Hey, everyone! This fic is actually based on a short film script I wrote for a class. Whether I continue this story or not depends on the response. So if you want to see more, let me know! Anyways, on to the story! - Ki
1 - I Don't Want to Forget
The bell chimed as the door opened. Rick stepped into the café and walked over to the short line. Meanwhile, Michonne was brewing a cup of coffee for the middle aged customer in front of Rick. Once done, she brought it over and gave it to greying man.
"Thanks," the man said as he took his cup.
Smiling, Michonne replied, "You're welcome! Have a nice day!"
Rick stepped forward, opened his black leather journal, and flipped to a particular page. Michonne eyed the book keenly. Ever since Rick had started coming to this coffee shop a year prior, Michonne had taken great interest in his journal. He'd always be sitting in a corner, writing something in it. She always wondered what it was he wrote about. Was he even a writer? Jotting down notes for his breakout novel? She was eager to find out and hopefully, today would be that day.
After finding the page he was looking for, Rick was about to give his order but Michonne beat him to it.
"Large black coffee, no sugar or cream, and a smoked salmon, right?"
"I'm surprised you remember," Rick chuckled.
"How could I not?" She replied as she walked over to the coffee machine.
"Well, with all the people that come here…." His words trailed off as he admired her slim form. He was drawn to her shapely hips and round ass in particular. After a few moments, Michonne came back with his order.
"What was that about people coming in here?... And that'll be $10.42."
"I can't imagine how hard it'd be to remember people's orders, like you do mine." He handed her a twenty dollar bill.
"Oh," she smiled. "I remember most of the regulars, I guess. But I think the memorable ones, there's something unique about them that makes it easier to remember what they like."
Michonne handed Rick his change, and as he picked up his order, he replied, "I'll try to remember that."
After thanking Michonne with a nod, Rick walked over to a corner of the café and sat down. Michonne, on the other hand, continued to look up at Rick as she prepared more orders. There was a gleam of curiosity in her eyes. A small smile crossed her face when she saw him open up the black book. The way his hands glided across the page as he wrote, it was like they were floating. She admired it all.
Another chime at the door, Maggie tried to catch her breath as she walked in. She hurriedly took off her leather jacket and grabbed one of the grey aprons off the hook. She went over to one of the coffee machines where Michonne was preparing another cup.
"I'm so sorry! Herschel wouldn't stop crying when I dropped him off at daycare. I don't know how Glenn is able to calm him down whenever he drops him off."
Michonne chuckled. "It's okay. You came at the right time, actually. And maybe Herschel realizes that his mama will cave in if he cries a lot."
"I do not!"
"Come on, Maggie. I've seen you." Michonne was getting too much fun at teasing her best friend.
"Oh yeah, what were you saying about the right time?"
Michonne pointed her head in the direction of Rick. Maggie scanned the place until she saw him. Her face immediately lit up.
"Isn't he here longer than usual?"
Michonne nodded.
"Are you gonna ask him?"
"Maybe," Michonne shrugged. Maggie gave her a deadpan look. "What? Suppose he says no?"
"And suppose he says yes? Michonne, go on your break and ask him! You better come back with a wide grin on your face." Maggie took over the coffee Michonne was preparing as she said, "Now, go."
Michonne took off her apron and placed it on one of the hooks near the back of the shop. She began to walk towards Rick. She stopped, turned around to go back to Maggie, but when she locked eyes with her, Maggie only nodded. Encouraging her to go on. So she did, briskly walking over to him.
Rick stopped writing when he noticed Michonne's presence. With the pen still left in his journal, he closed it and folded his arms on top of each other across the book. Michonne took a seat in the empty chair across from him. She took a small deep breath before speaking.
"Listen… I know this may sound weird as fuck, but I've been curious about what you write in that journal."
Smirking, Rick replied, "Don't you think that's a bit personal? I don't know you like that."
"But it's a genuine question. It's been bugging me for the past year."
Rick quirked an eyebrow at that information. A whole year this beautiful woman has taken interest in his journal? He wished he could tell her the truth of the matter as to what he wrote in those pages, and why. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
Michonne quickly avoided his intense stare. If she wasn't careful, she could get lost in those blue eyes of his. Instead, she decided to look out the window to her left. An awkward silence fell between the two for a few beats.
