Patterns

He was just a face in a crowd of many. Thousands, even. But he stuck out like a sore thumb in his grey skinny jeans and bright red v-neck shirt, topped off with a black beanie and a cigarette hanging from his pierced lip. He was pressed against the tan wall, sulking in a sexy way. He had straight hair the darkest shade of black possible and long, clean fingers. I wanted to hug him the instant I saw him. His legs were crossed awkwardly and he looked strange next to all the preppy girls surrounding the area. Unfortunately, my sister had dragged me along to this concert where preppy girls were piled high, faking smiles in false eyelashes.

He looked around and our eyes locked and for a single instant; I realized his eyes were bright blue. God, he was gorgeous and I wanted to touch him. It's like he knew what I was thinking because he blinked and blushed, then ran at me with his arms extended. His cigarette fell out of his mouth and he grinned.

"Why are you here?!" He exclaimed like we had known each other for years as he wrapped his arm around me. He whispered his name in my ear as he let go of me, "Adam." It fit him.

"I'm here with my sister. You don't know her, you've never met her. Minnie, this is Adam."

Minnie shot me a glare that tasted bitter in the back of my throat. "Hi Adam," she said in her light voice.

"Hey. Um," he gestured towards me, "do you feel like ditching the concert and hanging out at the coffee shop around the corner?"

I thought about it for a while. Wasting the fifty dollars I spent on a ticket to go get coffee with this amazing boy whom I had just met? Sure, why not?

"Sure! Sounds great. Bye Min, call me when you're done."

"Oh, I will," she said. Her breezy voice sounded angry, like I had done something wrong.

Adam took my arm and we walked around the corner into the cute little coffee shop where two girls were sitting, angrily discussing the fact that they couldn't go see the concert we had just left. I looked at Adam and he approached the girls, smiling.

"We have two tickets because we're ditching the concert. 50 dollars each, they're yours."

The girls immediately whipped out the money and gave it to Adam. He took my ticket from my hands and replaced it with fifty dollars cash and then handed the paper to the girls. They jumped up and down and thanked us, then ran away smiling.

We sat down and Adam ordered small coffees for us. "So what's your name?" he asked me, grinning. He had perfect teeth.

"My name is Ella. Thank you for saving me."

"No, thank you. I was so bored."

I laughed. "Why were you there in the first place?"

"My mom wanted me to watch my sister, but she ran off with some friends and I was feeling sort of awkward. You looked similarly, so I decided we should team up and beat the system."

I smiled and said, "My sister wants you. I know she does. She's a witch."

He laughed incredibly hard and the coffees were placed in front of us. "Wow. Minnie, little sister to Ella. Are you like Cinderella?"

I nodded fiercely then drank a sip of the warm liquid. "She thinks she can control me." Then I sighed. "You know, she really does have a lot of control over me even though I'm the oldest."

He watched me intently for a second and then said, "I bet you could beat her up. She looks pretty weak."

I just shook my head. "I couldn't."

He sighed. "Well then, whatever. But I think you could take her. Still, I suppose it's how you perceive yourself, not how others perceive you."

"Yeah."

"Why are you wearing a sweater in August?" he asked me.

"It is late August, and because I was a tad bit chilly this morning."

We sat quietly, sipping our drinks for a while when he took my hand. "I like you. You're different."

I smiled and looked at him. "Thank you. I like you, too." I pulled my arm up into my sweater and pushed my chair closer to his. He pressed his lips to mine for a simple kiss and then pulled away.

"Do you think you might want to hang out tonight?"

"Okay," I replied happily. "We can stay up all night and watch scary movies and then a sad movie."

"Sounds good to me, dear Ella."

"I barely know you."

"And I barely know you."

"But I feel like this is right, you know?"

"I do. When I saw you, I blushed because I instantly thought, "she's so pretty." I wanted to hug you so badly, you don't even know. Your ripped jeans and grey sweater… Wow. I just think you're so beautiful."

I laughed nervously and whispered, "Really?"

"Really. This is fate, you and me."

I just smiled and he waved down the waitress, telling her we were done and asking for the check. Then we walked around town, talking and listening, whispering and laughing.

Then my phone rang and it was my sister. "Hey Ella. Ummm, I'm going to be hanging out at a girl's house tonight. You know, my friend Stacy? Yeah, well her. So just tell mom. Kay, bye."

