© 2010 sensora
Audrey Lin.
Her parents named her after Audrey Hepburn, one of the world's most beautiful girls. They gave her a boy cut when she was around four years old, because all Asian parents give their children one when they're too little to really care. She's had that boy cut hair ever since.
Her parents never smoke, but she grew up to be quite the smoker. She's nineteen, in her second year of college and spends too much of her small income on her smokes. But she likes it. She was fully aware of what she was doing when she picked up her first box of cigarettes from the counter in one of the liquor stores near her school. She examined it, looking at the intricate design of the label, and placed it on the countertop to pay.
Her parents are still unaware of their smoking addict daughter. But that's not of her concern because she did not take upon this habit just to rebel. She admits that she hated the smell. It disgusted her. She coughed the first few times she tried it but she forced it upon herself. Because. She wants to like it.
She fell in love with the idea of smoking. Watching the most elegant women on television, she was inspired, deeply and passionately infatuated with the action. They looked hot and she wanted to be that kind of woman. To be able to hold that cig and pull off the high class aristocrat feel.
At the early age of nineteen, she eagerly bought her first box of cigarettes. Marlboro. Because they are, after all, the largest selling brand of cigarettes in the world. It took her two weeks to get accustomed to it and one more week after that to finally enjoy the smell of the burning tobacco blend.
Her boyfriend disapproved of her smoking but she runs independently. There was no way he could control her. He was like the queen of Britain, just a figure. Influential, maybe a bit. But in truth, he holds no power over Miss Lin.
He, however, is not the problem. Rather, it's how she built herself. She ticks a different way, always in command and never lets anyone learn the mechanics of her peculiar gears.
They're a perfect pair though. Because he's just the same. They're so flawed and full of cracks that their relationship is beautiful. The thing that makes them special is that they don't spend every waking minute obsessing over each other. They take their moments together with gratitude and their moments away as if the other never existed.
"Hey Audrey, care for another cup of coffee?"
"Oh hello Danny. Thank you, another cup would be nice. Oh my, why you look absolutely dashing today."
"Ahh well.. uh.." He stuttered, slightly flushed.
She smiled. She had frequented the shop enough to be well acquainted with the waiters.
"Hurry and get me some coffee so we can start talking now. Go, hurry hurry." She shooed him away, watching him a bit clumsy walking as fast as he could without creating a mess.
"So, I know you're working but sit down, let's talk for a bit anyways."
"Uhh.."
"Oh come on, Danny. You know I've got your back."
"Alright, fine."
"Look, you busy on Friday night? I mean after your shift."
"Uhh, no? I don't think so? Why? What's going on?" His shoulders tensed from nervousness. She laughed.
"Well, you're going to take me on a date – that's what."
"What? But you've got a.. you've got a.."
"Oh yes him. I know, I know. But not one of those dates silly. Just a pal date."
"Pal date. ..?"
"Yes, you're taking me on a pal date. You know, buddy-buddy dates. Just you and me and our beautiful friendship. We're gunna do the fun stuff. You know. Climbing mountains and kayaking and stuff."
"Climbing mountains? Kayaking? At night? Are you crazy? This is completely unplanned. It's irrational."
Audrey frowned from his lack of excitement.
"Oh come on. Don't worry. In fact, I do have it all planned out."
Danny sighed. How so he asked her, completely doubtful.
"What. I'm going to walk here to pick you up. Then we'll drive your car to the mountains, I've got the directions." She pulled out a piece of napkin and showed him the proof. "Spend another night there after we get to the top and I've got someone who will pick us up at the bottom of the mountain on Sunday to take us to go kayaking." She pulled out a cheap name card and shoved it in his face.
"You're serious about this?" Danny shook his head. "This doesn't even look official. His name card looks so cheap."
"Why of course! I feel offended that you would take this so lightly, Danny. I've put a lot of heart into this planning! Stop criticizing everything I do."
"This was completely spontaneous, I know it."
"So what if it is! Come on, it'll be fantastic."
"Please tell me he knows. Just please. In some form or way, you've told him. Or.. either you guys broke up.. or you've fought with him. Please tell me that something has been done and this is what you're doing as a result of that."
"Oh what do you mean?" She waved her hand away, hoping his thoughts would scatter along with it.
"I mean, tell me that we're doing this because something happened between your relationship, something bad. Tell me that I'm the 'afterwards' and not the 'because' – that I'm not going to be the reason you guys will break up, but the guy that comes after the break up."
"Oh please, don't take this too seriously, Danny boy. We're just friends, silly. I haven't broken up with anybody yet, you fool. Can't I want to take you out for a bit of fun?"
She frowned.
"Fine, alright, alright. Whatever." He looked away, embarrassed by his rash thinking. Damn it, he thought. He just sunk himself in a deep, deep pool of humiliation. But her face glowed in contrast. She was as bright as ever.
"You'll love it, I swear. And you're going to give me the time of my life."
"Right, because I'm the one directing this, right?"
She smiled and pushed her chair back, standing up. "Well, it was lovely talking to you. See you Friday night." With that, she walked out the café.
Danny Im looked back down as he saw her leave. He sighed. She's really a tiring person to hold a conversation with.
"Danny, stop slacking off. Clean that table." His manager immediately took upon the chance that Audrey Lin had left to begin scolding him for chatting while everyone else had been working.
Damn that Audrey. Danny muttered to himself. Giving me a headache and not even helping me when you promised to get me off the hook for taking a break.
He looked at the coffee cup on the table.
Damn that Audrey; she didn't even touch it.