Rick, sensing that Michonne was feeling uncomfortable at his question, and wanting to change the subject, looked out the window as well. The top of a ferris wheel could be seen from where they were. The town was having their annual waterfront festival. He always wanted to go but to him, it would look weird walking amongst couples and families by himself.
"Have you been to the festival yet?"
Michonne turned her head to face Rick again. "No. Most of my friends have moved to the city, and the ones that still live here are usually busy."
"How about I go with you?"
There was a hint of a smile on Michonne's face. If her face could turn red, it would. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"Would it be wrong if I did?"
The two of them smiled to themselves before Michonne responded. "Are you going to tell me what's in the book if I say yes?"
"You're determined, huh? What time do you finish?"
Michonne crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "You must be hiding something if you won't at least say what it is…. And I finish at six."
Rick got up and took up his garbage as he said, "Six it is." Michonne could only smile to herself as she watched him walk away with that bow legged strut of his.
Six o'clock finally arrived as Michonne was clocking out. She said bye to the two remaining employees and her manager, Deanna. Meanwhile, Rick was outside waiting for Michonne, with his hands in his pockets. He didn't have his journal with him, which slightly worried him. He couldn't fall asleep tonight without writing down this entire night. But then he remembered who he was going on a date with, and relaxed again. He periodically checked his watch every ten seconds, just so it'd look like he was waiting for someone.
Finally, Michonne stepped out of the café. She looked around and smiled as she waved at Rick. He found her smile to be gorgeous and it only made her even more beautiful. As they stood only a few feet apart, Michonne took the chance to say something.
"Sorry I don't look better. I wasn't expecting to go anywhere tonight."
"You still look great, thought. I'm loving the sweater." Rick looked down at her baggy, black sweater. There was a large white skull on the front.
"Really? A lot of people give me weird looks," Michonne replied as she looked down at the sweater.
"They're jealous, obviously."
"That's probably it," she smiled. "Anyways, ready?"
Rick nodded, and the two began to make their way to the waterfront. They chatted and laughed as they walked, already enjoying each other's company.
Rick and Michonne were at the entrance to the festival. There were people mingling everywhere. Eating, drinking, playing games, waiting in lines, or sitting down on benches. It was also loud, with the sounds of people talking and the music playing. Michonne began to feel slightly anxious and stepped closer to Rick. He noticed, and looked down at her from his peripheral vision.
"What do you want to do first?" He asked.
Michonne thought for a beat or two before replying, "What about the ring toss?" Rick began to lead the way, with Michonne still walking closely beside him. As they made their way to the game booth, Michonne continued the conversation.
"Somehow, I've never been able to beat it. I really think it's rigged."
"Rigged, how?" Rick chuckled. "I've always won. It's all about skill."
Michonne playfully punched Rick in the arm as she said, "Skill, my ass. There's no way you've won every time. It's rigged, I tell ya. Rigged."
"Or you're just that bad at it."
They arrived at the ring toss booth and luckily, they were next in line. "Well, well, well. There's hardly anyone here. I wonder why."
Michonne looked up at Rick, waiting for his response. Instead, he placed his hand by her lower back, slightly urging her forward. He then hands the balding game operator some cash. The game operator hands five metal rings to Rick, who then passed them to Michonne, saying, "Since you think the game is rigged, prove it."
Michonne gave Rick her bag to hold for her. She eyed her target and with a flick of her wrist, throws the ring, intentionally missing the bottleneck. She looked back at Rick with a knowing smile, as if to show that she was right about the game. She threw the last four rings and intentionally misses all of them. Rick quirked one of his eyebrows.
"See? Rigged." Michonne shrugged. Rick handed back her bag and gave the operator more cash.
"Let me show you how it's done." He took the five rings from the game operator and placed them on the low wooden block in front of him. Rick rolled up the sleeves of his blue denim shirt up to his elbows, then pushed some of his hair behind his ear. He took up the rings and stood sideways, eyeing his target. With a flick of his wrist, he throws the ring and it clinks around one of the bottlenecks. Rick looks back to Michonne, smiling mischievously. Michonne, on the other hand, wasn't amused. He was actually proving her wrong.
"That was just pure luck. Don't get too cocky now."
