Post by B l a n k on Apr 10, 2016 2:40:18 GMT -5
Open.
Shut.
Open.
Shut.
Open.
Shut.Open.Shut.Open.Shut.Open.Shut. Tara finally jams her DS back into her Cheshire Cat messenger bag then slides it further onto the table. It was an open space, a small cafe surrounded by tables that were missing umbrellas to block off the sun. So far none of the servers had bothered with her, not that she cared. Her pinky nail lifts itself to be gnawed off by nervous teeth. This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. They had spoken on Twitch many times during her streams. Through messages on Twitter. That was where she was comfortable. Hidden in a dark room with the glow of a monitor and people being usernames on a screen.
Ms. Brown’s voice echoed : This will be good for you, Tara. You need to place yourself in social situations that won’t always make you feel comfortable. It’s a learning experience, because sometimes people just want to be your friend.
Nobody wanted to be her friend… not really. Online people who were too far away, sure. Wrestlers who would backstab her given a title shot, sure. Those weren’t really… friends. Tara wasn’t even sure what that meant anymore. People were selfish. They only did things that benefited themselves. So what was his gain from all this? Tara ducs her head down moving to gnaw on her thumb nail. She didn’t want to be here, but she didn’t want to move either. It would draw attention if she moved…
In either case, it was too late to change her mind. A man with soft brown hair and light blue eyes, wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of black Converse sneakers, approaches the table where she’s seated. He noticed her slight discomfort and the lack of umbrellas. Service is also lacking, not attending to her. A slight frown, he makes his way over towards her and smiles. “Bonjour mademoiselle, my name is Quentin and I will be your waiter for today.” That French charm. He offers in kind. He doesn’t want to make her uncomfortable, allowing her the time she needs.
Tara’s eyes dart from the intricate designs on the bag on the table then straight across the chest of Quentin. Her hands roll themselves up into the sleeves of her red Marvel themed sweater and position between her knees. In effort to not be completely rude, Tara glances just to the left of his face catching slight glimpses of it, and to create the illusion of looking at him directly. “H-hi…” She mumbles. He was being silly so her lips curled up in a timid smile.
Quentin smiles in return. He understands her timid nature. He was once a social worker, specifically for the group of older teenagers. Now as a French and Italian teacher for high school students, he’s experienced this before. Thank god for spring break, though it would come to an end in due time. But until then, he’s keeping Tara company and still giving her space. He glances around, but doesn’t find a single umbrella in sight. “Maybe this coffee shop wasn’t the best choice in Indianapolis. Stupid Yelp.” He chuckles and takes a seat across from her. He keeps his hands folded on his lap as a sign of respect. “Do you want me to get you anything to drink?”
She snorts at his complaint to disagree then gently nodded at his question. Thoughts, they had answered him quite clearly and with a smile. Sadly, her voice disappears down the Rabbit Hole with her bag. Tara keeps her eyes firmly on his shoulder area, watching how the fabric creased with each movement. One small part of his sleeve slightly curled at the hem making her want to reach out to fix it. Instead, she pinches at her jeans and sits straighter. He is relaxed. Why shouldn’t she be? Sppeeeaaak, Tara. The brunette inwardly demands. “T….tea.” Deep breath. “I… I like tea….Coffee makes me… jittery.”
His smile widens just a little. A complete, thought out sentence. They’re making progress already. “Tea is wonderful. I’ll be right back, signora.” And now the Italian charm. He rises from the chair momentarily, taking a step towards the entrance of the coffee shop. He glances back at Tara and nods before he steps inside. Through the glass he’s seen talking to one of the servers inaudibly to her, then there’s a brief look in her direction and a soft smile on his face. The server is surprised and becomes apologetic in his body language before he regards one of the baristas. Another server comes along to help him gather the patio umbrellas and make their way outside to set them up for each table. Quentin decides to take one of the umbrellas and makes his way over to his and Tara’s table. He glances at her bag and smiles. “Would it be alright to move the Chesire Cat for some shade?”
