Annabeth whipped her hair up into a messy bun as quickly as she could, before putting on her red high-top converse and grabbing her worn out backpack. She was currently trying to get ready as fast as she could, because she wanted to get a coffee before she met with her business associate to go over structure and planning for her new building project.
Annabeth Chase was an up and coming architect - as well as a freelance artist - who lived in London. She was twenty one, and living with her roommate Hazel, on a street called Lancaster. And on this particular morning, she was running very late.
"Annie, I know your running incredibly late - your fault, by the way - but do try to stop by that coffee shop I suggested, would you? I think you'll rather like it." Called Hazel from the kitchen. Annabeth was currently in her wreck of a room, trying to shove the last of her sketchbooks and files into her backpack before she left. Once she made sure she had everything, she grabbed her favorite light brown knitted cardigan and quickly put it on before walking out into the kitchen to respond to Hazel.
"You're in luck, because your coffee shop is actually closer to my meeting place with Chiron today, so I may just have enough time to find out what it is about that place that has you so in love with it," said Annabeth, grabbing her keys from the counter. Hazel was leaning against the stove area, sipping a hot chocolate, and still in her purple pj's. Hazel looked up at Annabeth's reply, and for reason's unknown to Annabeth, blushed. Annabeth figured she'd find out why later, so she left it alone for the time being, and headed towards the door.
"Right then, I'm off. Don't spend the whole day in pj's, you know. It's unjust when you tease me about it most days, and then go do it yourself." Annabeth called over her shoulder with a grin, before walking out the door, but not before she heard Hazel shout back, "Oh, alright, bug off!"
Annabeth closed the door with a chuckle, muttering "Filthy hypocrite," under her breath. She had at least managed to get jeans and a flannel shirt on today. She then hurried down the driveway of their small little house that they rented, and then hopped into her small little Honda.
Annabeth wasn't one to be late to things, but this particular morning she craved coffee more than usual, which was saying a lot, because she basically lived off the stuff. So she decided that coffee was currently more pressing than being on time to her meeting with Chiron, her business associate and mentor. She started to drive, heading towards the coffee shop that Hazel was so insistent upon her going to. Luckily, the drive there was only about seven minutes, so Annabeth didn't predict that she would be to terribly late to her meeting.
She found the place, and immediately fell in love with it. More accurately, the structure of it. The place was on a busy little street, and it looked like it was just accidentally shoved onto the street because there was no where else for it to go. It was between two other shops, one a bookstore and the other a small little market place. But both shops looked trivial in comparison to the coffee shop between them. It was a bold building with angles that looked completely impractical, but made a statement. It was mostly brick as the integrity of it, but the windows in the front where at least ten feet high, on either side of the door that was smack in the middle. inside the windows where hanging potted plants that were mostly red, and surprisingly, black. there were also little jewels that hung down beside the hanging plants, and they caught the sunlight from the early morning and began to look like little twinkling stars suspended in a window. Above the high windows was outward jutting awning that was a deep maroon color, with the logo "Night's coffee." The awning didn't come out enough though to prevent the sun from hitting the jewels inside, and Annabeth found herself admiring the thought process that must have gone into the construction of this little shop. Everything about the place screamed "intrigue" in Annabeth's mind, and she felt drawn to go inside immediately.
So she did. She parked her little car in a empty spot a few yards from the entrance to the shop, and got out to go and see what else was so special about this place.
As soon as she entered the door, and heard the small chime of the bell as it hit the door, she was even more in love. Momentarily forgetting she was supposed to be hurrying, she turned in a slow circle in awe.
The walls were brick and decorated with hanging lights, making it look like a starry sky against a brick backdrop in a way. The floor was a dark brown panelling that gave the place even more of a feel of being in the sky. The ceiling was a mute beige, off setting the darkness of the rest of the interior, including the leather chairs and couch that lined one wall. Upon the dark leather were maroon pillows with traditional script running across them, which Annabeth assumed were probably old poems. From the door to the counter was a parted path between wooden tables and their matching chairs, the color of the flooring. Upon each table, there was a black jar with star shapes decorating it, and with a candle inside it, acting as a centerpiece instead of flowers.
Annabeth had completely forgotten about her need to hurry, and her want of coffee at the moment. Instead she looked around more, and fell in love more and more every second. It was because of this that she didn't notice someone come up behind her and suddenly tap her shoulder as she admired the lights adorning the walls.
Annabeth jumped from shock and spun around only to be greeted with a pair of sea-green eyes staring at her, barely a few inches apart. She then processed that there were two strong hands holding her forearms, keeping her from toppling over.
"Wow there. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to startle you," Said the young man, before slowly letting go of the shell shocked girl who was standing in front of him. He backed up a few feet to make her feel a bit more comfortable, considering he had just been holding her upright.
Annabeth stared at him for two seconds longer before she snapped out of her messed up state, and shook her head to clear her mind a bit and come back to sanity.
Annabeth managed to recompose herself from her sudden - and slightly embarrassing - display of shock, and took in the young man in front of her.
He was a few inches taller than her, and looked to be about her age if not a little bit older. He had a raven colored mop of hair atop his head, that looked like he had just rolled out of bed given it's chaotic state. He was fit looking, even though he was wearing a black button down shirt tucked into his worn out jeans, underneath a maroon apron with the logo of the coffee shop on it. But what caught her attention the most was what she had been greeted with just second ago: his strikingly bright sea-green eyes that seemed to see right through her.
