In the arms of evil

Taking the town

I've spent a good week here so far and all of my worries have been carried away by the warm breeze. Everyone is so nice here. They're like something out of Gilmore girls down here. A tight  community where everyone respects everyone. He won't find me here. I'm sure of it.

"Latte please." Whilst she prepares my coffee, I take a quick scan of the coffee shop. I can't help but smile when I look around. There's fairy lights hanging off the ceiling from wooden planks. The walls are a worn new York styled brick. Some places on the wall have blackboards with today's specials. There's a whole wall filled with worn books. Above the ordering board a huge sign filled with round LED lights spell out 'cafe'. Very retro and aesthetic. Like something out of a book in the 50's. There's no pattern or design of chairs and tables. Some seats are brown leather armchairs. Others are velvet burgundy barrel chairs. There's a leather green chesterfield sofa against one of the walls with two brass vintage floor lamps on either side. Above the front counter lightbulbs dangle at different heights. The chatter of people mixed with laughter and the scent of coffee tells me this place will become my new regular.

"It's on me" I hear a voice say beside me, breaking my gaze from the cafe. It's Colton. He's standing beside me in blue jeans and a black shirt. His leather jacket still wrapped around his muscular torso. I see him pay the cashier for my coffee without a second thought. "Hey, I had that" I say, taking my coffee hesitantly. "I know" he gives me a smirk. One that tells me he's not trying to treat me like a helpless little girl. There's a coffee already made for him as the tiny girl with the loosely brown ponytail hands it over to him. She smiles at him flirtatiously, almost as if she's tasted his lips before. Seems he's a regular here. I roll my eyes as he winks at her, laughing internally at his macho vibes.

He follows me over to a wooden work table and takes a seat opposite me. "So how are you finding our little town, Brooklyn?" He asks before drinking his coffee. "So far everyone fits in. Like it's the perfect little town. I can't quite figure out your place though" I say, studying him further. "Oh?" He says it sarcastically, because he knows exactly what I mean. "Well, at the counter, the girl looks like someone who knows pretty much everyone. She's quite and innocent. My neighbour to my left is an old man who lives with his golden retriever and sits outside staring at the shore line every morning saying good morning to his dead wife. The people by the docks are all friendly and are glad to give a helping hand. The guy who owns the tiny book store down the road lends books to his niece who has cancer. Everyone here has a part and everyone belongs. Except for you." I stop for a moment and place a finger on my lips, puzzled by what he thinks of my recent analysis. "You, Colton, you are an enigma." I chuckle and push any further thought of him aside and take a sip of my latte.
"Well you seem to have learnt a lot in the week you've been here, Brook. But if you really want to know more about me, let me take you out tonight." He didn't really say it as a question. It was more like he was used to girls saying yes. I scoffed in bewilderment at how forward he was. "I-" before I could finish, my phone began to ring in my pocket. "One sec" I said, holding up my finger. I find Cora pop up on my screen. I miss the call but she calls back instantly. "Sorry, I've got to take this" I get up and take my coffee but he rushes up beside me and slips something into my denim jacket pocket. Before I can protest, he jumps in his muscle car and drives off.

"Let me get this straight- you meet a guy, the first night you get there none the less, he asks you out, and you did what?!" Cara is clearly very excited over my news of this mysterious guy, and as much as I'd like to say yes, he makes me smile and riles my blood all at once, I can't go back to that. "Come on, Cara. The whole reason I left Tennessee was so I could have a fresh start. And I don't need no jacked up hottie who looks like he fell out of the cast of grease, just so I can have some fun again, okay? I just can't risk going back to that. I won't" my eyes burn red as I quickly catch my breath and try to calm down. " you're right. I'm sorry, Brook. I just meant that I'd like to see you happy again. You were so great before T- before him. I just don't want you living the rest of your life never knowing or having what you deserve, girl. I miss you" now Cara's crying too and we're both two hot weeping messes. "Look at us" I chuckle, "two hot babes wasting tears on the past. To hell with it" I say, and we both start laughing. Yeah. To hell with it.

Whilst I sit on my cozy fluffy white chair at home, flicking through an Edgar Allan Poe book, my eyes wonder over to my denim jacket payed across my couch. I prod the pocket until I find a small folded napkin. "Call me if you still want that date, doll" it has his number underneath it. I fumble with the tiny piece of paper, contemplating what I should do. "Fuck it" I mumble to my self before picking up my black retro dial phone and call him up.

"Hi, Colton? It's me, Brook. I was wondering if you were still up for going out?"