“Mhm…” She answers watching the servers set up the umbrellas. Most of the other people seem grateful, with huge smiles and friendly tones. Tara’s hand coils around the strap of her bag to tug into into her lap. Why did you bother them? She wants to ask out of fear that they might be upset for having to do more work. Never made sense but some workers were just lazy. No one looked angry. A steady click made her glance back to watch Quentin set the umbrella up. His sleeve was still messed up. With his head down she can finally observe him. How the shades move along his face. Tara’s breath hitches because when he glances up their eyes met. She averts her gaze down to the bag in her lap. Something about his bright eyes makes her stomach float.
That moment of eye contact, brief as it may have been, brings a gentle smile to his face. He focuses once more on properly setting the umbrella for their table, and once it’s set, he takes his seat and folds his hands on the table in front of him. “It’s alright. Take your time.” He’s not one to pressure anyone. He’s a man of progress, but he’s also quite considerate. He’s already set his phone on vibrate so it wouldn’t be too disruptive. After the employees have set up the patio umbrellas, they return inside the coffee shop and one of the servers apologizes to his customers, especially Quentin and Tara. Quentin offers a smile and a nod, watching him step back inside. He turns his attention back to her and offers a warmer smile. “We should be seeing April showers soon.”
Tara glances upwards to the sky, “I’ve always liked the rain.” Her voice is quiet but it’s clear. She nervously winds one hand in the strap because the words popped out of nowhere. Someone else took control of her body. Tara’s fingers comb through brunette to draw it back before letting it drape back like a curtain hiding part of her face. She didn’t want him to stop speaking. Ms. Brown’s advice resurfaces in her mind, ‘Just let your thoughts free themselves. Act like you’re alone. If it helps, you may close your eyes.’ With both eyes closing, a silent inhale, “Have you ever been caught in the rain? Always feels nice… April always has cool rain… Best time to be outside…” Because no one else is around, Tara adds inwardly.
The warmth of his smile grows, simply listening to her speak openly and peacefully. He notices her eyes are closed, and though he’d want to look into her eyes when talking, he understands it takes time. Going with patience, he nods and speaks up, also communicating with his hands. It was the Italian side of him. “April is my favorite month of the year. The coolness of the rain, the liveliness of spring… It’s the best time to be in Italy.” He motions his fingers to “rain” down on the table and chuckles softly. A glance back, he perks up as their server returns with their hot drinks.
A relaxing cup of lotus vanilla pear tea for him. A perfect cup of peppermint herbal tea for her. They were served in artful tea cups, warm and cool colors blended together in lovely designs. The server offers a complimentary tin full of small tea cookies for them to enjoy. Quentin smiles and thanks him, the server nods and leaves, then he turns back to Tara and gathers his cup in his right hand. “Enjoy, ma cher.”
Unwinds her hand from the strap to reach out and grasp the warm surface of the cup. She lifts it to examine the checkered, multi-colored pattern. Small specks litter the sides. Tara brings the rim of the cup to her lips to inhale the steam, checking the temperature before setting it back down. A little too hot just yet. Tara nearly forgets Quentin across the table with how she casually plucks a heart shaped cookie up. A faint giggle leaves her lips because scrawled in blue frosting is ‘E A T M E’. Her eyes dart up in realization that she isn’t alone before quietly biting the sweet snack. Tara slightly sinks in the chair.
There’s a temptation to chuckle softly, but Quentin holds his tongue. He doesn’t want to bring her discomfort, he wants to encourage her free will and self-expression. Instead, he offers a warm smile and he takes in the scent of the lotus vanilla pear. All natural ingredients for a perfect gourmet white tea. He reaches over to the tin box of cookies and retrieves a star-shaped one with pink frosting. Lightly he dips the star cookie into his tea, just enough to generously absorb the elements of the hot liquid, and he enjoys a bite. “Mm.” He nods approvingly and enjoys the rest of the cookie. “I’ll make sure to buy something for Remi on the way back to the hotel.” He changes the subject to help put her at ease. “Spring break is almost over, but I’ll definitely see you again.” Carefully he raises his cup of tea towards her, offering a small toast for their first meeting.
Tara finishes off the cookie with her mind almost floating away from her body. It drifts upwards watching the two: a handsome man with an awkward odd ball. He continues to speak drawing shy smiles from the girl. When her mouth opens it is in short bursts but they seem happy…
For the first time, in a long time, which feels brand new, Tara is comfortable and happy..