She realized that she was staring at him and still hadn't said a word.
"I-I...I'm so sorry, I was just admiring the lights on the wall, and you just s-startled me." She managed to get out, inwardly shocked at her stutter, before deciding it was because of her sudden shocked state. She managed to give him a embarrassed smile, that she hoped made things slightly less awkward.
He looked at her for a split second with a concerned expression, before he broke into an impish grin and chuckled at her obvious embarrassment.
"And for that I'm very sorry. I was just overcome with the urge to know why a pretty blonde I've never seen in here before was staring at our decorum, well before the rush crowd comes in." He said, as he reached his hand up to scratch his neck with a sheepish expression on his face.
Annabeth was positive that her face was now the color of the maroon that this shop was so fond of. She had just been shocked out of her wits, and then was flirted with on top of it.
The guy had the decency to look slightly apologetic for making her feel even more awkward before he walked over to the counter and stood behind, saying, "Well, assuming your here for coffee, as this is a coffee shop, what can I get you, Blondie?"
'Blondie' was enough to snap Annabeth out of her second round of shock, before she crossed her arms over her chest and walked over to the counter, remembering that she was, in fact, here for coffee.
"For starters, I won't respond to 'Blondie', thank you very much. And I would like a black coffee." Annabeth said, and she was proud of herself for not stuttering, even though this guy did make her feel...odd. She didn't really know how she felt at the moment, only that it was a foreign feeling.
The guy smirked, seeming to have found something she said enjoyable, though she had no idea why.
"Alright, 'Blondie', I'll call you something else if you give me your name." He said, still making that ridiculous face that made her stomach feel weird.
Annabeth couldn't help but roll her eyes, even though his behavior wasn't all that annoying. Still, she decided to play right back.
"And why, may I ask, do you need my name? It's not like it's relevant to you." She said, giving him her own smirk.
"Well, you see, when we take orders here, it takes a bit to prepare, so we take the orderee's name and put it on their cup so that we can call them when it's ready. I'm only following protocol, Blondie." He said, in mock seriousness, before punctuating his answer with 'Blondie', which he knew would only encourage her to give him her name sooner, so that he would stop calling her that.
"Hmm, well, considering that I'm the only one here, there's no need for my name, now is there? And, seeing as how you've made no move to get me my coffee yet, and I'm really in a hurry, I just may send a complaint to your manager about your terrible service. So hop to it." Annabeth replied, just as cockily, even though it was obvious she was joking around as well.
The guy pretended to be seriously considering her words, before he suddenly let up as if he had is answer ready.
"Well, for starters, it does not appear that I am going to be getting your name any time soon, so I suppose I'll have to stick with Blondie. So sad." He paused and grinned before continuing, "Second, if your in a hurry, I wonder whats kept you here so long, anyway? I mean, the service is apparently terrible, so why not just go find coffee else where? Could it be, that a certain handsome barista has captured your attention? I mean, I see no other reason for you to still be here, so...?" He finished cockily, before propping his head up on his hand as he stared at her in triumph.
Annabeth knew that she was red in the face, but she was not going to back down.
"I choose to not answer that inquiry, and I may take your suggestion into mind and just leave now." She said, while making an act of appearing to be getting ready to leave, before she added with sass, "But, make no mistake, I'm still making a complaint about the service here to your manager." She finished her reply with her own sense of triumph, and was curious as to how he was gong to respond.
"Hmm, well seeing as how I'm the manager, you could go ahead and give your complaint to me." He said with his ever-present smirk.
Annabeth hadn't expected that, but she was ready, and decided to take a chance.
"Alright. I would like to complain that a very cute employee - and, apparently, the manager - not only jump scared me, but shamelessly flirted with me, wasted my time, and - worst of all - did not give me my much needed coffee in a timely fashion." Annabeth said while crossing her arms again, trying to look mad and flirty.
Successfully.
The guy in front of her seemed surprised by her declaration, and flushed under her stare, before he seemed to regain his wits, and quickly put his smirk back on.
"My, my. Just can't resist, can you? Well, I'll fetch you your coffee now, Blondie, though I really can't fix any of your other complaints," He said, still grinning. "Nor do I really want to."
With that, he disappeared behind a door to prepare her coffee, and Annabeth was given a few blessed moments to recompose herself once again before he came back out, holding her coffee.
"Here you go, Blondie." He said handing to her, managing to brush her fingers with his. "Now, I'll let you get to whatever it is I've been keeping you from. Lord forbid it be a date! Hope your boyfriend doesn't come back here to kill me for wasting your time."
The guy, while he was joking, looked genuinely curious as to how Annabeth would answer.
"Thank you for the coffee, and I'll be sure to not mention what kept me so long," Annabeth said with a wink, neither confirming that she was meeting a boyfriend or not, which she was quite proud of.
With that, Annabeth paid for her coffee, and turned to leave.
"See you later, Blondie?" He called from the counter, sounding hopeful and cocky.
Annabeth, who was facing the door and holding it open as she was about to walk out, smirked to herself before replying:
"Annabeth. And maybe you will."
And with that, she walked out, leaving a sea-green eyed boy grinning to himself as he muttered "Annabeth."