I Never Told You What I Did for a Living
Just a Coffee
I pulled the car into a small parking lot beside a local coffee shop. I had gone to this place many times, but always either alone or with friends. I had never been to a small place like that on a date before. All my previous dates had consisted of the classic "dinner and a movie" schedule.
We sat at a small table in a back corner. It was secluded and peaceful. It also gave us a chance to talk.
"So, Lily, what are you interested in?" he asked as he played with a stir stick.
"Lots of things. Music, drawing, writing, pretty much anything to do with the arts. How about you? I mean, all I really know is your name, zodiac sign, and honest intentions."
"Well, obviously I'm into drawing. I really like music, too. I'm really close with my brother. We pretty much only had each other growing up."
"I'm an only child and I haven't seen my father in four years," I blurted out. I wasn't the type to burden people with my problems, so why was I telling him this?
"Really? What happened?" he seemed truly concerned.
"Him and my mom fought all the time. Finally she'd had enough and kicked him out. He never even said goodbye to me, and he never came back. You'd think I'd be sad, but really i know that it was for the best. I never got along with him anyway."
"I had no idea that you had such a troubled past. You seem so... happy. I mean, you act way happier than I do."
"Exactly," I muttered, playing with the corner of my napkin. "I act happy. I'm always acting."
He reached across the table and gripped my hand in his. "You don't have to act anymore. I want to know the real you, not just what other people see."
"I don't know how to stop pretending. It's been all I've done for the last four years. I need help."
"That's what I'm here for," he promised quietly.
"I'll hold you to that," I looked up from the napkin and for the first time since we arrived there, our eyes locked. He had such gorgeous eyes. I felt all the barriers I'd put up around myself break down in that moment. I hardly knew him, yet he'd already gotten right to my core. It wasn't often that I let people get close. I had a fear of abandonment, I guess. But when I looked into Gerard's eyes, the fear dissolved and I wanted to bring him closer to me.
All of a sudden, he leaned in towards me. I felt my lips tingle as he brushed his softly against them, leaving me wanting more. When our eyes met again, his held a sincere look that assured me he wouldn't hurt me.
"Refill?" a waitress asked as she walked up carrying a steaming pot of coffee, interrupting our intimate moment. We both shook our heads, neither one of us speaking.
After a few more minutes of just sitting quietly together, Gerard threw a few bills on the table and we left. I wasn't ready to go home, so we simply drove around for awhile. The silence that surrounded us wasn't unpleasant or awkward, it seemed fitting. We both had secrets that we knew would eventually surface, but we felt totally comfortable together.
When we eventually returned to my house, we exchanged phone numbers. Even though I offered him a ride home, he insisted on calling a cab. As I watched the tail lights fade away, I sighed contentedly. I couldn't think of anyone else that I had a bond like that with. I couldn't think of anyone that a silence that long could remain comfortable with.
I couldn't think of anyone I would rather spend my time with.
We sat at a small table in a back corner. It was secluded and peaceful. It also gave us a chance to talk.
"So, Lily, what are you interested in?" he asked as he played with a stir stick.
"Lots of things. Music, drawing, writing, pretty much anything to do with the arts. How about you? I mean, all I really know is your name, zodiac sign, and honest intentions."
"Well, obviously I'm into drawing. I really like music, too. I'm really close with my brother. We pretty much only had each other growing up."
"I'm an only child and I haven't seen my father in four years," I blurted out. I wasn't the type to burden people with my problems, so why was I telling him this?
"Really? What happened?" he seemed truly concerned.
"Him and my mom fought all the time. Finally she'd had enough and kicked him out. He never even said goodbye to me, and he never came back. You'd think I'd be sad, but really i know that it was for the best. I never got along with him anyway."
"I had no idea that you had such a troubled past. You seem so... happy. I mean, you act way happier than I do."
"Exactly," I muttered, playing with the corner of my napkin. "I act happy. I'm always acting."
He reached across the table and gripped my hand in his. "You don't have to act anymore. I want to know the real you, not just what other people see."
"I don't know how to stop pretending. It's been all I've done for the last four years. I need help."
"That's what I'm here for," he promised quietly.
"I'll hold you to that," I looked up from the napkin and for the first time since we arrived there, our eyes locked. He had such gorgeous eyes. I felt all the barriers I'd put up around myself break down in that moment. I hardly knew him, yet he'd already gotten right to my core. It wasn't often that I let people get close. I had a fear of abandonment, I guess. But when I looked into Gerard's eyes, the fear dissolved and I wanted to bring him closer to me.
All of a sudden, he leaned in towards me. I felt my lips tingle as he brushed his softly against them, leaving me wanting more. When our eyes met again, his held a sincere look that assured me he wouldn't hurt me.
"Refill?" a waitress asked as she walked up carrying a steaming pot of coffee, interrupting our intimate moment. We both shook our heads, neither one of us speaking.
After a few more minutes of just sitting quietly together, Gerard threw a few bills on the table and we left. I wasn't ready to go home, so we simply drove around for awhile. The silence that surrounded us wasn't unpleasant or awkward, it seemed fitting. We both had secrets that we knew would eventually surface, but we felt totally comfortable together.
When we eventually returned to my house, we exchanged phone numbers. Even though I offered him a ride home, he insisted on calling a cab. As I watched the tail lights fade away, I sighed contentedly. I couldn't think of anyone else that I had a bond like that with. I couldn't think of anyone that a silence that long could remain comfortable with.
I couldn't think of anyone I would rather spend my time with.