Like Catching Lightning

Chapter 3

you know that feeling that you can get where you feel like your heart just stops? and everything around you is still and you can't really breath and it's, like, mega terrifying? yeah, that's what is happening right now.

i stare at the boy in front of me. there was no way it could be him after all this time, surely not. i'm totally just imagining this because i'm that desperate, right? but his name tag is telling me very differently. even though his head was lowered and this all happened in the span of 0.5 seconds, i noticed every single, little detail about him. his curly hair that had one strand hanging out of his starbucks visor over his eyes, his gentle fingers that were callused over from guitar, his big doe eyes that were a dark brown with light specks of gold, his arms that had grown a lot more muscular but still had the scar running over the underside of his elbow from a skateboarding accident, it was all still the same, but yet all so different at the exact same time. he looked... hotter.

"ricky?" i asked so quietly it was in a whisper.

his eyes looked up from the cash register to meet mine. he didn't looked shocked or anything to see me. he looked unfazed.

"yep, that's me!" he laughed a little nervously, scratching the back of his head. "do i know you or something?"

i felt my heart plummet into my stomach the moment the words left his mouth. he didn't remember me?

"oh, no, i- uh, um." come on, nini! now is not a time to stutter! "i-i just saw your name tag, and i was like 'oh! that's my dogs name'!" i mentally facepalmed so hard that i nearly felt my brain tremble. i didn't have a freaking dog.

ricky let out a soft chuckle. it was just as i remembered it, but deeper. "i don't know if i should be flattered or embarrassed that i have the same name as a dog." he leaned forward onto his palms, his face getting a little closer to mine. i'm sure he didn't notice it, but i sure did.

i shrugged with a small smile, trying my hardest to keep my cool. "my friend named her guinea pig after me once, if that makes you feel any better." that wasn't a complete lie. a fan did name her guinea pig after me once and showed me a million pictures. i had no clue how i was supposed to feel about that.

"i suppose that does help." ricky grinned at me. "and i have to ask this for the order anyways, but what is your name?"

oh shoot i hadn't thought about that. i couldn't just tell him my name was nina or nini! jenn said i needed to keep it on the low, and telling everyone my real names isn't exactly 'the low'. i still have the same face, it's just not caked in make up. besides, he doesn't remember me, what if i could use this to my advantage? i glanced around the small starbucks frantically, trying to get any hint for a random name. coffee, cups, vanilla, grande, caramel, ice, hazelnut, moc- wait!

"hazel!" i replied as confidently as i could. "my name is hazel."

ricky shot me a charming smile before squiggle my "name" down on a cup.

"you don't really look like a hazel." he eyed me carefully with a small smirk. "you look like your name should begin with an 'n'." frick. "like natalie or something." okay, we are in the clear.

i giggled a little, which was weird because i don't giggle. "i think i like my name."

"i like the name hazel for a guinea pig." he joked, making me scoff in mock offense. "but it also fits for a pretty girl like you too."

i- okay

i don't think my face could get any redder than it was right now.

"ahahahahaha!" i laughed a little too loudly and a little too fake sounding. "thanks!" if my voice could go up that many octaves when i purposely trying, i could totally be the next mariah carey.