Sweet Revenge
Chapter Two
Eight Years Earlier
Sarah wasn’t the kind of girl who got ‘crushes’. She had fancied a few guys from afar, day dreaming various scenarios that ranged from sweet and fluffy to x rated porno material, but she had never truly invested herself in anyone else. While one or two had made her blush with their charm and looks on the rare occasion that one of them took a interest, but none had ever truly caught her eye. This guy was different though. As she sat in the campus coffee shop, sipping on her now cold tea, she realised this must be what a crush was. The fact that she blushed whenever he so much as looked in her direction, and her desire to spend all her study time in the place he worked as a barista, all coupled together to give her a good indication that this was what her high school friends had gone through. She had always snapped at them with disdain whenever they talked about their new guy of the week, blabbering on for an insane amount of time about a person they barely knew. At the age of twenty, and in her last year of college, she finally understood and sympathised with how they acted. This guy was on her mind far too often for her to dismiss it as nothing. He had only spoken a few words to her in the three weeks he had worked there, but she had clung on to each and every one of them.
She wasn’t sure if it was the way he would smile at her whenever she ordered her tea that caused this new, exhilarating and completely overwhelming feeling. She wondered if maybe it was the way his brown hair curled slightly at the ends, and perfectly styled with just the right amount of gel to keep it in place. Perhaps it was the way his eyes seemed to light up whenever he saw her. Whatever it was, it had ensnared her in a trap; one that she couldn’t seem to escape from. Before his arrival to the coffee shop she would only stop in for her morning tea before heading to a day of lectures. She avoided the place on weekends, and never went in for a second cup. Now, she was helpless to stay away. It was pathetic and out of character, but she wanted to spend as much time in his vicinity as she possibly could. Instead of seeking sanctuary in her room to study, she studied in the coffee shop. Her studying was taking a steep slide downhill due to her constant distraction, but she couldn’t concentrate any better at home. At least when in the coffee shop she was forced to read the words in front of her to stop her from staring at him. She didn’t even know his name, but it didn’t matter. She was completely and utterly infatuated with him.
She needed to pass the test tomorrow though, which is why her headphones were firmly stuck in her ears, blocking everything out in a last ditch effort to not fail. She had always been a high achiever, and she was determined not to let one silly crush affect her grades. All through high school she had been an ‘A’ grade student with a 4.0 average. Even now she was still top of her class. If she got anything less than an ‘A’ her life would fall apart. Her parents would flip if she was less than a perfect, high achieving student. Both of them were doctors, and had been disappointed when she chose to turn her talents to something other than medicine. Her interest lay in writing. She wanted to be a journalist much to her parents chagrin. They still had hope that she would change her mind, but she knew it would never happen. Blood just wasn’t on her list of favourite things. Her English class was piling a lot of reading material and comparative study essays, not to mention the constant tests one professor took joy in springing on the group with little prior warning. That was why she was still stuck in the café, away from the noise of the house she shared with five others. The background volume coffee shop was less grating on her nerves than the constant thumping music and loud chatter of her fellow housemates. She was able to drown out hustle and bustle in the shop, and focus on the pages of notes in front of her, praying it would be enough for her to pass the test that would count for twenty five per cent of her final grade. She was in panic mode, unable to concentrate on anything but the paper in front of her.
Her studying was interrupted when her abandoned cup was taken away, only to be swiftly replaced by a steaming fresh ‘To Go’ cup. Her head, which was bowed in concentration, snapped up at the movement. She was astonished to see the nameless barista at her table, smiling at her. Her hands automatically flew to pull her headphones out of her ears, her mouth falling open in surprise.
‘I didn’t order another cup’ the words tumbled out of her mouth, her tone unintentionally rude.
‘I know, but it looked like you needed another one.’
His voice was deep, smooth and silky, sending a pleasurable shiver up her spine. The lack of sound came to Sarah’s attention, a quick look around confirming that the place was now empty.
‘Oh God, I didn’t realise what time it was’ she apologised, blushing when a glimpse at her watch informed her it was after the ten pm closing time.
‘It’s alright. I’m not quite finished yet, I still have to count the till so you’re not holding me back.’
‘Thanks’ she muttered shyly, suddenly aware that she was alone in the shop with him.
‘No problem. It’s late, how are you getting home?’ He enquired, concern in his voice.
‘I don’t live very far, I’ll just walk’ she explained while stuffing her notes into her messenger bag.
‘It’s not safe to walk by yourself…if you want I could you home. It’ll only take ten minutes to count the cash and lock up.’
The shy undertone in his confident words was endearing, especially when his flickered to the ground in embarrassment for a split second.
‘That would be nice.’
She didn’t know how her voice wasn’t shaking from nerves like the rest of her body was.
‘Cool. Just give me a few minutes.’
He walked over to the counter, leaving Sarah to finish packing her stuff with shaking hands and a racing heart. She watched him out of the corner if her eye as he opened the till and took all the cash out, his movements unhurried. Her stomach was in knots while he appeared to be calm and collected. She remained sitting while she waiting, pulling her phone out and flicking through her messages as though it would make her appear less awkward. When he finally came back to her, his coat was wrapped around him tightly.
