Delayed | b.w.s

1

27/08/15

13:27

My eyes scan the screen, my neck clicking as I look up at the awkwardly placed bunch of pixels and try to make sense of some of them. Eventually, I find my destination on the long list of names and carefully move my eyes to the right to see the time the train will arrive. The words projected in a bright yellow horror make me groan as I haul my backpack up on my shoulder for the fifth time since my arrival at the station.

"A three hour delay?" I complain to no one but myself as I make my way to the small coffee shop located to my right.

I can't afford to buy another ticket with my financial situation and I already reserved a seat. If I'm going to be waiting three hours, there's no way I'm waiting out here in all the busy commotion of the station. I stand patiently in the queue of the coffee shop , before giving the kind red headed girl my order and pushing my wild hair out of my face. After waiting the pain stakingly slow waiting time, I take my drink and sit down in one of the few seats available. Groaning all the while, I take my backpack off of my shoulders and place it on the ground, immediately getting out the small brown book and the pen that I keep on hand wherever I go, otherwise I fear I would go insane. Just as I'm about to open up the small book, someone interrupts me and almost catches my attention.

"Uh, excuse me, do you mind if I take this chair?" A young man with an accent that I'm used to hearing by now asks me, resting his hand on the back of the empty chair in front of me.

"Go ahead." I smile politely, not looking properly at him before he takes the chair and leaves.

I take a sip from my coffee but instantly decide it's too hot, before placing it to the side and opening up my book. I open it up to a blank page and rest my chin on my hand as I stare around the establishment with curious brown eyes. Hm...what will it be today? My eyes decide to focus on a wall decorated with art framed in pristine white picture frames. One is slightly tilted to the left and a man seems to be attempting to fix it. My pen begins to move on the paper without me asking it to, a majority of scribbles and lines that somehow form together in my mind. I attempt to catch the movement in the scene in front of me, not wanting to miss a single detail.

13:46

After attempting to draw almost everything in the coffee shop, I give up and decide to get another coffee to keep me going. Time has been moving incredibly slowly and I don't know if I will be able to cope three hours without going insane. I huff and stand up from my table, leaving my backpack on my chair but instinctively taking my little book with me and clutching it close to my chest.

I order the same drink again and wait for it be made, my mind wandering off to think about all sorts of things. The dreaded three hour delay, how I have no source of entertainment, how I can't wait to get to London and see everything, let alone my best friend.

"Madison!" A brown haired boy in a black apron calls out my name and hands me the warm cup of coffee.

"Thank you." I smile politely and turn around to go back to my seat.

Just as I do, my path is blocked by a body and my entire cup ends up smashing into the persons chest and onto their blue jumper, then splashing onto my small brown book which is still being clutched in my left hand.

"Oh my god!" I squeal slightly at the shock and step back instantly. "I'm so sorry." I instantly apologise and reach over to grab some napkins, placing my book on the counter as I do. I attempt to wipe some of the hot liquid off of his jumper to no avail.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking properly." The familiar voice from about twenty minutes ago apologises to me.

I look up to see brown hair slicked back and tightened in a small bun on the top of his head, sunglasses resting on top of his head and brown eyes that seem a much nicer brown than mine. He flashes a remorseful smile at me and I notice a small dimple curve in his cheek.

The stranger reaches and grabs some napkins himself, attempting to dry off his jumper before turning to the counter and picking up my book with his ring clad hands. My heart thuds slightly at the sight of it in someone else's hands.

"It's really okay." I say whilst subtly attempting to get back my sketchbook, but he is already attempting to dry it off with some napkins.

His hands open up the front cover and attempt to dry off the insides, his eyes flickering from page to page and my insides fluttering with nerves at someone other than me looking at the mess of scribbles I call art.

"Hey, these are really good." His voice, that I notice now is really quite nice, compliments the drawings as he flicks through without permission.

"Thanks." I mutter, a little embarrassed that he's looking at them. "They're just scribbles but...thanks." I respond, scratching the back of my head.

"This is art, not scribbles." He dismisses me and closes the book, handing it back to me. "What did you order?" He asks me.

"Uh...a latte..." I respond with confusion.

Just then, the stranger turns to the counter, orders my previous drink and pays, before I can protest.

"You don't have to do that, really it's not a problem." I try to argue.

"It's already done." He smiles at me with straight white teeth and dimples.

"Thanks..." I mutter. I'm taken back by his kindness which is really quite rare to find nowadays, especially in a city like Birmingham.

"So do you draw a lot?" The stranger asks me as we wait for my drink to be made.

"Only when I have nothing to do." I smile back politely as my eyes drift down to the cup between his tanned hands and back up again. "Do you bump into strangers a lot?" I joke.

"You'd actually be surprised how much this has happened to me." He laughs a warm laugh with his eyes a little crinkled.

"You must have a long line of coffee stained clothes." I crack a small smile and stare curiously at him.

He seems kind. In the three years I've been living in Birmingham, I have never met someone genuinely kind and that leads me to be suspicious about him. I will admit, I am quite paranoid when it comes to meeting new people, because I know what people are capable of and I'm not about to get myself hurt.

"Where are you headed?" He asks me under the dim lighting.

"London." I sigh. "But my trains been delayed for about a lifetime."

"So am I." He responds brightly. "I got here early as well." He huffs.

"Shit, that sucks."

"Brad!" The teen behind the counter shouts out, making me jump slightly.

"That's me." The man in front of me, who I now know is named Brad, says, whilst taking the cup from the teen with a kind thank you. "Here you go." He hands it to me.

"Thank you." I smile gratefully at him as my hand takes the cup, my dark ebony skin contrasting against his tanned, but still pale hands. "You know I can pay you back if you want." I try to get out of the guilt of this stranger buying me a drink.

"Seriously, it's fine." Brad dismisses me and we both begin walking back to the table I was previously sat at.

Once we reach the table, I place the cup on the surface of it and look up to the brown haired boy who is lingering around. I raise my eyebrow at him with a questioning look at his strange behaviour.

"Do you mind if I join you? I mean, I could do with the company and we both have a three hour wait in store for us..." He suggests with a cheeky smile that makes me tilt my head at him curiously.

"What's in it for me?" I ask him with a hint of a smile on my rouged lips.

"Well, you get to pay off that debt that you owe me for the latte." He bites his lip playfully.

"I thought it was 'fine'?" I respond, biting my cheek so that I don't grin too much.

"Hmm...I changed my mind." He pretends to think about it before cheekily grinning at me once more.

I lean against the top of the chair and roll my eyes playfully.

"Well I guess I have no choice then." I sit down in my seat. "Grab a seat."

• • •

Hey this is another short story kind of thing, there's gonna be about 10-15 chapters so enjoy!