One Shot Requests. [CLOSED]

[AustinCarlile] Maybe It's Fate - v4seline

Austin Carlile.

His name, it’s etched in my mind.

I only met him once, by surprise.

It wasn’t somewhere that I expected him to be.

Actually, it was the last place I expected him to walk into.

Never did I think that I would be able to meet him, not that he’s the biggest deal, just a deal, you know, someone important.

Before this, I don’t know, I wasn’t really expecting to have someone on my mind all the time. Love is abstract, and I wasn’t really ready to put my own definition to it.

It’s a funny thing really, how people try to put a definition to the word. There’s no, love is not the same for everyone; it can’t be, because if it was, then it wouldn’t be so sought after.

Granted, if people thought with their hearts and not their minds, maybe the world would be a better place. Take out all the people who ignore their hearts, and there would be no wars.

Anyway, back to Austin, I didn’t really expect to meet him. I never really thought about the possibilities of meeting him.

They were always slim to none. Besides watching him on stage, I didn’t really care enough to try to get VIP tickets, and I wasn’t going to wait hours after a show just to stand next to him and get a picture.

I don’t have a story like his fans. I mean, I have a story, everyone has a story. But, being the clumsy girl in high school who went on and on about world peace, well, I was fairly well liked,

Plus, there’s no reason to take time away from the other people who want to meet him. They have the right to take all the time they need, but I, I don’t know, I don’t want to cut into their time, it wouldn’t feel right.

I keep getting sidetracked. This is a problem.

Okay, Austin, he walked into the store that I work in, trying to get as much money as I can to pay off my student loans.

It was a shock, I don’t really, I don’t want to stereotype, but there are certain types of people who shop around in this store.

Normally, guys covered in tattoos, guys in bands, they don’t really come in here, unless they're in an indie band, then they come in here a lot.

It’s almost, it’s not, I wouldn’t label it as a Gandhi-like store, but everything in here has to do with peacefulness and tranquility.

He was alone, dressed in a Slipknot tank top and faded jeans, just sauntering around, not really looking at one thing for too long, until he made eye contact with me.

His eyes stayed on mine longer than they had stayed on anything else in the store, and I ran a hand through my long, brown hair.

From then on, well, I guess it was history. Because, I haven’t seen him again. He said he would come back, but he hasn’t, and I guess I shouldn’t have waited for him to.

There’s nothing bringing him back here, besides the venue down the street, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to walk down the street and come into the store.

He has other things going on and I should just come to terms with the fact that I met Austin Carlile, and like everyone else, that’s all I’ll ever do – is meet him, nothing else.

&/

“Charley, can you close the shop later? Michael got sick and I have to go pick him up from school.” I nod my head, looking up to see a flustered Janet.

Smiling, I comb my fingers through my hair, looking up at her from my petite stature. “Of course I can, Janet. I can open up tomorrow, too, if you need.”

I've worked for Janet since I started living here, when I started college; now it is five years later, and I love it here, I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.

Lifting her shoulders, she lets them drop back down. “I’ll let you know later tonight. Thank you so much, Charley.”

“Any time, Janet,” I say as she walks out of the store, closing the door behind her quickly, the soft clicking ringing through the silent shop.

Sitting down on the stool behind the counter, I rest my elbows on the countertop, bored. It’s usually never this slow for long, but doing nothing for any amount of time is tiring.

It isn’t long before the bell of the door, the quiet squeaking of the door, tears me away from my thoughts. “Welcome to Janet’s Journey.”

“Thanks, Charley.” That voice, I know that voice, it’s his voice, the voice that I've been waiting, praying, to hear in this store for the past few months.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I tilt my head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “Mr. Carlile, who or what do I need to thank for you being here?”

Smiling, he walks over to the counter, resting his hands on the edge of it, leaning forward. “I think you should thank fate.”

“And why should I thank fate?”

“Because I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“That’s because of fate?”

“Well, yeah, think about it. Me coming into the place that you work, again; that’s fate really when you think about it.”

Knitting my eyebrows together, I smile, remembering how smooth he thinks he is. “You know where I work. That doesn’t count.”

Biting down on his lower lip, he shrugs his shoulders. “What would you call it?”

“Stalking.” I laugh, watching as a blush warms his cheeks, painting them red. “I'm kidding, Austin. It’s good to see you again.”

Running a hand through his hair, he nods his head, looking down quickly before reconnecting his gaze with mine. “Do you want to go on a date, with me?”

I don’t know why he waited so long to come back. I don’t know how long he’ll wait to come back after our date.

But, I'm okay with taking a risk, because maybe, like Austin said, it is fate.