She didn't even give me a chance to talk, but I was okay with that. I knew what she was really planning to do and I knew that she would not be at Stacy's.

It was perfect actually, because it gave me a chance to come up with the perfect excuse for our mother.

I dialed her number and she picked up after the fourth ring. "Moma, Minnie is staying at Stacy's and I ran into Linda from last year. I'll be at her house, is that okay?"

"Sure baby. Have a good time."

"Thanks mom."

I hung up the phone and looked at Adam with a smile. "All set for tonight."

"Great, me too. Actually my sister called while you were talking to your sister and mom and she said she's crashing with her friends. This is great. My place is empty tonight then, with just us to fill it."

"Perfect. Should we go then?"

"Yeah. Do you want to get your car though? I wouldn't want it to get stolen while we're having fun at my apartment."

"Good idea."

We got my car and then drove to his apartment, which was actually pretty close to the concert venue. We settled into his living room and watched some funny movies, some scary movies and some just plain sweet movies.

I guess we fell asleep on each other because when we woke up it was ten in the morning and I had a text on my nearly dead phone. "Dude I woke up laying next to your friend Adam. I don't have my bra but he has a nice TV. We had so much fun, all night. ;]" It was from my sister. She was trying to make me feel crappy about my life but I knew her trick.

"Adam, my sister just sent me a text saying you guys had sex last night and that you have a nice TV."

Adam laughed as he poured us orange juice. "Clearly, we did not have sex. And my TV is crappy, just look at it!"

I smiled and accepted the orange juice when he handed it to me. "You know, I have an idea."

"Do tell."

"I'm going to go along with her. Then you come over to my place later and kiss me and thank me for the fun we had. I'll make sure my mom is out."

He laughed. "Alright."

So I texted her back, "Whatever Min."

And her response was, "I knew you'd be jealous."

I kissed Adam and then he walked me to my car. "I'll come with you and then wait outside until you text me."

"Oh, good idea."

We drove to my house, a twenty minute ride from his apartment. I realized I was wearing his shirt and giggled at the thought. It smelled like him and I loved it.

"Adam, put your number in my phone."

"I did when you fell asleep last night."

"Oh, alright." I smiled shyly as we pulled into my driveway. "Go to the donut shop down the street and get a donut. Can you get me a boston cream one?" I asked, timidly.

"Yeah, sure, darling."

"Okay. I'll text you, alright?"

"Yup."

I walked into my house and Minnie was sitting on the sofa watching TV and eating ice cream. "Hi Minnie!" I said happily as I sat next to her.

She glared at my shirt. "Hello Ella. And what were you doing last night?"

"The same thing you were," I laughed, shooting her a mean glare just as nasty as one of hers.

"Typical. You can't do anything original."

I just smiled and pulled out my phone. The battery was glaring a red symbol, basically shouting "DEAD" but I ignored it and sent the text, "Come in ten." It sent and my phone went off. I tucked it back into my pocket and smiled at my sister.

"Mom, would you go out and get some more ice cream?" I asked.

"Sure babe. I'm running out anyway. Is there anything else you need?"

"Nah, that's all."

We heard her car pull away and then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Minnie said as she adjusted her boobs in the revealing shirt she had on. I watched as she scanned her eyes over me and saw that my hair was clearly a mess, my makeup was disheveled and my teeth were not brushed from the night before. She smirked and pulled the door open, revealing Adam.

He stepped into the house and ignored Minnie completely. He walked towards me and dropped the bag of donuts on the coffee table at my knees and then pushed me into the couch, making out with me furiously. "God you're so beautiful," he said between kisses. "Thank you so much for last night. We should do that again tonight."

Then he kissed me a final time and stood up to leave. I chased him out the door and kissed him on the porch.

"Sure thing, babe. How about you come over for dinner? Better yet, why don't you stay the day?"

"Really? Awesome, okay."

We smiled and linked hands, walking back into the house.

"Listen I'm going to take a shower," I said, starting towards the stairs and releasing his hand.

"Okay. Don't be too long sweetie."

"I won't be, don't worry."

As I was walking up the stairs I heard Adam whisper to Minnie, "Honey I wouldn't touch you with a nine and a half foot pole."

I turned back to watch her reaction. The look on her face was priceless. I felt powerful as I ascended the stairs with a big fat smile on my lips.