This Is How You Remind Me

I woke up in the morning and glanced at the clock at my bedside to find out that it was already ten thirty. I heard some noise coming from somewhere close by, so I figured I'd go and check it out.

I slipped my sweatshirt on once more, taking the cell phone from it's pocket and putting back in my box of stuff, grabbing an elastic from my suitcase.
Note to self; put stuff away after painting.

I hurried to my mirror, throwing my copper hair up in a tight pony tail, fixing my smudged makeup, and walking down to the second floor living room- after seeing no one on the third floor-, not sure what else to do. I noticed Adrienne sitting on the couch, book in hand.

"Morning," I greeted her meekly, a smile gracing my face.

"Good morning, Carmella," she responded, looking up from her book. "Sleep well?"

Again with the motherly, reminiscent phrases that would, inevitably, be spoken.

"Yes, thank you. Yourself?" I tried starting a conversation with her.

"I slept wonderfully. Hey, I was thinking of heading of heading over to Starbucks in a little while here. The boys are all at Mike's house. You know who Mike Dirnt is, don't you?"

"Of course," I responded, proud of myself that I knew who someone was when it was only my second day with my new family.

"Good," Adrienne smiled while marking the page of her book with a sticky-note. "So anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go to Starbucks with me."

"I'd love to. Do I have a few minutes to clean up?" I asked honestly.

Adrienne smiled, "Of course you do, dear. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."

"Okay, thanks," I said as I turned back towards the stairs to go get ready.
Ascending the stairs proved to be a more difficult task than descending them, considering I was only half awake.

A half an hour and many makeup experiments later, I figured I was finally ready.

Giving myself one last look in the full length mirror that was so conveniently placed on the back of the bathroom door, I decided I looked okay in my form fitting white Atreyu shirt and a pair of blue jeans. My eyes held light purple eye shadow and dark purple eyeliner, black mascara coating my lashes.

Grabbing my black and white stripped purse and black and white sunglasses, and hurried back down the stairs, only to find the living room void of Adrienne.

I made my way downstairs only to find Adrienne walking out of the kitchen, her black purse slung over her shoulder, "Ready?"

"Yeah," I smiled at her, waiting to follow her out to the garage.

After we jumped in the car and started the down the road, the silence was starting to become unbearable. I was tempted to pull my iPod out of my purse until I thought of how rude that would be.

As soon as we approached Starbucks, I unlatched my seatbelt and jumped out of the car, purse slung over my shoulder and followed Adrienne into the little café.

After she ordered hers, I followed suit, "I'll have a grande white chocolate peppermint mocha."

I looked up to see the most gorgeous green eyes I had ever seen. Those, along with a radiant, pale skin tone, and medium length brown, had captured my attention. I watched as his full lips worked with his teeth and tongue to articulate the words, "That comes to the total of $10.25."

I reached in my purse after sending the boy a smile to pull out my five dollars of the total, but Adrienne had stopped me, insisting on paying. I smiled at her, my version of a thanks.

In a second flat, Adrienne was on her phone, excusing herself, letting me know that Billie had called her.
When our orders were called out, I stepped to the end of the counter to go and get the coffees.

"I'll give you hers," Green-Eyes spoke, referring to Adrienne, "but yours.. Yours comes with a price."

"Oh?" I asked, trying to play along without blushing.
I had never dealt with attention that well.

"Yes, and that price is a ten digit number," he smiled, his white teeth showing from behind his full lips.

"You see," I said, trying my hardest not to seem stupid, "I would give you that ten digit number that you speak of, but I'm not sure what mine happens to be."

"Ouch," Green-Eyes said, wincing. "I've heard flat out no before, but I've never heard of girls denying that they knew what theirs was."

"Ah, but see, this fact is true," I smiled, showing him that I was being sincere. I was trying to think of how to put it without saying that I was just adopted. "I just…moved in, I suppose you could say. I haven't memorized everything yet."

"Oh, well, since this seems a plausible statement," Green-Eyes spoke, "I suppose I could just settle with a name and a promise to return someday soon."

"The name's Carmella," I smiled as Green-Eyes reluctantly handed me my coffee. "And you have my word that I'll return. Now how about your name, stranger?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," he smirked. "I'm sorry, I have another customer to tend to. Next time I see you around here, then I'll tell you my name. It was nice to meet you, Carmella."