A Bit Of Luck

Cobe's dark green eyes fixed her reflection in the mirror with a hard stare. Her eyes trailed over the tresses of crimson and she considered, just for a second, of dying her hair another colour. The eyes continued their journey down her face. They traced the arch of her eyebrows before meeting themselves head on, swallowing the frame work of thick lashes and noting each individual speck of amber in her irises. Her nose was next; it was soft and slightly upturned--her mother used to say it was cute as a button--and a smattering of freckles covered the bridge. Her cheek bones were quite defined but not a prominent feature as her cheeks held back some of the 'baby fat' that gave her a youthful grace, and dimpled when she smiled. Her jaw was soft and smooth.

Tucking her hands into her hair, she carefully pulled it upwards and twisted it slowly until it formed a bun. Fastening it with a bobble, she eyed her collection of colourful ribbons with the same kind of attention she'd used on her own face. Delicately, she picked up a morbid shade of blood red and gave a wry smile to her reflection as it was wrapped around her hair. The bow fastened to the underside of the bun and tickled the back of her neck.

She cast herself another wry smile before ducking down to pluck her shoes from the rack. She slipped them on and made her way from the flat, bag and coat tucked beneath her arm as the door clicked shut behind her. Perhaps today she'd be able to spend a little less time feeling miserable and a little more time looking on the Brightside. After all, if she spent her whole time thinking of how much time would be wasted, she'd forget to enjoy the rest of it.

***

Cobe was considering shutting the bakery early. It was another empty night and her eyes were weary with the lack of sleep she'd been getting. She sighed softly as she rubbed at her tired face, before settling herself down behind the counter of the bakery. There was still a small chance of a post-work rush within the hour and she couldn't afford to shut the shop early every night, no matter what profit she was making.

With a soft sigh, she picked herself back out of her chair. Some mess on one of the corner tables had caught her eye and she had a finicky, meticulousness about how she kept her shop. And, as she crossed her way over the room, she was almost glad that she did; because she'd stepped on a piece of child's Lego as she made her way past the front door and the little bell above it tinkled the arrival of her gorgeous, brown-eyed saviour.

***

Scarlett was still laughing. Cobe, cheeks not an unpleasant shade of pink, was still embarrassed. The gorgeous stranger simply leaned back in his chair and smiled. Cobe had recognised him, almost the minute she'd glanced into his eyes, as the mysterious man who'd been loitering around The Sugar Mill only days before when Scarlett had phoned. She'd never have imagined that her best friend would actually know said stranger, let alone bring him along to meet her. If Cobe had been Scar, she would have kept him locked away from other female eyes.

"Oh, shut up," Cobe finally succumbed to the taunts, before flicking her napkin at Scarlett. "It wasn't that funny."

"Sure it was!" Scarlett protested, biting her lip in another weak attempt to stop giggles overcoming her body. "You should have seen your face." She turned to the stranger, whom she'd called 'Maad' and grinned, "And yours. You loved it."

Shaking his head so that his hair dripped over his eyes, he grinned, "Who wouldn't want a pretty lady falling for them the minute they walk through the door?"

Through his fringe, Cobe could see him fluttering his eyelashes. She blushed deeper and looked away, as Scarlett continued to have her fun.

"So, you think Cobe's pretty!"

For a second, Cobe was sure that she hadn't heard her friend right; or that she was wrong. Maad only smiled coyly at her. She bit her lip and smiled back, shy and sheepish.

"On to better and more brilliant things," Scar said, changing the subject much to Cobe's relief. "You're both coming to my birthday party, right?"

Cobe looked at her friend incredulously. "You're seriously asking me that? Of course I'm going!"

Considering it was the most she'd said, Cobe's pink cheeks darkened a few shades when she caught Maad almost blatantly staring at her. If his eyes weren't shadowed by his hair, she was sure Scarlett would have picked up on it, too. Cobe blundered on, regardless. Her eyes twinkled.

"I get to make the cake, right?"

"D'uh. Who else could make one like you?"

"I hate to break up the happiness," Maad's smooth voice cut through. "But, uhh, I can't go."

"What?" Scarlett screeched. Cobe almost covered her ears, though she was grinning by the time Maad looked at her, shell shocked. "You have to go!"

"I promised I'd help my mom with something," he shrugged. "And I love my mommy."

Giggling, Scarlett nodded. "Fine, but I better get a good present!"

"No worries," Maad flicked his fringe from his eyes. "Well, it was nice, uhh, meeting you, Cobe, but I have to jet." He thumbed towards the door. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Sure, uhh," she knitted her brows together, "Maad?"

"Call me Adam," he winked as he strode towards the door, waving at Scar as she grinned mischievously. "Adam Lazzara."