A Little Quirk of Mine

"When you said you wanted to have drinks," Emma said as they walked into a nearby Starbucks late in the evening, "This isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Really," Neal asked. "Because it's exactly what I had in mind. Come on, it's a cold night a little hot coffee will do us good."

"I don't drink coffee."

"Not a coffee drinker hu," he said looking up at the Starbucks menu. "Wouldn't have pegged that. Go ahead and order whatever you want."

"You're sure?"

Neal turned and smiled at Emma. "I wouldn't have asked you out if I wasn't."

Emma smiled at Neal before ordering. He then ordered his drink as well.

It wasn't that crowded so the two of them found a table off to the corner that was more private.

"So Emma," said Neal starting off their conversation. "Other than being a master car thief, tell me about yourself."

"Not much to tell."

"Oh I doubt that. Something tells me there's more to you than just what's on the surface."

"Yeah there is but it's not a very good story."

"Okay, how's this then: You ask me a question, I tell you one thing about myself and then you tell me something about you. It's called dialogue."

Emma looked at Neal and could see that smug look on his face that she had seen earlier.

"Fine," she said giving in. "Where are you from?"

"Originally I'm from Phoenix, Arizona. My mom died when I was young, my dad couldn't handle me on his own and so he left me with my grandparents; been on my own since I was fifteen. Your turn."

"Okay well I'm from Maine. At least I think I am it's where I was found anyways. My parents abandoned me on the side of a freeway so I was in the foster system until I got out when I was old enough. How's that for my story?"

"It's a start. Look at us, we're a couple of thieving orphans aren't we?"

"You have no idea," said Emma.

"Cassidy, orders up," said the girl behind the counter.

Neal smiled at Emma before going to get their drinks.

He returned a couple seconds later placing Emma's cup in front of her.

"Thanks," she said.

Emma frowned as stared at her hot chocolate.

"What's wrong," Neal asked.

"Nothing," Emma said. No it wasn't nothing, not really. Emma stood up. "I'll be right back."

After asking the girl behind the counter, Emma returned with a condiment shaker. Neal watched with amusement as she sprinkled the cinnamon over the whipped cream on her chocolate. She then placed her finger in the cup taking a dab of the cream with cinnamon powder.

Emma looked up to see him staring and smiling, his chin resting comfortably over his propped up hands.

"What?" Emma said starting to feel self conscious.

"Nothing, I've just never met anyone how likes cinnamon on their chocolate."

Emma took a sip and smiled at him. "It's been a little quirk of mine for as long as I could remember," Emma said trying to really think back at when she first got the idea to put cinnamon on her chocolate. "Have you ever had it this way?"

Neal shook his head, "No. I actually prefer it plain."

Emma smiled, "Well here try it," she said offering the cup.

Neal looked at Emma thinking she was crazy for offering.

"Oh what come on, you can let a stranger steal your car but you won't take a drink when she offers? I promise you its pretty good."

"I'm sure you think so."

Emma took another sip. "You don't know what you're missing." She offered him the cup again. "Please, just try it. If you do this I'll let you ask me anything you want."

Neal still looked at her. "I was planning to ask you more questions anyways," he said with a smile.

"Okay fine I'll take it a step further. I'll go out with you again. Just take a sip."

"Now those are terms I can agree with," Neal said with a smile as he took the cup she was offering.

Neal took a sip and Emma waited for his reaction.

"Hmm, not bad. Don't think I could ever get used to it though," he said handing the cup back.

Emma smiled. "Told ya."

The two continued on into the evening. Whatever this was, a first date, two friends hanging out, or two car thieves joining forces, Emma wasn't sure but for once in her seventeen years of life she found herself happy. Maybe Neal wasn't a pervert after all like she first thought.

~END~