California dreamer

Chapter 10

Elizabeth

I got a message from Hero during my breakfast in the form of crisp bacon and orange juice (no matter how it was trivial) and my watching "Anne with an E".

"Hi! Would you like to go to the brunch today? J"

The smiley - face emoji in the end of the sentence made me smile. I hadn't communicated with boys for ages, that was why I was SO glad to see ordinary things. But let it be. Let's pretend there's nothing special – it's an expected reaction of a girl in love (though I'm not in love to be sincere with myself).

Answering the message I continued my eating but my thoughts were flying over my clothes. I thought about a knitted blue - ski sweater, mint colour puffy jacket and jeans, I put on only golden rings from my jewelry collection as always.

I didn't manage to watch a series of a touching soap-opera, I came in my bedroom and I put on the chosen clothes. It turned out to be ordinary but I liked the way I dressed. Luckily I braided my hair before going to sleep – now it was curly naturally that made my look more beautiful.

I left home earlier the assigned time to walk by foot a little bit and to feel light frost on my cheeks that appeared in the end of November. Today it is sunny and the sky is blue that I like in autumn (and in any season, actually). I like autumn atmosphere of sadness and light melancholy, but sometimes I feel too depressed because of trifles, I am anxious about everything – a sunny day will help relaxing in such moments. Will the sun appear after a thunderstorm, won't it?

The taxi drove me to the centre of the city, I listened carefully to the lyrics of songs – I added new songs to my playlist not long ago. I liked them very much and they made me feel grunge atmosphere of teenage life (though my image resembled soft or dark academic – it depended on the mood). Grunge style was referred mainly to Alaska Young, my favourite novel heroine; I often associated myself with her, because our thoughts coincided. But honestly speaking, I wasn't her. Maybe, I wasn't too cool to have the same status as Alaska had. The main topics of the songs that I had time to listen to were undivided love or breakup, absence of freedom and loneliness.

I thought whether I was so predictable and how it was possible to listen to music of the same content, song by song. I must admit, it was strange but songs of other content didn't touch my soul. I mean, I could, of course, turn on music and dance. But I couldn't do it in the car where I'd like to think over every word and every hint.

When I left the taxi, my face was touched by cool wind, and I realized I did the walking not for nothing. Passing by coffee - houses in narrow streets, parks that looked like masterpieces owing to autumn colors and still working fountains, I paid attention to people. Somebody walked with children in Saturday afternoon, somebody painted a breathtaking views, somebody enjoyed the solitude and drank coffee. Every person had emotions of joy and sadness on the face, that was why it would be interesting to know their history and to talk to them a couple of minutes. Could strangers share their troubles or joy? Or would they take a small talk strangely?

Surely, I wouldn't come to anybody, but sometimes I had such a wish. It would be easier for me to imagine history of those people than to ask them about their real life.

Meeting time had arrived and I went slowly to the coffee - house that Hero had chosen. When I came to the door, he smiled to me and he held the door while I was coming in the cafe. I smelt fresh pastries and coffee.
We chose a table near a window to see the view of the lake (again the lake, it's a coincidence!) and Hero asked what I would like to eat.

"I don't know the menu, but I'd like latte, halva and a chocolate croissant or a small biscuit."

At the moment a waitress gave us the menu, but I was sure it would be difficult to choose something delicious from it – I knew little of coffee drinks and I couldn't select them easily from the menu in English. Fortunately, Hero found the drink that I wanted, while I was thinking the problem of choice over.

"There is a croissant and many biscuits. For example, there is a cake with cinnamon, maple syrup and ginger. What would you choose?" he asked me.

"It's a difficult question! I like biscuits with syrup very much, as well as croissants. I guess, chocolate biscuit and halva would be too much."

"Maple syrup is also sweet, don't you know?"

"I know, but today I order a biscuit with syrup."

Hero laughed and call for a waitress. He ordered politely the dishes that we had selected. I recalled a scene from "After we fell" movie where Robert wrote down Tessa's order and I realized that my accompanist was differed greatly from his character.

When the waitress left us, Hero started informal conversation about my yesterday's evening and weather outside the window. In a little while we got our drinks and pastry, and we ate them greedily, forgetting about our conversation. We couldn't stand such delicious combination of sweets!

When we ate a biscuit, we continued talking and drinking coffee.

"When I lived in the south of Russia, I always bought coffee or cocoa during my autumn and winter walks, though I hadn't done it before. I liked those atmosphere and changes in life that happened at that time: I became older and more responsible, I began noticing the beauty around in larger extent. And when I returned to my native city, I ate latte and halva by accident, and it became my favourite drink together with cocoa," I started talking about my past.

"Not bad. You hadn't been a fan of coffee before that latte, had you?"

"Before I preferred cocoa, though I tasted different kinds of coffee, but they had never impressed me."

"As for me, I had drunk nothing but coffee since I was a teenager. It's my classics."

"Don't you like tasting anything new? Or don't you love them at all?"

"I don't like new receipts, but I prefer the options tested for years."

Our conversation was changed smoothly from one subject to another. But I noticed it was only me who talked about the past and Hero didn't say a word about himself, only about his interests, moreover he spoke about them cursorily. I decided not to frighten myself by suggestions and to ask Hero directly.

"Hero, I'd like to ask a question," I began my speech.

As always, I started worrying when I asked boys about something personal. It looked like I asked: "Would you like to date me?" I was afraid of hearing the answer, but it would be better to know the truth.

"Today I told you several stories of my life, but you speak of nothing personal, only of your interests. Why is it happening?" I tried to find words correctly, but it sounded as if I were a jealous or hysterical girl who asked his buddy a question. Obviously, I would never change the status!

"Do you think I should tell you everything about my childhood straight away, on the second day of our acquaintance?!"

I didn't expect such an answer, but it wasn't necessary to be rude. I kept drinking my coffee silently, and my head was full of thoughts that came one after another. I recalled the moments, when I asked personal questions too much or told strangers about myself. But what should people speak about then? Maybe, I wasn't capable of talking normally and that was why I was so lonely. Probably, my questions made people embarrass? Why did I ask SO many questions? I just wanted to know my opponent, but unfortunately it was too much.

Hero's voice made me return to reality from my thoughts. He was kinder than he was a couple of minutes ago.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, it just happened. I didn't use to speak on personal topics at the beginning of acquaintance. It would be better to know each other in general."

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't ask. My experience of communicating with opposite gender is very poor, that's why I ask too much, I guess," I mumbled to answer him.

"Each relationship has its speed. There are relations when both partners experience passion quickly, they know each other for 110% during a week. There are also relations when partners are learning to communicate with each other slowly in comparison with the previously mentioned. It's normal – each person, couple, friends have their own rhythm, it can differ," Hero said in an insightful manner or as if he were wise with life.

It's true, not only a couple but a man goes his way in his own speed. I realized it during past years, when I tried to stop comparing myself with people around. I'm sure, tonight I would have something to think about.