The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 2

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."

Jean de La Fontaine

"Raven? Are you alright?" Kory asked through furrowed eyebrows, her voice tainted with concern.

It had been a week since her encounter with Gar, and Raven felt both relieved and disappointed about it. For some reason, she found herself daydreaming about him at random intervals during her daily routine. She often didn't realize it until someone snapped her back into reality—and every time felt a little more mortifying than the last. Why the hell was she daydreaming about a stranger she'd barely interacted with? A stranger who was both incredibly irritating and foolish. And attractive.

NO! Her eyes widened when the thought invaded her mind. She bumped her hand into her forehead to knock some sense into herself. Perhaps she'd gone long enough without a proper date or physical affection, but Raven really needed to get her emotions in control. They were beginning to affect her performance at work. She'd probably never see the stranger again after all. She hoped she never did, though a little voice inside her head thought otherwise.

They sat at a secluded booth inside a coffee shop eating lunch. Kory loved having their 'girl talks' every other Tuesday, and the only way Raven conformed was if they had them at places she enjoyed. Naturally, she chose coffee shops because of the peaceful and quiet ambiance they all shared. Today, it was an underrated, small (yet homey) coffee shop located only a few blocks west from her workplace called Booked Week Café and locally known for their abundant amount of teas for customer selection and their built-in bookstore, hence the name. The place was mostly desolate save for the two young women, an elderly woman a few tables away, and the lanky teenage worker manning the cash register.

"Raven?" Kory repeated, finally gaining her attention.

She muttered an unintelligible, "Huh?"

"Are you alright? You seem distracted. Would you like to talk about it..?" she questioned, her voice soft to make sure Raven knew she wasn't trying to pry.

Raven clutched the handle of her coffee cup tightly before replying, "... Not really, Kory."

"Oh," Kory's eyes trailed down with disappointment. "Very well then, friend. Would you like to talk about something else?"

Raven blew on her cup before taking a tiny sip of her herbal tea. The liquid traveled through her mouth and down the esophagus, sending a pleasant sense of warmth throughout her body. Ah, always refreshing, she smiled. She opened her eyes and observed Kory attentively. She seemed a bit restless for an odd reason... "Why don't we talk about Dick?"

The girl visibly bounced in her seat and beamed cheerfully. Bingo. "Oh, he has been most wonderful recently! He has invited me on a date this Friday to an extremely exclusive restaurant in the northern sector!" she squealed.

"... That actually sounds really expensive. He must be trying to make your night special... Do you think..?" Raven gave her a look, and she could tell Kory understood.

Her face flushed, and she trailed her finger around the rim of her coffee cup while avoiding Raven's curious stare, "I am not sure, exactly. It is not an anniversary or a special occasion as far as I am aware... So, it is possible that..." her voice trailed off.

Raven tilted her head before asking, "Would you say yes?"

"Of course I would!" Kory didn't hesitate on her response, and she regarded Raven with a somewhat offended expression as if she was shocked that Raven would even have to ask that. "We have been together for three years now... And I truly believe Richard is my soulmate. I... " she stammered. "I wish to spend the rest of my life with him by my side."