her face slightly to the sides. Then taking a step back to address the damage, turning her arms over in his hands. "Are you burned?" He asked her now looking straight into her eyes while holding onto her arms.
Lucinda's brain fumbled to catch up with her mouth, "ah..." she stopped and thought "no" she responded thinking of the countless times she's been burned around the stove and by hot beverages she's made, which in comparison to Starbucks, was way waaayyy hotter.
An employee came over to the two handing them napkin after nap kin. Luckily Dracston was paying attention as Lucinda wasn't, "thank you". "You're welcome sir. We'll clean this up" the employee said giving a slight nod to Dracston.
Handing off a few napkins to Lucinda, her hands started to work on her black shirt and pants.
Each time she was finished with a napkin the kind man would take it from her passing them off to the employee to discard of.
The man in front of her was definitely more than a foot taller than her. His voice was smooth, and... he had a scar she notice right under his eye right eye and another by his left eyebrow. Subconsciously her hand reached up to touch the scars only to fall when she heard her friends behind her, "Lucinda, are you okay?!" The two girls asked snapping Lucinda out of her trance.
Spinning, she looked at the girls, "yes I am. I think I did more damage to him than to myself" she laughed a bit pointing at the man behind her looking back up at him.
Dracston chuckled at the small woman before him. Lucinda he thought, I like that. Reaching out his hand to her friends for a hand shake, the girls shyly proceeded, "Hi, I'm Dracston" after a moment of silent from Lucinda's friends, he prompted "and you are?". "Urm.... Antonette" the gorgeous, high cheekbone Latina responded. "Nice to meet you" Dracston smoothly replied, now looking expectantly at the other female, his hand outstretched, the blonde woman eyed him with what seemed like a knowing smile mixed with an awkward look that only Dracston have seen before as he got the same look from many, "I'm Addison".
Eyeing the girls and the alertness in their stance, Lucinda decided to put them at ease in some way, "I'm okay loves, please find a seat for all of us and I'll go get another cup of mocha and then see if I have anything in the car to change into, okay?" she spoke firm yet softly, alike to a mother reassuring her scared children as she could see that they were just that, scared children.
Nodding their heads, her friends went to take a seat.
The little exchange between Lucinda and her friends intrigued Dracston seeing as the woman before him looked much younger than her friends, but he decided to push it away. Leaving a pin in it as one would say.
The girls were clearly scared of him, intimidated by him as many were.
Turning back to Dracston, Lucinda bit her lip in deep thought, "how about I buy you a coffee or something" she said confidently, " to make up for yah know" she paused, now giggling, "this" she gestured to Dracston's shirt and her, well everything.
"No need darling. I think it should be the opposite", he said stuffing his hands in his pocket. "How about we buy each other's orders and call it even?" Lucinda settled on, nodding her head to herself.
Turning to the register and walking over to the now filled line, Lucinda did not wait for an answer, but instead checked if Dracston was following her, and he did.
She intrigued him. Never in his days have anyone, besides his father and mother, ask a question without expecting an answer before they made a move.
While in line Dracston felt a hand on his shoulder as the face who the hand belonged to appeared "Hey Drake man" Antonio Dracston's friend said. "Hey man". "What happened to your shirt", Antonio raised his eye brow clearly amused. Taking a glance at his own shirt Drake chuckled "just spilt some coffee". "Private sector has made you lose touch there gunny" Antonio laughed, "I'm gonna go find a table...I got a phone call to take" Antonio finished walking off to a table right next to the line while answering his phone, "hey honey..."
During this Lucinda tried not the pry but her interest was peeked. She knew the term "gunny" but she also knew the many contexts it could be used in. Finally they were at the front of the line.
"I'm guessing a mocha with almond milk?" The lady piped up. Feeling embarrassed Lucinda just nodded her head "yup", popping the 'p' at the end. "It's okay, we all can be clumsy from time to time" the cashier smiled, trying to put Lucinda at ease. "And what can I get for you sir?".
Stepping around Lucinda and ignoring her confused expression, Drake ordered "two black coffees and a hot mocha with almond milk" he finished.
Lucinda was happy to pay for all of the beverages seeing as they were both to be blamed for the accident, her a little more than him, and it was her coffee that spilled on him though she was confused on why three coffees.
As Lucinda was about to take her card from her purse, Drake already had his wallet out, cash in hand to pay.
"Hey" she protested but the cashier didn't seem to care, neither did Drake.
"That was not the deal" she said as he collected the receipt.
Not wanting to hold up the line with her tantrum, Lucinda decided to protest as they walked.
"Why did you do that?" She asked.
No response but instead a smirk.
Knowing she had no cash on her, she decided to make a mental note. Whenever she saw this man again, she would buy him a coffee. Even if she had to do it anonymously.
