I Love Her Anyway

As each minute slowly melted off the clock, Jonathan was growing more and more impatient. He took a sip of his steaming mug of coffee. He didn't even like coffee but he was desperate for something to keep him occupied. Ducking his head as someone glanced in his general direction, he hid behind this Gongshow Hockey hat. A sigh tickled his chapped lips as he looked back up.

"Would you like to order yet, sir?" The waitress asked for the second time in the past twenty minutes. Jonathan frowned before meeting her steel blue eyes. He shook his head and returned his gaze back to the black liquid in the cup that sat before him.

"I'm waiting for a friend," he replied, his fingers finding a pink packet of sugar and then turned his eyes to the middle aged woman. She stood with a hand on her hip. There was a flour hand print in the middle of her black apron and she held a small notepad. "She should be here any minute," Jonathan mumbled, throwing yet another unsure glance at the door. The waitress raised her thick, untamed eyebrow at the man but nodded regardless.

"Alright," she sang, sliding the notepad and pen into the front pocket of her apron. "Just yell if you need anything." He knew the waitress suspected that he was about to be stood up; that was painfully obvious. Jonathan politely thanked her then watched her approach another table before he slid his phone out of the pocket of his jeans. He groaned internally, wondering how he'd gone this long year without asking for her phone number.

Jonathan couldn't bring himself to just get up and leave, even if the idea crossed his mind a dozen times. He found himself feeling nervous to be in her presence, which was something he hadn't experienced since a certain girl in high school. This was the first time he would be meeting Calista out side of the club and he wasn't sure what to expect.

He looked around the tiny diner. He'd never even noticed it's existence in the heart of the city; he let Calista choose their meeting location in hopes that she would actually show up this time. Though as far as Jonathan was concerned, the chances of her arriving we're slimming down by the passing seconds. The wait was agonizing to Jonathan, who was normally a patient man under most circumstances. If only he had the slightest confirmation that their plans hadn't slipped her mind. Jonathan knew she was a busy woman, but he himself also had a lot on his plate and surely he wouldn't forget about their lunch plans.

When the bell on the door finally echoed through the small cafe, Jonathan's head shot up. Relief filled his body in replace of the disappointment that was fading away. He took a moment to examine her hurried posture and her flushed cheeks. Callista's coal colored hair was messy, thrown in a bun on the top of her head. In the absence of her usual eccentric make up, a pair of thick rimmed black glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. The sleeves of her grey sweatshirt were pushed half way up her arms and her men's sweatpants were tucked into her boots. Jonathan let a small smile play on his lips at the sight. He admired her careless appearance; one he'd never seen from Calista. He'd never seen her so breathtaking, even more so than when she was dancing in minuscule clothing.

"I'm so sorry," she attempted to catch her breath, sliding into the booth across from him. "I'm so glad you're still here. Class ran late and I missed the bus."

Jonathan shuddered at the thought of the small girl on the city transit with no one around to protect her. Instead of showing his distaste, in hopes to avoid offending her, he simply smiled at her.

"It's fine, Cal," his deep voice boomed as his large hands raised to adjust his hat. "How was class, anyway?" Calista rolled her dull blue eyes behind the corrective lenses of her glasses.

"Horrible, boring," she admitted dully, leaning forward on her elbows and resting her chin in her hands. "How was practice?" Jonathan shrugged his bulky shoulders, slumping into the slightly uncomfortable seat.

"Tiring," he laughed a bit before his brown eyes lit up as if the lightbulb in his head suddenly was switched on. "Speaking of which, I thought maybe you would want some tickets to the game on Saturday night?"

The proposition hung in the air for a moment, sending Jonathan's nerves into overdrive. He'd been contemplating asking Calista to come to one of his games and Patrick finally gave him the push he needed. Pink tinged the ghostly white skin of Calista's cheeks as her eyes fell to the table.

"I don't really know anything about hockey, Jon," she admitted quietly, ashamed that she was in the presence of who was supposedly Chicago's all star captain and she couldn't even tell him what number he wore on the back of his jersey. Jonathan smirked, his fingers still playing with the same packet of sugar.

"Well, there's never a bad time to learn," he replied. A smile formed at Calista's lips as she dared to gaze into Jonathan's intense eyes. When his beautiful chocolate colored orbs began to search deep into her own, she looked away in fear of losing herself in him.

"Fine, I'll go but don't expect me to know what's going on," she laughed at her own expense. The grin on Jonathan's lips illuminated the room as his worry washed away. Calista wasn't a hockey fan but she still agreed to come watch him play. That had to mean something, right? Jon thought so, at least.

"I'll swing by with two tickets after morning skate," he informed her, beaming at the girl with pride surging through his veins. Jonathan was ecstatic to have Calista witness what he loved to do most which happened to be what he was best at. He longed for her approval and he knew that this was his chance to impress her.

"I can't stay much longer," Calista said in a small voice, her dainty hand wrapped around her glass of orange juice. Jonathan's heart crumbled at her words. He was enjoying hearing her melodic laugh every time he told a joke, and the way her eyes shined brighter than the sun when her plate of pancakes was delivered to her. Jonathan masked his disappointment with an understanding smile. "I have another class at three," she finished with a sigh. Jonathan nodded, pulling out his wallet and tossing a few loose bills onto the table behind his empty plate.

"It's cool, I told Kaner I'd meet him for some drinks anyway," he lied slyly. He couldn't let Calista know he'd been looking forward to spending the rest of his day with her. Calista smiled sadly at him, as she didn't particularly want to put an to end their time together either.

But it wasn't just Jonathan who lied about what his plans were for the rest of the day. Calista was already done with classes for the day. Instead, she had to make a stop at the club in hopes to meet her closest work friend, Luna, before she began her shift.

Jonathan moved slowly as the pair worked their way to the door and out into the crisp Chicago air. He dreaded parting ways with the beautiful girl. Once outside, he shoved his hands into his pocket, feeling awkwardness layered thick in the air between them. She mirrored him, her tongue sliding across her lips.

"I can drive you back," he offered, his fingers hooked his keychain in his jeans. Calista adverted her eyes and looked on into the busy street.

"I'm just going a few blocks down," she replied and then looked back over her shoulder. Jonathan nodded, following her gaze and let out an inaudible exhale of air. "Thank you for lunch," she said, looking back up at his towering figure. He forced a grin.

"Of course, Cal," he spoke just before promptly pulling her petite body against his. She hesitated for a moment as the warmth that he radiated seeped through her clothes. Smiling to herself, she wrapped her arms around his middle and laid her cheek on his hard chest. In his embrace, she felt so protected, like that was where she was always meant to be.

"Hey, I don't have any classes on Friday," she told him after he released her, leaving her feel cold and alone once again. "Maybe we can get together."

"That would be great, Calista, I'll meet you here on Friday then."

Calista stood on her toes, pressing her soft lips to his cheek before shyly smiling up at him just in time to spot the blush that was rapidly spreading across his high cheekbones.

"I'll see you then," she sang before turning on her heel and walked down the road, leaving Jonathan behind to watch her departure.

Calista walked for a few blocks before her eyes scanned her surroundings to be sure Jonathan was no where in sight. With a deep sigh, she sat down on the bench to begin her wait for the bus.

She couldn't believe she was about to offer her hours up to Luna; especially for a Saturday night when the club would be full and the money would come flowing in. Jonathan really must have been something special.