Coffee Shop ✓

First Date ✓

C H A P T E R . S I X

Thursday and Friday passed by like a blur. All Thomas could think of was his first date with Cara, even when they talked in the coffee shop during the last two days. So today, on the day of their first date, Thomas spends the whole day painting and drawing random things so that time would pass by more quickly. Feeling motivated, he has managed to paint a representation of a coffee shop setting with Picasso's technique of crystal cubism. He feels delighted and believes he can sell the painting for a good price.

The single painting almost took him the whole day to finish, which Thomas is thankful for since by the time he has cleaned up, he receives a text from Cara. "Meet me at The Attic in ten?"

'Alright. See you then x' Thomas replies.

Hastily, Thomas pulls on a black knit sweater over his navy blue long-sleeves. He grabs his backpack and slings it over his shoulder before heading towards the door. He doesn't leave through the front door without fixing his hair first by the mirror beside it, and he takes about a minute to do so, trying to figure out what looks best. In the end, he decides with keeping it the way it was awhile ago: a little bit messy but presentable enough.

The walk from his flat to The Attic doesn't even take five minutes and yet Thomas decides to run, even with eight more minutes to kill. He's just that excited.

Upon entering the coffee shop, Thomas immediately spots Levi leaning on the counter, having a chat with Josefine. Thomas fights off a grin as he notices the tinge of pink on Josefine's cheeks and the wide smile she has on her lips. Josefine's eyes fall on Thomas and he gives her a discreet wink and a teasing glance towards Levi.

Her distracted eyes make Levi turn around to see where her gaze has fallen and before he could look at Thomas, Thomas has already jogged towards him and patted him on the back. "Hey, mate, how are you two? Doing great? Cara and I are going on a date tonight, maybe you'd like to make it a double date?" Thomas offers teasingly.

"Ah, so you've taken the advice of yer guru, aye?" Levi says, completely ignoring the offer. "Picnic on the roof while watching the sunset?" Levi shakes his head. "Told ye I was great at this- I suggested it tae him last week." He boasts to Josefine, patting his chest as if congratulating himself.

"Actually," Thomas begins, "more like a picnic in the park to watch the sunset peeking through the trees."

Josefine puts her hands over her chest, "Oh, that's so romantic!"

Levi stands up straighter after hearing her comment and he whispers to Thomas, "were ye serious aboot that offer fae a double date?"

Thomas chuckles. "Sorry, mate. I'm all up for a double date with you two, but maybe not on the first date." He apologizes, giving him another pat on the back before slinging an arm around him. Then Thomas whispers, "But I suggest you ask her out on your first date soon. Picnic on the roof, maybe? What's Josefine like?"

In the middle of their chat, Josefine went back to work as the cashier.

"She likes taking hikes an picnics on cliffs. My worst fear, mate: heights!" Levi harshly whispers back. "What am I supposed to do aboot that? Come tae think of it, I would endure hours of fear just tae be with her, but I dinnae want her to think I'm such a wuss!"

"Does she know your fear of heights? You gotta tell her. And, surely she's got other things she likes that won't make you piss your pants?"

Levi sighs. "I dunno, Tommy. I feel like I'm experiencing what you did when ye first started crushing on Cara. Ah can't stop thinking of Josefine an ah always feel nervous when I'm aboot tae talk to her! I mean, I'm doing a lot better than ye since I can actually talk to Josefine an you were always too shy to talk to Cara—speakin' of, there she is!" Levi lightly shoves Thomas back, taking Thomas by surprise. "Enjoy yer date!"

"Hey!" Thomas spins around to face Cara, whose ginger hair is straightened and nearly reaches her waist. She's got her usual wide dimpled smile that reaches her eyes, and her hazel eyes are sparkling. Thomas feels himself smiling as well. "We've still got time, let's go get some food." She reaches over and takes his hand, pulling him with her outside the coffee shop. Thomas gives a quick wave towards Levi, who waves back so widely that he captures the attention of some customers. Thomas chuckles to himself.

"What food would you like, Ms. Cara?" Thomas asks, walking in pace with Cara along Parkview Boulevard.

Cara hums in thought. "Burgers? Oh, I think there's this bakery just down there that sells S'mores Cookies!" She suggests, pointing ahead of them. Thomas nods his head. "And they've also got Strawberry Hand Pies!"

"Ooh, I'm not a huge fan of strawberries." Thomas says with a sheepish look on his face.

Cara stares at him in shock. "But have you tried them?"

"'Course I have," Thomas says with a shrug, "it just doesn't taste good to me. But we can still buy them, if you'd like. I wouldn't mind trying again. Maybe that bakery will make me love strawberries."

Cara laughs, throwing her head back. They spend the rest of their walk to the park sharing jokes and laughing with each other. In the end they've bought burgers, s'mores cookies, strawberry hand pies, and fruit tarts for their picnic. They had to rush when buying the burgers since the sun is about to set, but they make it to a good spot in the thicket of trees where the sun is peeking through the spaces between the tall and thin branches.

When Thomas sits down, he can barely remove his eyes from the beauty of the sun rays. He doesn't even reach out to take a bite of food yet since he's too mesmerized. He tries to take in every detail he can keep in his memory; the shadows, the rays of light, the color of the grass and the bird and butterflies flying up in the breezy air. Thomas turns his head to look at Cara who is sitting to his right and as he is about to tell her just how beautiful the view is, he stops when he notices how beautiful Cara is in this light. The sun is illuminating her skin so perfectly and her ginger hair looks so vibrant and the sight of her is just so captivating. Thomas almost forgets how to breathe, forgets what air is because she has just taken his breath away.

"You are so beautiful." He didn't mean to say it out loud but Thomas did, and now he can feel the warmth in his cheeks. Cara doesn't react right away, having not realized that he said 'you are' and not 'it is'.

When Cara finally realizes what he has said, she faces him and for a while they forget about the sunset, the trees, the grass, and the breeze. They both aren't sure whether they're falling in love, it has only been two weeks, after all. They do know that they feel something for the other and that just makes this moment more special. This is the moment they knew that there could be something more between them in the future. And with that they smile, then Cara leans her head on Thomas's shoulder and they watch the orange sun fall deeper into the horizon.

The food was long forgotten so they carry it with them back to the park before it gets too dark and they eat, sitting across from each other. They eat while they share more laughs and more stories about the life they had before crossing paths. Then they lie down on the damp grass, side by side, arms nearly touching, and they look up to watch the stars. They point out constellations and form new ones that they give goofy names to though it is quite hard to see the stars due to the hundred bright lights from the city and the fog of the chilly night sky.

Thomas wishes he could paint this moment and stay in it forever.

=

qotd: do you like strawberries?

andie's answer: yes!!