Just something I rediscovered in my folder from quite a while ago! Enjoy!
The stifling air inside the jazz café was proving too much for Elsa. The last two performances had passed by in a blur and Elsa had barely even been able to register the melodies. The table had grown too large and lonely when her sister had slipped away to chase her own adventure and try as she might, Elsa could not keep her insecurities at bay.
Sitting alone in the middle of a crowd of others was not something Elsa could ever grow accustomed too. In the dimly lit room she was too aware of how much she stuck out. Every table seemed to be surrounded by groups of friends and intimate couples. Neon lights could not have made her stick out more harshly; a lone island amidst a sea of lovers and friends. Twice already Elsa had to make excuses that her sister would be returning soon to turn away eager eyed company.
Ana would scold her later for being so icy.
On stage a sturdy woman who had been singing something soulful was thanking the audience for their appreciation and Elsa used the space between the applause to slip out and away. Elsa carefully navigated the sea of chairs and tables. Muttering apologies she squeezed passed the standing wall of people at the edges of the room.
The sickening sweet smell of the flavoured smoke was beginning to make her feel lightheaded. Ignoring the irritated remarks from the disgruntled jazz enthusiasts Elsa climbed the steps up to the fresh air, all the while doing her best to hold down the nausea. Suddenly Elsa lost her footing on the uneven steps, something fell away with a clatter as the ground rushed up to meet her.
Elsa threw out her arms and braced herself for the fall.
"Hey, are you okay?" said a concerned voice.
Elsa opened her eyes warily. A warm arm was cradling her own which she had thrown up to protect her face. Maybe it was the smoke making her thoughts muggy but it slowly dawned on Elsa that it was not the ground that she had landed on after all. Bright eyes peered up at her; someone had broken her fall.
Elsa held her breath for moment, then realising the compromising position and the many disapproving looks she was receiving from the bystanders Elsa quickly scrambled to her feet.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to – um sorry."
Flustered Elsa made a quick dash for the cloakroom where she checked out her coat and bag and left the building with a pounding heart. The cloakroom assistant watched Elsa with concern as she fled the cafe bright red and stuttering. So much for trying to keep a low profile. Just call a taxi and go back to Ana's apartment. She would be back home in a few days. Home, where trouble stays well away, Elsa reprimanded herself feeling more foolish than she had ever done in her life. She was supposed to be the older sister, since when had she always been so reliant on the rebellious younger one to look out for her.
The pavement glittered diamonds in the stillness of the midwinter night. Pools of sodium orange blinked as Elsa splashed carelessly through the puddles. Fortunately the rain had long since passed over, the clouds had blown away and the brightest stars were visible in the inky city sky. The cold itself was not a bother as the sprint soon had Elsa rosy cheeked and out of breath. Elsa leaned against a lamppost to recover, her shoulders slumped low and breathing heavily. Was one night of normality too much to ask for? She looked back forlornly at the café she had fled. Elsa had to blink twice.
Leisurely walking up the path she had just taken and waving jovially at her was the person she had just fallen over. Rooted to the spot, the already embarrassed woman could not decide if she should wait or run while she still had the chance. There was still time to pretend she had not seen him and walk on.
Too late, he knew she had spotted him now and was purposefully coming towards her. Would it be rude to just go? He was a stranger after all... Too slow, he was close enough for Elsa to see him clearly. The young man wore a blue hoodie, unzipped to reveal the green checked shirt and grey t-shirt beneath. A wooden case hung loosely over his shoulder by a strap. Elsa guessed it contained an instrument, guitar maybe? When he was only a few feet away he purposefully slowed his steps, Elsa took in the dark stains of rain on the shoulders of his hoodie and the fringe of his silver hair was slightly damp. A single silver chain hung around his neck. Wasn't he cold? It was the middle of December.
"I wanted to say sorry. It was kind of my fault that you tripped. I shouldn't have been sitting there and then this was in the way..." He tilted his back gesturing at the wooden case. "Sorry."
"It's alright. I should have been looking where I was going." Elsa still felt a little dizzy from the smoke and from her exertion, but she had been raised to be polite so she would hold the throwing up until this man was gone. "Thanks for not er... thanks for catching me."
"My pleasure." Elsa's face dropped and the other froze, horrified. He threw his hands up between them and took a step back. "Not my pleasure in a creepy kind of way. My pleasure 'cause I helped. I didn't mean – I mean. You're welcome?" He added uncertainly.
The stranger looked so hopelessly confused making Elsa laugh. "It's fine…" It was almost cute.
The man smiled tentatively and Elsa's mini fit of giggles floated away into the air leaving behind an awkward silence.
"So... erm I'm going this way. Bye." Elsa waved and began to walk away barely making a few steps before a wave of dizziness overcame her.
For the second time that night, Elsa found herself falling into the arms of the stranger. The only coherent thought she could form was that Ana really would lay into her for collapsing twice in one night later.
