Misencountered Love

I was walking down the dark sidewalk enraptured in my own thoughts. Not really noticing where I was headed or even where I wanted to go I just kept trudging on. He had ended it...seriously ended it. All so he could go be with that guy.

"Oh well." I said out loud "long as he is happy"

"what did you say?" A voice said from the bench next to me.

"shit! i uh..i mean i was...did i say that out loud?" I asked after jumping a few feet into the air.

The stranger nodded and stood up. I watched him stand and kept thinking he is really freaking tall. He looked down at me then saw my tear stained face and said, "Would you like some coffee? you look like its been a tough night."

I grimace and whispered "I kinda hate coffee." then looked at my feet.

"Well so do I. How about some nice hot cocoa from the diner at the corner there?" and pointed at the brightly lit diner not even a block away.

I said sure and we headed to the diner. As soon as we walked in the door the waitress looked him then at myself and whispered "Honey, there is a bathroom to your left if you want to go wash your face up. I'll seat your date."

I turned about 4 shades of red and ducked into the bathroom quickly. I walked to the sink and proceeded to dip paper towels in cool water and wiped under my eyes and face to get rid of the tears and puffiness. Then I looked at my reflection and was horrified...I not was puffy from crying but I had a black eye from where that bastard had hit me when i begged him not to leave me. God this night could not get any worse, then I realized that that man was out there waiting for me to join him for hot cocoa. He seemed very nice. He is probably one of those loner stalker types I thought to myself as I walked out of the bathroom with my head down. I didn't see him at the tables so I stopped the hostess, "ma'am where the man I came in with get set?" i asked quietly.

She put a hand on her hip then reached up and said "Honey, that is quite the shiner. come here lemme get you some ice."

I was a bit confused but sat at the bar and watched her get me a baggy and fill it with ice for my eye. She handed it to me and then grabbed a waitress and told her to get me a slice of pie. I looked up at her surprised then whispered "Why are you being so kind ma'am?" then clamped a hand over my mouth and hoped she wouldn't think I was ungrateful.

She pulled my hand away from my mouth and said "Did that man do this, honey?"

I was stunned and shook my head quickly and stammered "No no no I uh I just met him out at the bench he uh offered to by me cocoa." then thought a second and realized how lame it sounded.

She said "He is in the back there at his usual table. You be careful, darling."

I nodded and took my ice and went to his table timidly. But before I sat down I took a second to study him. He was rather handsome with shoulder length brunette hair that was very spiky at the ends and a strong smooth jaw he was was slim but tall and looked intimidating but kind at the same time. He is simply gorgeous.

I caught myself staring and gave myself a quick shake then walked over to sit down shyly. "Hi sorry they wanted to give me an ice pack thingy for my eye" I blurted out louder than I intended to say it and turned red.

He smiled and said "Good that's a bad bruise. May I ask who gave it to you?" he said calmly.

I opened my mouth a few times but no words came out then shook my head and looked at my fork and knife on the table. He tilted his head slightly then flagged the waitress down and ordered two cups of hot cocoa and then began to fold his paper place mat. I was, of course, curious so I watched him. After a minute held up a paper football and said "wanna play?"

I smiled and nodded and held my fingers up in a football goal form and waited for him to try and kick the paper football through for points.He missed on his first shot then i made it on my shot. We went back in for for about ten minutes and started laughing and I relaxed a lot.

The waitress brought our drinks to us then left again. The hostess was still keeping an eye on me protectively which confused me because I had never met her before. Suddenly a thought occurred to me and I looked at the very nice guy and said "so what's your name?" and turned red and smiled.

He smiled and I melted then he said "my name is Gabriel. what is yours?"

I was in shock at how well his name fit him and then word vomit came out and I was barely making sense "oh um my name is uh Alexandros but I go by Andy but i got Andy from Andros in my name and it was crazy that my mom chose such a long right?" then I clamped a hand over my mouth cause I was annoying even myself at that point.

He smiled and said "its very nice to meet you Andy. Do you have a way to get home?"

I shook my head and he said "I could give you a ride. Its pouring rain and you are rather small I'd hate for you to get sick."

I lifted my chin and said "I may be small but I am tough too. but a ride would be wonderful thank you."

So we finished out cocoa then went out to the parking lot of the diner after paying and he unlocked the doors and we hopped in and he said "lets hop across the street the station is cheap and I need gas."

I nodded then fumbled in my pocket and pulled out 3 dollar bills I was going to save for my lunch the next day and handed them to him and said "here for driving me." and pushed then into his hand.

He tried to give me the money back but I insisted he keep it and then I made sure he put in the gas tank.