Love Is Blind

...ALL OF A SUDDEN..

The first day was fun, but not the rest of the year. Ann had got herself into the cheer leading squad and Vinnie was one of the guitarists in the school band, while I became the Librarian' assistant. That way, I could wait around for them to finish their practice,besides getting to spend extra time with my literary heroes Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. With them being on the popular side, there was no trouble either, especially since it was public info all three of us had elder brothers ("Only by a minute", according to Vinnie.)

Two years passed that way and the third one had begun. Everyone was preparing for the football season, that even the girls had to go in for practice in the weekends. I hated it at first, as Saturdays was the day of bonding for just the three of us. But luckily, a new cafe, Honeysuckle, opened up right at the end of our street and it had a really good stock of books. So emerged a new routine- I would wait there for the girls to finish practice, and then spend the afternoon together. 

And all went according to plan, until that one fateful day.......

I was enjoying my second cup of coffee, and my usual muffin, when the phone rang. It was Vinnie.

"Sorry honey! We may be a bit late today. Kristy has called for a lunch meeting. So to make sure you don't remain hungry, Ann will be joining you."

"She got a ride?"

"She will come in my car. Kristy can drop me off later." Kristy was one the lead singers, and man!, she could sing really well. 

I put my phone down, angry that plans had to change, then went over to the counter and ordered our regular ones, before grabbing another book from the shelf and going back to my seat.  

Hercule Poirat had just entered the crime scene when Ann dropped into the seat in front of me. "Sorry, was almost out of gas", she explained with a grim.

"No wonder she gave it you so easily" I grinned at her and kept the book aside. 

She smiled back. "You ordered?"  

 "The same as usual" 

"Good. I'm starving" And soon enough, the food appeared in front of us. Ann might be a health freak, but no diet would ever keep her away from her burger and chocolate shake. Since I drink a lot of coffee during the day, I settle down for their sandwiches and a good old 'cookies and cream'.  We kept chatting while waiting for Vinnie to show up. Her phone rang, Vinnie saying she was on her way.

 I was returning from the washroom and almost reached our table when a guy bumped into me. I remember the hot coffee burning my skin, and the guy standing confused with an empty mug in his hands, looking wary. 

"Shit! You OK?" 

"Just burned my skin, but hey! Its nothing, isn't it?" Sarcasm was natural to me, but the guy just shrugged. 

"I'm sorry, but you should look where you're going too". 

"Excuse me? You're the one who bumped into me!" 

"Says the girl who was staring at space while walking", he said,pointing towards the bookshelf. 

"It was just a peek",  I muttered, straightening my hoodie, hoping the stain would go after I washed it. "You know what, forget it. I'm leaving." 

"Sure. Just watch where you're going" he replied as I moved past him.

I turned my head but kept walking. "I can take care of myself. Thank you", came out the words, just before I tripped on a table leg. Blushing and hoping he didn't see it, though I felt I heard a small laugh behind me, I rushed back to the table.

"Where the hell were you?", Anna asked while Vinnie was stuffing her face,but eyes asking the same question. 

"Had to use the bathroom",I muttered.

Vinnie paused before taking another bite of her burger. "Your face and hoodie seems to suggest something else". Ann snickered.

I was just about to tell them what happened when Vinnie dropped her burger, and stifled a gasp.  "You OK?", Ann asked while I reached over to pat her, but she shook her head and pointed behind us.

"That's him."    "Who?" both of us turned to look.

"Albert Jackson"

"The very hot-awesome guitarist- best singer you ever heard- Albert Jackson?" Ann asked. Vinnie had gone on and on about the lead singer of a band they had competed against last year, and how he was better than Shawn Mendes, that almost got her killed by Ann.

They kept staring, while I sat playing with the ketchup bottle. "Wonder what is he doing here?", Vinnie asked.

"Probably ordering another cup of coffee as I made him spill his last one." "What??!!" Both of them looked accusingly at me. 

"Is that what you were doing in the bathroom?" Vinnie pointed her ketchup stained finger at me.

"EWW! And no! That's so not what happened" And I narrated the incident to them

Little did I know, that this incident would change my life as I knew it.