Lines
Meetings
Kelly smiled slightly as she pulled out the worn leather bound journal from behind the potted plant in the corner of the room.
The staff of the café was in on the whole thing. Every Monday, Friday, and Saturday morning Kelly would come into the café to write in her journal and drink some of the best coffee she’s ever had in her life. Every Monday, Friday, and Saturday night Parker would do the same thing.
It all started three months ago when Kelly first came into the café and accidentally left her journal behind at the shop. Her first entry was just some poetry and doodles but it left Parker intrigued, making him obviously have no choice other than to intrude on her privacy further to leave a note about how great of a writer she was.
For three months the pair had been writing to one another back and forth. They hadn’t met; hell, they didn’t even know each other’s full names but it was something about the anonymity of it all that made it all the better. Parker would leave the journal behind the plant on one side of the store, and Kelly would leave it underneath one of the booths on the opposite side.
Sitting down with her freshly brewed coffee, she opened up the journal with (not so) slightly shaking fingers and a racing heart to see what was written for her today.
Dear K,
You’re quite possibly the strangest person I’ve ever met (can you even really say we’ve met?) but I laughed nonetheless. I checked out your music recommendations and I’m excited about it. I really dig the fact that it’s so dark and moody and I can’t believe I hadn’t listened to any of these bands sooner. I can see why you like these bands so much.
Speaking of music, there’s a show tomorrow night that you should definitely go to. I’ll be there. It’s this new local band and they’re playing at that venue on the corner of Washington and 8th. Being anonymous is fun but if I’m being completely honest, I’d love to find out who you are.
As enthralling as the idea of a nine hour train ride with hundreds of disgusting strangers, screaming babies, and no source of fresh air to cycle out all the germs sounds, I’m afraid that I must express my concern for your situation. There surely must be a cleaner- safer- way for you to get to Chicago, yeah? Figure something out, K.
-P
Kelly bit the inside of her cheek and her insides tightened at the idea of finally meeting him. What if he thought she was ugly, or too awkward, or too rude? What if he was some creepy old guy? Just because he said he was in his 20s and sounded that way didn’t mean it was the truth.
Unable to come to a decision, she quickly called her best friend in California to update her on this new development. Simone was on board with the thing, explaining that it sound be fine considering it was in public, not to mention the fact that if the guy was that blatantly creepy she was sure that the observant staff of the café would have said something by now.
With a deep sigh Kelly gave an unusually short response essentially telling him that the train ride was official, along with her trip to the venue the following night.
*
Parker looked everywhere for her. He wasn’t sure why; it’s not like he knew what she looked like, but he was hoping that something about her would stick out from the crowd, kind of like some neon flashing sign floating above her head to show him to her. He held the journal tightly in his hands as he went backstage to do some last minute vocal warming exercises.
The rest of the band went on before him, beginning the first song of the night. He ran onto the stage just as it was time for him to start singing but he couldn’t dismiss the fact that his body was absolutely shaking. This wasn’t the usual stage fright; this was different. The girl he’d been writing to for three fucking months was here and looking at him, probably having no idea who he was. However, the passion and overall fantastic response of the crowd quickly sucked him in making the set go by in the blink of an eye.
“Well,” Parker began to say into the microphone with a raspy voice. “That was the last song. As I said earlier, we’re not gonna do the whole encore thing because it’s overdone. Besides, we played all our songs anyway,” he chuckled, making the crowd laugh along with him. “We’re The Story So Far and our CD is in the back if you wanna check it out.”
He paused to glace down at the brown journal on the ground behind him. He picked it up and turned back to the crowd while holding the journal high.
“I know this is going to sound stupid but, um, if this journal is yours, or ours I guess, um, come and find me tonight. Our place, right after this. You know what I mean.”
With that, he hopped off stage and headed to the back door to exit away from the fans. He made an A-line to the café, practically sprinting down the street like a maniac. He sat on one of the benches outside as he bounced his leg around in impatience.
Nearly twenty minutes later, he saw a girl around his age walk towards him. She was absolutely stunning, tall lean legs clad in ripped up black skinny jeans, a sweater keeping her warm. Her long and dark purple hair was straight and pinned underneath a beanie with wording he couldn’t quite make out yet. He quickly stood to his feet as his breath caught in his throat.
“Are you K?” He asked, nearly shouting so she could hear him from so far away, unsure of what else to say.
“I’m Kelly,” she said, walking closer to him. “And you are?”
He walked towards the girl, trying as hard as he could to not run towards her and scare her. “I’m Parker.”
As the distance between them closed he couldn’t help but put his hands on her rosy cheeks and pull her face up to kiss her gently. They stood there kissing in the middle of the sidewalk for a good few moments, both absolutely smitten with their current situation.
