Déjà Vu

Chapter 1

Then ~ Evelyn

The cafe was just starting to clear out, entering that time between lunch and the end of the workday where everything seemed to quiet down for just a little bit while the baristas methodically cleaned the tables and restocked the food after the lunch rush. The air was still filled with a hum of soft music and the sound of the other people still finishing their coffees, but it wasn't as overwhelming as when there was a line of people out the door or people walking past her table, eyeing it like vultures dressed in business attire to see if she would be leaving soon.

Evelyn rested her chin in her hand as she watched Kate get them some more coffee, shaking her head fondly at her friend when she noticed that she was not subtly flirting with the barista. She cringed as she watched her lean over the counter to whisper something to the boy with a coy smirk, but luckily, the boy leaned right back into her space, apparently not minding the flirting. Evelyn silently applauded her friend.

When Kate turned her back to the boy to walk back to their table, her face quickly lost its casual confidence as she mouthed, 'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," with a terrified face. Evelyn covered her mouth with the back of her hand in hopes to not show how hard she was trying not to laugh.

"Did you see that?" Kate asked once she set their mugs down a little too carelessly and plopped down in her seat, breathing ragged.

Evelyn laughed. "Yes, I did."

"He was totally flirting with me. You better finish that coffee because I will be getting us another round, and I will be getting his number this time."

Evelyn laughed again and nodded. "Will do." She turned to get another look at the boy, silently appraising him. He definitely wasn't ugly; he kind of looked like a golden retriever in a man's body. He was a little too blonde for her personally, but she wasn't the one flirting with him. "He's cute," she finally said and brought her mug up to her lips to take a sip of her latte.

Kate snorted. "Why'd you say it like that? He's gorgeous."

Evelyn shook her head while she swallowed her coffee. "No, he is. He's just not really my type."

Kate rolled her eyes. "It seems like no one's your type after Nick."

Evelyn looked down to her cup of coffee bashfully, tracing the ceramic rim with the tip of her finger. "I'm just not really looking to date right now, is all."

Kate hummed, the noise revealing how much she thought what her friend was saying was bullshit. "Doesn't mean you can't find a guy hot."

Evelyn opened her mouth to say that she very much did find lots of guys hot, but Kate was cutting her off before she could speak.

"Speaking of hot guys, isn't that your guy?" Kate asked, gesturing behind Evelyn to the front door that had just chimed.

Evelyn frowned and turned around, quickly spinning right back to her friend the second she saw a hint of red hair. "Shit, yeah."

Kate continued to stare at him in awe, watching as he ordered. "God, that's freaky."

"Right?" Evelyn asked and turned to sneak another look at the tall boy.

"Okay, you have to admit that he's hot," Kate said.

Evelyn scoffed. "I'm not blind."

Kate smiled widely, making Evelyn weary with how giddy she looked. "Well, go talk to him! It's got to be a sign or something. There's no way that seeing him literally everywhere you go is a coincidence. You've barely lived here for a couple of weeks."