His Pretty Storyteller
Colors Colliding
Gerard's POV
I've always admired this bookstore down my street. Literally the two best things in the world could be found there. Coffee and books. Like, damn. Who doesn't enjoy reading a good book while sipping coffee, right?
As I entered the establishment for my never ending kicks for caffeine, my eyes darted to my favorite spot which was now occupied. This irritated me because that spot was mine. It was where I always sat and everyone knew it, even the staff. One of the cashiers greeted me as I made my way inside the shop.
"Good morning, Gerard! The usual?" She said as she flicked her hair and flashed her dazzling fake white smile.
Don't get me wrong, she was a beauty and she always flirted with me, but I didn't really like her. Too bad, she wasn't my type.
"Well yeah. And I also want a slice of cheesecake please," I said casually.
I walked towards my favorite spot, not removing my eyes from the man seated there. His back was turned towards my direction, possibly so he wouldn't be distracted by any newcomer. As I got closer, I noticed tattoos on his nape. My brows raised instantly. "Wow, you're stereotyping now, G. Is it really surprising to see a tattooed man reading a book?" I mumbled to myself. Aside from that, all I noticed was that this man was probably still young, and was a typical teenager due to his outfit. Black everything with converse. Wow dude, much emo. Or goth? I didn't care. All I knew was that he should get his little emo ass off of my seat.
I walked in front of him, about to talk, when I noticed that he looked so engrossed with the book he was reading. He didn't even notice me until I cleared my throat.
There was a pause. He was suddenly frozen as if he was contemplating what to do. Really dude, I'm here. Look at me.
After what seemed to be an eternity, he looked up and talked.
"Excuse me?" The man said. He stared at me shyly. I immediately fought the urge to smile because he looked stunned. What's with strangers looking at me like I'm an alien from a glittery planet? Must be my red hair. Probably my red hair. I'm the motherfucking red-haired alien, now too hesitant to talk because this little emo guy with his eyeliner was staring.
"Uhm, didn't your mom teach you that it's impolite to stare?" I asked him.
He quickly shook his head and whispered an apology. I smile because, yeah, this was an interesting encounter and I'd already concluded one thing. Maybe this dude was gay. Like, he blushed. He freaking blushed. Or maybe I'm wrong. Boys blush, gay or not.
I told him that he was sitting in my spot and a moment of realization came to him and he grabbed his things off the table. I grabbed his arm, well because I want to talk to him. When he was standing, I noticed that he was short. I smirked.
"I didn't tell you to get up, right?" I said.
I chuckled because he really looked embarrassed. I eyed the book he was holding and gasped in surprise. It was Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire. I asked him if he likes the TMI series, all my irritation at his invasion of my spot fading away. He just nodded. I immediately knew then that talking to this guy would be interesting because we obviously liked the same genre. I asked him to sit down and he did.
He wasn't talking. Seriously, what was up with this kid? I teased him about it and then laughed, because I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable but fuck, he was still looking down.
"I'm sorry. I should go, or just move to a different table. I didn't meant to steal this spot from you..." Ooh, now he was talking. His voice was quiet, as if he was being careful to not wake up someone sleeping beside him. It was my turn to study him. But he was looking down and that brought back my irritation.
"Well, we can share. And besides, if you don't know that this is my spot, then surely you're new here. I am a regular customer and everyone knows this is my spot." I tap my fingers rhythmically on the table. I am genuinely curious about this kid now.
He tells me they've just moved here the other day. Well that explains why I've only seen him here today, and why he's taken my spot. I notice he's still looking down while speaking and frankly, I find that annoying and rude.
"Don't look down. I'm here." I say, and laughed again to hide my irritation.
I just want to lighten the atmosphere but to my surprise, he gets up and runs away. The kid. Ran. Away. From. Me. What the actual fuck is that? Who does that? What shit is that?
I call out to him, just saying "hey" repeatedly because I don't have his name. He doesn't stop nor look back. The staff looks at me and I just shrug in response. Katie, the flirty cashier, sets my coffee and cheesecake at my table, not taking her eyes off me.
"What's that kid's problem? Do you know him?" She asks.
I reach for my coffee and take a small sip before turning to her.
"I don't know. I just approached him because he was sitting at my spot, and then he ran away like that. He must have found me scary."
"Well, I don't." She looks at me with dreamy eyes. I frown at her. She's obviously annoyed at my reaction. I don't care. She can be annoyed for fuck's sake as long as I get to drink my coffee.
"Well, I think you should go after him. He just purchased that book earlier."
I look at the book he left. I could just leave this here and let the staff give it back to him when he returns but at the back of my mind, I know that I want to see him again. There's something mysterious and intriguing about the way he acted. Something is going on with that kid and I want to find out. Besides, guilt is building up in my chest. He was a picture of serenity when I entered, and he suddenly became an image of a frightened kid. All because of me. I take the book and flip through the pages absentmindedly.
"Yeah, I will give this back to him. But now, I just want to eat my goddamn cheesecake," I tell Katie. I turn my attention to my food and she leaves.
I stare into space while eating. Seriously, looking for the emo kid will be a bother to me, but I'm the fucker who scared him off. I know I have to apologize and get to know him. I suddenly realize that looking for him in a small neighborhood will be easy. Now I just gotta look for the short tattooed man.
I've always admired this bookstore down my street. Literally the two best things in the world could be found there. Coffee and books. Like, damn. Who doesn't enjoy reading a good book while sipping coffee, right?
As I entered the establishment for my never ending kicks for caffeine, my eyes darted to my favorite spot which was now occupied. This irritated me because that spot was mine. It was where I always sat and everyone knew it, even the staff. One of the cashiers greeted me as I made my way inside the shop.
