Zero to Infinity By Mallory Watley
HE CHECKS HIS WATCH ONE MORE TIME.
It's seven-forty-five, she should be here by now, right? Maybe she's just running a little late, or maybe traffic was bad? Sebastian frowns to himself. He looks down at his lap as his heart drops all the way to the ground.
Or maybe, she stood him up.
He sighs, hanging his head for a moment, a hole growing in his heart. For a second, he thought that they had something. That maybe something was there. That the feeling in his chest was more than just his heart beating erratically; that the churning in his stomach was more than just butterflies.
Looks like it was unrequited.
He pushes himself out of the table and sets down a five to pay for the coffee he ordered. His frown deepens as he opens the door and steps outside, into the chilly air. He pulls the black leather jacket in closer to him, thinking about the similar jacket he gave to Charlotte. He probably won't ever get it back, but it was worth it. He looks left and then right and his shoulders sink a little bit more.
He walks down the sidewalk, his feet feeling heavy as lead, a saddened feeling washing over him. He's being a bit over dramatic, right? He shouldn't have expected more, he didn't really know her, after all. He shakes his head, of course he's being overdramatic. They didn't know each other, and only had one conversation. They weren't even close enough to be friends.
If that's the case, then why is his heart breaking with each step he takes?
Then, something catches his attention. A distant voice, but he thinks he's just imagining things, so he keeps walking. Then, it's louder. "Sebastian!" It's a little breathless, and husky.
He turns and there she is. Her hair is down in crimson curls, she's wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses, a winter jacket and a pair of jeans. Her makeup is done, her eyelashes thick and her lips a bright cherry color. He blushes a bright red as she smiles. She's running to catch up with him and when she finally reaches him, she bends over so that her palms are lying flat on her knees, and takes a deep breath. "Hi," she wheezes, looking up at him.
"Charlotte." He whispers, his eyes wondering over her figure in amazement. He smiles widely at her, admiring the difference from last night. The bags are still there, but her eyes aren't rimmed red and her cheeks are a normal pale. She looks relaxed.
She stands up straight and hurriedly tries to explain herself. "I am so sorry, I got lost. I've only lived here for only a few months and I hadn't been to this coffee shop yet. And my memory from last night is still kind of fuzzy, so I couldn't remember exactly what you looked like, just - I'm sorry I'm late." Charlotte apologizes.
Sebastian shakes his head, a curl of hair falling over his forehead, "no, no, It's okay. Totally okay." He smiles, his eyes dancing, "What gave me away?" He teases.
"Your hair, the way you walk; small things." She replies. Then, she nervously smiles, "Were you, uh, leaving?" She asks, tilting her head in the most adorable way.
"I thought - um," He flushes and swallows thickly, "I thought you weren't going to come, so yeah, I was.. leaving," He mumbles the last word, embarrassed. Then he hurriedly catches himself, "But, I'm not busy, so if you still want that coffee, then I'm free." He smiles awkwardly and shrugs a shoulder.
"Well then, enough chit-chat, let's get warm." Charlotte agrees, grabbing Sebastian by the hand and pulling him back to the cafe.
It's seven-forty-five, she should be here by now, right? Maybe she's just running a little late, or maybe traffic was bad? Sebastian frowns to himself. He looks down at his lap as his heart drops all the way to the ground.
Or maybe, she stood him up.
He sighs, hanging his head for a moment, a hole growing in his heart. For a second, he thought that they had something. That maybe something was there. That the feeling in his chest was more than just his heart beating erratically; that the churning in his stomach was more than just butterflies.
Looks like it was unrequited.
He pushes himself out of the table and sets down a five to pay for the coffee he ordered. His frown deepens as he opens the door and steps outside, into the chilly air. He pulls the black leather jacket in closer to him, thinking about the similar jacket he gave to Charlotte. He probably won't ever get it back, but it was worth it. He looks left and then right and his shoulders sink a little bit more.
He walks down the sidewalk, his feet feeling heavy as lead, a saddened feeling washing over him. He's being a bit over dramatic, right? He shouldn't have expected more, he didn't really know her, after all. He shakes his head, of course he's being overdramatic. They didn't know each other, and only had one conversation. They weren't even close enough to be friends.
If that's the case, then why is his heart breaking with each step he takes?
Then, something catches his attention. A distant voice, but he thinks he's just imagining things, so he keeps walking. Then, it's louder. "Sebastian!" It's a little breathless, and husky.
He turns and there she is. Her hair is down in crimson curls, she's wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses, a winter jacket and a pair of jeans. Her makeup is done, her eyelashes thick and her lips a bright cherry color. He blushes a bright red as she smiles. She's running to catch up with him and when she finally reaches him, she bends over so that her palms are lying flat on her knees, and takes a deep breath. "Hi," she wheezes, looking up at him.
"Charlotte." He whispers, his eyes wondering over her figure in amazement. He smiles widely at her, admiring the difference from last night. The bags are still there, but her eyes aren't rimmed red and her cheeks are a normal pale. She looks relaxed.
She stands up straight and hurriedly tries to explain herself. "I am so sorry, I got lost. I've only lived here for only a few months and I hadn't been to this coffee shop yet. And my memory from last night is still kind of fuzzy, so I couldn't remember exactly what you looked like, just - I'm sorry I'm late." Charlotte apologizes.
Sebastian shakes his head, a curl of hair falling over his forehead, "no, no, It's okay. Totally okay." He smiles, his eyes dancing, "What gave me away?" He teases.
"Your hair, the way you walk; small things." She replies. Then, she nervously smiles, "Were you, uh, leaving?" She asks, tilting her head in the most adorable way.
"I thought - um," He flushes and swallows thickly, "I thought you weren't going to come, so yeah, I was.. leaving," He mumbles the last word, embarrassed. Then he hurriedly catches himself, "But, I'm not busy, so if you still want that coffee, then I'm free." He smiles awkwardly and shrugs a shoulder.
"Well then, enough chit-chat, let's get warm." Charlotte agrees, grabbing Sebastian by the hand and pulling him back to the cafe.