Rick threw the last four rings and they all landed around a bottleneck. The game operator stepped forward exclaiming, "Congratulations! You can choose from one of the small prizes but, for an extra three bucks, you can try your luck at winning one of the giant prizes!"
Rick looked to Michonne for a response. Even though she wasn't too amused just a while ago, she couldn't deny that she found him admirable. "You better win with your so called skill." Rick only laughed as he handed the game operator the few coins.
"Be forewarned though… If you miss, you'll also lose your small prize."
Rick took his stance again and threw the ring. It looked like it was going to miss but, clink! It landed around one of the bottlenecks to the back. Through a white megaphone, the game operator shouted, "We have a winner!"
Michonne then excitedly grabbed onto Rick's arm and began jumping up and down. Smiling, Rick said, "Which one do you want?"
Michonne's jumping comes to a slow stop as she looks at Rick, wide-eyed. "Are you sure? You don't have to give it to me." Rick only nods in response. Michonne looks at her options for a beat or two before deciding on the giant stuffed panda. While they waited for her prize, Michonne slipped her hands into Rick's.
"Are you going to tell me what's in the journal?" Instead of answering, Rick intertwined their fingers. They finally get the stuffed panda and Rick places it under his free arm.
The two lovebirds then went about walking aimlessly through the festival, their fingers still intertwined. After a while, they came across an empty photo booth and stood in front of it for a beat until Michonne pulled on Rick to go in with her. Once they sat down, Michonne inserted a few coins. They smiled for the pictures, along with a few funny faces here and there, with the stuffed panda in between them. Michonne didn't want the night to end just yet. She inserted a few more coins and they continued to take more photos.
It was about midnight by the time they made it back to Rick's place. Neither of them wanted the night to end. They were in his bedroom, on the bed making out fervently. The panda was sitting up against one of the walls with Michonne's bag beside it. Rick's denim shirt and Michonne's sweater were also on the floor somewhere. Rick was in between Michonne's thighs as his right hand roamed under her black tank top, and her hands combed through the curls at the nape of his neck.
However, Rick hesitantly pulled back. Michonne looked at him worriedly. "Is something wrong?"
Rick glanced over to his open journal that was sitting on the night table. He continued to look at it as he responded, "I… I need to write this all down. Our evening… what's about to happen…." He looked back Michonne before continuing. "I don't want to forget it… I can't forget it."
Michonne brushed some of Rick's hair away from his face while she said, "Then I'll remember for you." Rick lowered his head to capture Michonne's luscious lips into his again, and they continued where they left off.
Morning came, and Michonne was sleeping on her stomach, while Rick was on his side facing her. Michonne was the first to wake up as she slowly opened her eyes, and they adjusted to the sunlight streaming through the window. She looked at Rick and a wide smile appeared on her face as the memories of last night come flooding back to her. It was a while since she last had sex and Rick was just amazingly good at it. The way she continuously writhed under him, the amount of time he brought her to climax, and she, him. She'd always remember that night. She ran her hands through Rick's mane, her smile never faltering.
Rick finally began to wake up, his eyes too, adjusting to the sunlight as he slowly opened them. Once his eyes focused on Michonne, he was confused. He looked down the length of her body, lifted the thin sheet covering them, and looked at their naked bodies. Michonne, on the other hand, was still smiling, finding Rick's actions too adorable. Rick looked back up at Michonne and asked, "Who are you?"
Michonne's smile immediately faltered. Was he serious? "What?"
"Why are you in my bed? Why are we naked?"
Michonne sat up and used some of the sheet to cover herself as she replied, "We had sex last night…."
Similar to their conversation from yesterday, an awkward silence fell between the two. Michonne looked over at the night table to her left, and saw the open journal. She picked it up and stared at the last thing that was written. It read: FESTIVAL DATE WITH THE PRETTY COFFEE SHOP LADY. MEET HER 6. Her eyes began to water.
Rick, still confused at the current situation, but concerned for the strange woman in his bed, asks her, "Why are you crying?"
Michonne couldn't stop the tears as they fell. She couldn't look at him right now. When he said that he didn't want to forget, he was serious. Maybe it was her fault why this was happening. She avoided his gaze as she finally replied, "You don't remember."
