Sarah rounded the corner of 6th and Orchard and weaved through the stream of pedestrians that were slowly heading down the sidewalk. The sun was high in the sky, around noon, and she wanted to be early to her 1pm writers workshop at the library. The seats filled up quickly and she was in desperate need of some help spicing up her writing. It seemed like the only ideas she could come up with involved goblins, faeries, and a mysteriously beautiful goblin king with piercingly unique eyes. Sarah had dreamed of that king many times, his face permanently engraved into her brain. She thanked her imagination many times for that image.
Glancing down at the phone, she saw that she had a text from her friend David.
"Since the farmer's market is on the way to the library, would you mind picking up some of those great berry preserves on the way back?"
Sarah smiled. David had found a local seller that made fruit preserves a few months back and now seemed to spread them on everything he ate. She had to admit, they were pretty good.
She quickly typed out a response."Sure. I'll grab a couple jars of peach too. Those are my favorite."
Sarah hit send and was about to tuck her phone back into her pocket when she slammed right into the chest of a tall, lean man, causing her to drop her phone. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry!" She quickly tried to steady herself before falling over. "I really should have been paying better atten—" Looking up at the stranger, Sarah felt her breath hitch in her throat. Unruly corn silk hair framed a face with translucent skin and angular jaw lines. Thin lips turned up into a smirk that seemed to find the situation humorous. Vibrant mismatched eyes that held the same glint of humor as his lips, one ice blue and the other a stormy grey with a fully dilated pupil. The same mismatched eyes that she had seen in her dreams night after night.
"That's quite alright, I was at fault as well." The mystery man replied with the thick accent of a Brit. Sarah opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it again when she couldn't form a coherent thought. "Hmm, cat got your tongue?" He chuckled lightly when her cheeks turned a nice shade of red.
"I— I'm sorry, I just— you look like somebody I know." Sarah's voice was just over a whisper.
The man bent over and picked up the phone that was still lying on the ground, quickly tapped his fingers over the screen, placed it in Sarah's palm, then closed her fingers over it. His touch lingered for a moment longer than it should have. Sarah felt her heart skip at the contact. What the fuck is happening? Why am I acting like this? And why the hell am I staring at the man from my imagination?
When the man's only response was a sly smile that spread across his lips, Sarah took a deep breath and tried to ignore how strange the situation was. "Well.. I have a class that I need to get to. I— uh— I'm sorry again for running into you."
"My name is Jareth. For future reference." Jareth winked and gingerly reached across the space between them to tuck a loose lock of hair behind Sarah's ear.
"Future reference?" Sarah's confusion had doubled at his statement. Does this mean he wants to see me again?
"Yes, I'd like to get to know you better. I put my number in your phone." He nodded his chin towards the phone that she still clutched in her hand and smiled. "If you want to, that is."
Sarah looked questioningly at Jareth, trying to decide if he had any creepy ulterior motives. This whole situation was just too strange for her. Satisfied with the innocent (and rather attractive) smile on his lips and glint in his eyes, Sarah nodded her head.
"Sure, I'd like that."
"I'll see you soon then, princess." The corners of his mouth spread into a grin as he brushed past her, showing white, pointed teeth in passing.
Sarah spun around quickly, hoping to get one last glimpse of this strange man, only to find that he was nowhere to be seen.
"Okay then..." Sarah mumbled to herself before turning back around and heading in the direction of the library.