‘Are you ready?’
She couldn’t form a reply in her flustered state; she barely managed to give him a nod. He led the way, holding the door for her and activating the alarm before finally locking the door.
‘Do you live on campus?’
‘No. I live in a house just off campus. It’s quiet close.’
There was a moment of silence as they began their journey. Sarah bit her lip, wishing she could get over her social ineptness and make conversation like a normal person.
‘So, what are you studying?’ he asked, picking up on her unease.
‘I’m majoring in English at the moment, but I’m hoping to do journalism in grad school.’
‘What kind of journalism?’
‘I’m not sure yet. I wouldn’t mind music journalism maybe, or being a columnist. I’m not thinking too far ahead.’
‘Sounds like a wise plan’ he teased playfully, flashing another shy smile at her.
‘Let me guess, you’re one of those annoying well organised people. I bet you have a planner and everything.’
‘ I don’t need a planner. I keep everything up here’ he pointed to his temple.
Sarah laughed in spite of herself. He wasn’t as quiet as she first thought; he kept the conversation going, easing Sarah’s nerves. She couldn’t deny that he was certainly charming; he never let his heart stopping smile leave his face. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as they walked side by side. When they reached her house Sarah could feel disappointment rising from the pit of her stomach. She was finally talking to the guy who had held her attention for the last few weeks, and now she had to say goodbye. She just wished she had the courage to be more forward and ask him out. If he said no, she could just get over her infatuation. Fear of rejection crippled her. She may have been a confident person overall, but she wasn’t immune to the desire for self preservation.
‘Thanks for walking me home.’
‘You’re welcome. Maybe you’ll let me take you out for a drink tomorrow night as a thank you.’
Her heart stopped beating in disbelief. Did he really just ask her out?
‘I…I’d like that.’
‘Meet me at the Coffee Shop at eight?’
‘Sure.’
She didn’t know how she was still able to talk, let alone breath.
‘I’ll see you then’ he flashed a smile before he turned his back and started to trace his footsteps back in the direction they came. She watched him, her mind spinning from the shock and delight, when a thought came to her.
‘Wait’ she called out, forcing h0im to stop and look back ‘You never told me your name.’
‘It’s Michael.’
‘I’m Sarah.’
‘I know.’
Her cheeks blushed as his smirk widened, his eyes taking in her form once more before he walked on.
Sarah wasn’t the kind of girl who got ‘crushes’. She had fancied a few guys from afar, day dreaming various scenarios that ranged from sweet and fluffy to x rated porno material, but she had never truly invested herself in anyone else. While one or two had made her blush with their charm and looks on the rare occasion that one of them took a interest, but none had ever truly caught her eye. This guy was different though. As she sat in the campus coffee shop, sipping on her now cold tea, she realised this must be what a crush was. The fact that she blushed whenever he so much as looked in her direction, and her desire to spend all her study time in the place he worked as a barista, all coupled together to give her a good indication that this was what her high school friends had gone through. She had always snapped at them with disdain whenever they talked about their new guy of the week, blabbering on for an insane amount of time about a person they barely knew. At the age of twenty, and in her last year of college, she finally understood and sympathised with how they acted. This guy was on her mind far too often for her to dismiss it as nothing. He had only spoken a few words to her in the three weeks he had worked there, but she had clung on to each and every one of them.
She wasn’t sure if it was the way he would smile at her whenever she ordered her tea that caused this new, exhilarating and completely overwhelming feeling. She wondered if maybe it was the way his brown hair curled slightly at the ends, and perfectly styled with just the right amount of gel to keep it in place. Perhaps it was the way his eyes seemed to light up whenever he saw her. Whatever it was, it had ensnared her in a trap; one that she couldn’t seem to escape from. Before his arrival to the coffee shop she would only stop in for her morning tea before heading to a day of lectures. She avoided the place on weekends, and never went in for a second cup. Now, she was helpless to stay away. It was pathetic and out of character, but she wanted to spend as much time in his vicinity as she possibly could. Instead of seeking sanctuary in her room to study, she studied in the coffee shop. Her studying was taking a steep slide downhill due to her constant distraction, but she couldn’t concentrate any better at home. At least when in the coffee shop she was forced to read the words in front of her to stop her from staring at him. She didn’t even know his name, but it didn’t matter. She was completely and utterly infatuated with him.