“It’s absolutely fucking incredible to meet you,” he murmured.
The staff of the café was in on the whole thing. Every Monday, Friday, and Saturday morning Kelly would come into the café to write in her journal and drink some of the best coffee she’s ever had in her life. Every Monday, Friday, and Saturday night Parker would do the same thing.
It all started three months ago when Kelly first came into the café and accidentally left her journal behind at the shop. Her first entry was just some poetry and doodles but it left Parker intrigued, making him obviously have no choice other than to intrude on her privacy further to leave a note about how great of a writer she was.
For three months the pair had been writing to one another back and forth. They hadn’t met; hell, they didn’t even know each other’s full names but it was something about the anonymity of it all that made it all the better. Parker would leave the journal behind the plant on one side of the store, and Kelly would leave it underneath one of the booths on the opposite side.
Sitting down with her freshly brewed coffee, she opened up the journal with (not so) slightly shaking fingers and a racing heart to see what was written for her today.
Dear K,
You’re quite possibly the strangest person I’ve ever met (can you even really say we’ve met?) but I laughed nonetheless. I checked out your music recommendations and I’m excited about it. I really dig the fact that it’s so dark and moody and I can’t believe I hadn’t listened to any of these bands sooner. I can see why you like these bands so much.
Speaking of music, there’s a show tomorrow night that you should definitely go to. I’ll be there. It’s this new local band and they’re playing at that venue on the corner of Washington and 8th. Being anonymous is fun but if I’m being completely honest, I’d love to find out who you are.
As enthralling as the idea of a nine hour train ride with hundreds of disgusting strangers, screaming babies, and no source of fresh air to cycle out all the germs sounds, I’m afraid that I must express my concern for your situation. There surely must be a cleaner- safer- way for you to get to Chicago, yeah? Figure something out, K.
-P
Kelly bit the inside of her cheek and her insides tightened at the idea of finally meeting him. What if he thought she was ugly, or too awkward, or too rude? What if he was some creepy old guy? Just because he said he was in his 20s and sounded that way didn’t mean it was the truth.
Unable to come to a decision, she quickly called her best friend in California to update her on this new development. Simone was on board with the thing, explaining that it sound be fine considering it was in public, not to mention the fact that if the guy was that blatantly creepy she was sure that the observant staff of the café would have said something by now.
With a deep sigh Kelly gave an unusually short response essentially telling him that the train ride was official, along with her trip to the venue the following night.
*
Parker looked everywhere for her. He wasn’t sure why; it’s not like he knew what she looked like, but he was hoping that something about her would stick out from the crowd, kind of like some neon flashing sign floating above her head to show him to her. He held the journal tightly in his hands as he went backstage to do some last minute vocal warming exercises.
The rest of the band went on before him, beginning the first song of the night. He ran onto the stage just as it was time for him to start singing but he couldn’t dismiss the fact that his body was absolutely shaking. This wasn’t the usual stage fright; this was different. The girl he’d been writing to for three fucking months was here and looking at him, probably having no idea who he was. However, the passion and overall fantastic response of the crowd quickly sucked him in making the set go by in the blink of an eye.
“Well,” Parker began to say into the microphone with a raspy voice. “That was the last song. As I said earlier, we’re not gonna do the whole encore thing because it’s overdone. Besides, we played all our songs anyway,” he chuckled, making the crowd laugh along with him. “We’re The Story So Far and our CD is in the back if you wanna check it out.”
He paused to glace down at the brown journal on the ground behind him. He picked it up and turned back to the crowd while holding the journal high.
“I know this is going to sound stupid but, um, if this journal is yours, or ours I guess, um, come and find me tonight. Our place, right after this. You know what I mean.”
With that, he hopped off stage and headed to the back door to exit away from the fans. He made an A-line to the café, practically sprinting down the street like a maniac. He sat on one of the benches outside as he bounced his leg around in impatience.
Nearly twenty minutes later, he saw a girl around his age walk towards him. She was absolutely stunning, tall lean legs clad in ripped up black skinny jeans, a sweater keeping her warm. Her long and dark purple hair was straight and pinned underneath a beanie with wording he couldn’t quite make out yet. He quickly stood to his feet as his breath caught in his throat.
“Are you K?” He asked, nearly shouting so she could hear him from so far away, unsure of what else to say.
“I’m Kelly,” she said, walking closer to him. “And you are?”
He walked towards the girl, trying as hard as he could to not run towards her and scare her. “I’m Parker.”
As the distance between them closed he couldn’t help but put his hands on her rosy cheeks and pull her face up to kiss her gently. They stood there kissing in the middle of the sidewalk for a good few moments, both absolutely smitten with their current situation.
“It’s absolutely fucking incredible to meet you,” he murmured.