"Good morning, Gerard! The usual?" She said as she flicked her hair and flashed her dazzling fake white smile.
Don't get me wrong, she was a beauty and she always flirted with me, but I didn't really like her. Too bad, she wasn't my type.
"Well yeah. And I also want a slice of cheesecake please," I said casually.
I walked towards my favorite spot, not removing my eyes from the man seated there. His back was turned towards my direction, possibly so he wouldn't be distracted by any newcomer. As I got closer, I noticed tattoos on his nape. My brows raised instantly. "Wow, you're stereotyping now, G. Is it really surprising to see a tattooed man reading a book?" I mumbled to myself. Aside from that, all I noticed was that this man was probably still young, and was a typical teenager due to his outfit. Black everything with converse. Wow dude, much emo. Or goth? I didn't care. All I knew was that he should get his little emo ass off of my seat.
I walked in front of him, about to talk, when I noticed that he looked so engrossed with the book he was reading. He didn't even notice me until I cleared my throat.
There was a pause. He was suddenly frozen as if he was contemplating what to do. Really dude, I'm here. Look at me.
After what seemed to be an eternity, he looked up and talked.
"Excuse me?" The man said. He stared at me shyly. I immediately fought the urge to smile because he looked stunned. What's with strangers looking at me like I'm an alien from a glittery planet? Must be my red hair. Probably my red hair. I'm the motherfucking red-haired alien, now too hesitant to talk because this little emo guy with his eyeliner was staring.
"Uhm, didn't your mom teach you that it's impolite to stare?" I asked him.
He quickly shook his head and whispered an apology. I smile because, yeah, this was an interesting encounter and I'd already concluded one thing. Maybe this dude was gay. Like, he blushed. He freaking blushed. Or maybe I'm wrong. Boys blush, gay or not.
I told him that he was sitting in my spot and a moment of realization came to him and he grabbed his things off the table. I grabbed his arm, well because I want to talk to him. When he was standing, I noticed that he was short. I smirked.
"I didn't tell you to get up, right?" I said.
I chuckled because he really looked embarrassed. I eyed the book he was holding and gasped in surprise. It was Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire. I asked him if he likes the TMI series, all my irritation at his invasion of my spot fading away. He just nodded. I immediately knew then that talking to this guy would be interesting because we obviously liked the same genre. I asked him to sit down and he did.
He wasn't talking. Seriously, what was up with this kid? I teased him about it and then laughed, because I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable but fuck, he was still looking down.
"I'm sorry. I should go, or just move to a different table. I didn't meant to steal this spot from you..." Ooh, now he was talking. His voice was quiet, as if he was being careful to not wake up someone sleeping beside him. It was my turn to study him. But he was looking down and that brought back my irritation.
"Well, we can share. And besides, if you don't know that this is my spot, then surely you're new here. I am a regular customer and everyone knows this is my spot." I tap my fingers rhythmically on the table. I am genuinely curious about this kid now.
He tells me they've just moved here the other day. Well that explains why I've only seen him here today, and why he's taken my spot. I notice he's still looking down while speaking and frankly, I find that annoying and rude.
"Don't look down. I'm here." I say, and laughed again to hide my irritation.
I just want to lighten the atmosphere but to my surprise, he gets up and runs away. The kid. Ran. Away. From. Me. What the actual fuck is that? Who does that? What shit is that?
I call out to him, just saying "hey" repeatedly because I don't have his name. He doesn't stop nor look back. The staff looks at me and I just shrug in response. Katie, the flirty cashier, sets my coffee and cheesecake at my table, not taking her eyes off me.
"What's that kid's problem? Do you know him?" She asks.
I reach for my coffee and take a small sip before turning to her.
"I don't know. I just approached him because he was sitting at my spot, and then he ran away like that. He must have found me scary."
"Well, I don't." She looks at me with dreamy eyes. I frown at her. She's obviously annoyed at my reaction. I don't care. She can be annoyed for fuck's sake as long as I get to drink my coffee.
"Well, I think you should go after him. He just purchased that book earlier."
I look at the book he left. I could just leave this here and let the staff give it back to him when he returns but at the back of my mind, I know that I want to see him again. There's something mysterious and intriguing about the way he acted. Something is going on with that kid and I want to find out. Besides, guilt is building up in my chest. He was a picture of serenity when I entered, and he suddenly became an image of a frightened kid. All because of me. I take the book and flip through the pages absentmindedly.
"Yeah, I will give this back to him. But now, I just want to eat my goddamn cheesecake," I tell Katie. I turn my attention to my food and she leaves.
I stare into space while eating. Seriously, looking for the emo kid will be a bother to me, but I'm the fucker who scared him off. I know I have to apologize and get to know him. I suddenly realize that looking for him in a small neighborhood will be easy. Now I just gotta look for the short tattooed man.
Notes
skippity bop
bop bop bop bop
lol. No one's reading the AN right? Anyway, have you seen Bandit's latest photo? She's all grown up. I feel so old. LOLOLOLOL
I've listened to an MCR playlist while writing this because yeah, I can focus on two things at once. LOL
ALSO, CAN YOU SUGGEST A GOOD NAME FOR THE COFFEE SHOP/BOOKSTORE BECAUSE I SUCK AT NAMES. Even my chapter titles are crappy. So drop it in the comments okay?
gtg. hope you're all having a good day! :)
--xoJenn (yeah, i copied smol fronk's signature :D )
@Helena Way
ilyt <3
12/22/16