She needed to pass the test tomorrow though, which is why her headphones were firmly stuck in her ears, blocking everything out in a last ditch effort to not fail. She had always been a high achiever, and she was determined not to let one silly crush affect her grades. All through high school she had been an ‘A’ grade student with a 4.0 average. Even now she was still top of her class. If she got anything less than an ‘A’ her life would fall apart. Her parents would flip if she was less than a perfect, high achieving student. Both of them were doctors, and had been disappointed when she chose to turn her talents to something other than medicine. Her interest lay in writing. She wanted to be a journalist much to her parents chagrin. They still had hope that she would change her mind, but she knew it would never happen. Blood just wasn’t on her list of favourite things. Her English class was piling a lot of reading material and comparative study essays, not to mention the constant tests one professor took joy in springing on the group with little prior warning. That was why she was still stuck in the café, away from the noise of the house she shared with five others. The background volume coffee shop was less grating on her nerves than the constant thumping music and loud chatter of her fellow housemates. She was able to drown out hustle and bustle in the shop, and focus on the pages of notes in front of her, praying it would be enough for her to pass the test that would count for twenty five per cent of her final grade. She was in panic mode, unable to concentrate on anything but the paper in front of her.
Her studying was interrupted when her abandoned cup was taken away, only to be swiftly replaced by a steaming fresh ‘To Go’ cup. Her head, which was bowed in concentration, snapped up at the movement. She was astonished to see the nameless barista at her table, smiling at her. Her hands automatically flew to pull her headphones out of her ears, her mouth falling open in surprise.
‘I didn’t order another cup’ the words tumbled out of her mouth, her tone unintentionally rude.
‘I know, but it looked like you needed another one.’
His voice was deep, smooth and silky, sending a pleasurable shiver up her spine. The lack of sound came to Sarah’s attention, a quick look around confirming that the place was now empty.
‘Oh God, I didn’t realise what time it was’ she apologised, blushing when a glimpse at her watch informed her it was after the ten pm closing time.
‘It’s alright. I’m not quite finished yet, I still have to count the till so you’re not holding me back.’
‘Thanks’ she muttered shyly, suddenly aware that she was alone in the shop with him.
‘No problem. It’s late, how are you getting home?’ He enquired, concern in his voice.
‘I don’t live very far, I’ll just walk’ she explained while stuffing her notes into her messenger bag.
‘It’s not safe to walk by yourself…if you want I could you home. It’ll only take ten minutes to count the cash and lock up.’
The shy undertone in his confident words was endearing, especially when his flickered to the ground in embarrassment for a split second.
‘That would be nice.’
She didn’t know how her voice wasn’t shaking from nerves like the rest of her body was.
‘Cool. Just give me a few minutes.’
He walked over to the counter, leaving Sarah to finish packing her stuff with shaking hands and a racing heart. She watched him out of the corner if her eye as he opened the till and took all the cash out, his movements unhurried. Her stomach was in knots while he appeared to be calm and collected. She remained sitting while she waiting, pulling her phone out and flicking through her messages as though it would make her appear less awkward. When he finally came back to her, his coat was wrapped around him tightly.
‘Are you ready?’
She couldn’t form a reply in her flustered state; she barely managed to give him a nod. He led the way, holding the door for her and activating the alarm before finally locking the door.
‘Do you live on campus?’
‘No. I live in a house just off campus. It’s quiet close.’
There was a moment of silence as they began their journey. Sarah bit her lip, wishing she could get over her social ineptness and make conversation like a normal person.
‘So, what are you studying?’ he asked, picking up on her unease.
‘I’m majoring in English at the moment, but I’m hoping to do journalism in grad school.’
‘What kind of journalism?’
‘I’m not sure yet. I wouldn’t mind music journalism maybe, or being a columnist. I’m not thinking too far ahead.’
‘Sounds like a wise plan’ he teased playfully, flashing another shy smile at her.
‘Let me guess, you’re one of those annoying well organised people. I bet you have a planner and everything.’
‘ I don’t need a planner. I keep everything up here’ he pointed to his temple.
Sarah laughed in spite of herself. He wasn’t as quiet as she first thought; he kept the conversation going, easing Sarah’s nerves. She couldn’t deny that he was certainly charming; he never let his heart stopping smile leave his face. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as they walked side by side. When they reached her house Sarah could feel disappointment rising from the pit of her stomach. She was finally talking to the guy who had held her attention for the last few weeks, and now she had to say goodbye. She just wished she had the courage to be more forward and ask him out. If he said no, she could just get over her infatuation. Fear of rejection crippled her. She may have been a confident person overall, but she wasn’t immune to the desire for self preservation.
‘Thanks for walking me home.’
‘You’re welcome. Maybe you’ll let me take you out for a drink tomorrow night as a thank you.’
Her heart stopped beating in disbelief. Did he really just ask her out?
‘I…I’d like that.’
‘Meet me at the Coffee Shop at eight?’
‘Sure.’
She didn’t know how she was still able to talk, let alone breath.
‘I’ll see you then’ he flashed a smile before he turned his back and started to trace his footsteps back in the direction they came. She watched him, her mind spinning from the shock and delight, when a thought came to her.
‘Wait’ she called out, forcing h0im to stop and look back ‘You never told me your name.’
‘It’s Michael.’
‘I’m Sarah.’
‘I know.’
Her cheeks blushed as his smirk widened, his eyes taking in her form once more before he walked on.
Notes
Hey Guys,
Here's the long overdue update. Please let know your thoughts, comments make my day!
Lyra
I always fall inlove with thr storys that havent been updated in years :(
11/23/18