Changing paths

Empty coffee cups

                                                                                  Ashley's POV                                                          
 
                                                                                     Flashback

     I was making my way through the crowded bar to meet my friends who were just coming through the door when I felt my shoulder collide with something. For anyone else they would have simply carried on walking and might I add carried on walking upright. For someone like me it meant losing my balance and landing awkwardly onto the floor. I had felt a hand try to make a grab for my wrist before I fell but unfortunately they were too late.  Fortunately most people were too drunk to either notice or were falling down themselves to notice me on the floor. I groaned knowing I would find many bruises the next day from the fall I had taken. I looked up to see what I had collided with. I soon realised I should have been asking myself 'who' I had collided with as I noticed the same hands that had tried to catch me reaching down. I didn't hesitate to grab the hands to pull myself up off of the floor. 

   "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise my shoulder was so hard" I heard the girl who the hands belonged to chuckle.

   I looked up to see who I had collided with. The first thing I had noticed was her eyes, they were a startling shade of green that caught the flashing lights in the bar. She was a similar height to me at 5'7'', perhaps a little taller. She had dark brunette hair that could be mistaken for black if the lights hadn't flashed on it. My eyes lingered probably a little too long upon this girl before I had realised I was still holding her hand. I quickly pulled my hand away from hers flexing my fingers not realising until then how tight she had been holding onto mine. I soon remembered that I had been on my way to greet my friends so I quickly mumbled something inaudible and turned around in the opposite direction without looking back.

                                                                             Present day

      I stare blankly into my now empty coffee cup thinking about how life can sometimes seem like a clichéd story. You know the kind you'd read on a fan site or on Wattpad. Not that I was opposed to clichés, clichés can be good. That type of clichéd story that finds you bumping into stranger and every time you think about them your heart skips a beat. But which ends up with you running in the complete opposite direction to them without even getting their name or number. Yeah my life has become a fictional story on a website and I find that extremely depressing. I continue looking into the empty cup unaware that someone has approached me.

   "Would you like another one?" the waitress asks beside me. Startled by the sudden presence I just stare at her like a mute. "Just that I've seen you here for about an hour just staring into an empty cup" she blushes.

   "An hour?" I question glancing at my watch. Had I just spent an hour staring into a cup?

   "Yeah. Something on your mind?" she asks.

   "Life and stuff" I mumble.

   "Well if you need someone to talk to about...life and stuff, I finish in ten minutes" the waitress smiles shyly.

     If I didn't know any better I would say she was flirting with me. Her shy awkwardness makes me smile back. "Trust me, my 'life and stuff' will send you to sleep, it's all very boring. No adventures here I'm afraid" I continue smiling.

   "I like boring...I mean um of course I'm not saying you're boring, I mean I'm not saying I like boring" she throws up her hands to her mouth in embarrassment, she was blushing all sorts of red. I tried to stop laughing at this girl, she was every bit as awkward as me, even more so if that was even possible. 

   I hold up my hands in mock defeat. "It's true anyway I am boring. Sue me. And if you like boring then feel free to get me that coffee."

   "Um sure I'll go clock out and be right back" she grins and blushes again before she hesitantly turns around.

    I sit there waiting for the blushing waitress to return looking back at my cup wondering how I had possibly spent an hour just sat here. I look up to see the girl had changed out of her work clothes into some skinny jeans and a band t-shirt, she places a new cup of coffee next to my hand. I look up into her glistening hazel eyes, her blonde hair was still up in a ponytail from her shift. 

   "So about that boring life of yours?" she smiles as I take a sip of coffee.

    "Before I launch into my boringness can I just add that this is good coffee, did you make it?" She nods. "How did you know how much milk and sugar I take?" I ask sure that another lady had taken my order earlier.

    "I've taken your order for the last 2 months" she hesitantly replies.

    "So that's how you know...you've been stalking me?" I chuckle. Her face looks mortified despite my attempt at humour.

    "No its not like that" she looks away in embarrassment. In fact I should probably be the one embarrassed by not realising that she had been serving me for 2 months.

     "I was joking. Sorry my humour isn't great, I told you I was boring even when I try to be funny" I laugh. "By the way what's your name?" I ask.

    "Its Charlotte" she looks back up into my eyes. "And yours?"

    "Ashley" I smile.