The man slipped an arm around her waist and gently sat her down on a bollard. The cool scent of pinecones wafted over Elsa as he leaned down to press the back of his hand to her forehead.
"You don't look so well, but you're not running a temperature. We should go back inside. Can I call someone for you?" The man scratched his head uncertainly.
Even the idea of Ana flapping all around her in this state was not something Elsa wanted to witness. "It's okay, I just need to breathe. Those smokes are really something." Elsa laughed nervously, waving away the concern.
The man nodded seriously. "They're not supposed to even have pipes in the place, against the law but you know, if there's a way to flout a law why not? It can be quite heady if it's your first time."
Elsa flushed embarrassedly. Even if she did not know this guy, she did not want to be taken for a lightweight. Wait why was she worried what he thought of her?
"I know," The man suddenly snapped his fingers. "There's a place, a cafe nearby. Let me buy you a coffee for tripping you up earlier. It's the least I can do."
Elsa still felt lightheaded, but a stubborn part of her was not ready to give in and go home, or even call Ana. "Lead the way." she said at length.
"Great! Can you walk?" He added in a more sympathetic tone. Elsa nodded, rising to her feet steadily and noticed for the first time how much taller than her he was.
"I'm Jack by the way." Beside her Jack was smiling so brightly, that Elsa could not help but mirror the expression.
"Elsa."
"Elsa," Jack tasted the name on his tongue. "It's a pretty name."
The pavement glistened strangely beneath her feet, reflecting the stars above. She sneaked a glance to the side to see Jack looking up at the moon. The hood had fallen back revealing hair so light it was almost as fair as her own hair braided over her shoulder. The silvery beams of moonlight turned his hair a shocking white. Heat rose in her face when Jack caught her looking and grinned down at her.
Why does he smile so much? Elsa thought with burning cheeks. What would Ana do in this situation? –Wait don't do anything Ana would do... Well she did just walk off into the night with a man she had just met, so maybe she was more like her sister than she would care to admit.
"We're here." Jack held the door open for her. The neon sign in the window flashed "The Sweet Tooth" at the pair and Elsa tentatively walked in. The interior was in complete contrast to Elsa's expectations. She had expected a standard fare café, a small rectangular room with a few tables against the wall leading up to a counter. Instead the walls were lined with cushioned booth seating and on scattered polished tables were a number of patrons already seated. The décor was tasteful with light colours and photos of appetizing desserts. A thin woman greeted them with a friendly pearly smile and waved the pair into a booth.
"Looks like you got in just in time," The waitress gestured at the window. It was true a steady drizzle had just started to fall. The waitress whipped out a notepad and pen from somewhere inside her apron in a very business like manner, though the grin she wore seemed genuine. She peered interestedly at Elsa and raised an eyebrow at Jack. "What can I get you?"
"The usual for me Isla, and for Elsa…" Jack glanced at Elsa, who shook her head and simply asked for some water.
"You sure, hun? You look like you could use a hot drink," The waitress asked with genuine concern.
"Water is fine thanks." Elsa put on her best smile to counter the disbelieving stare Jack exchanged with the waitress.
"Okay then…" The waitress made another face at Jack and stood at the edge of the table until Jack cleared his throat loudly. She huffed and walked away petulantly.
"Don't mind her. Isla jumps to too many conclusions really quickly." Jack said absently as he checked the clasps of his case and set it gently upright against the side of the booth.
Elsa laughed nervously trying to think about what conclusions Isla was drawing up in her head. "This place seems nice, The Sweet Tooth," she commented safely to avoid that subject.
"You never heard of it? You must be new around here. Best desserts in town. But it's almost always too busy to bother turning up during daylight hours." Jack informed her.
"You got that from me not knowing a cake shop?" Elsa was a little taken aback by the speed of the deduction. "But you would be correct."
"What can I say, I'm a genius. And this really is that good a 'cake shop'," Jack said smugly. He leaned forward to rest his chin in his hand and narrowed his eyes as if pondering the woman before him. "They don't have places like this where you're from? You're so wide-eyed, it's cute."
"I'm visiting my sister, she goes to the university here," she said quickly. Elsa felt herself grow warm under his gaze and evaded the scrutiny by shrugging off her jacket. "There aren't many places like this back home. She, Ana, my sister, wanted to show me around... but she got called away and then… then I ran into you."
"Your sister left you in an unfamiliar city, alone?" Jack raised a questioning eyebrow. The tone made Elsa quickly jump to her sister's defense; Ana was just too impulsive.
"It's not like that, Ana is trying to teach me a lesson I think." Her eye's flicked upwards at Jack and back down at the table again. "It's silly really…"
"Here's your water hun. Do you need anything else, pain killers maybe?" Isla placed Jack's mug in front of him and watched Elsa like a mother hen. Standing there with here hands on her hips, the waitress reminded Elsa of Ana in nurse-mode. That girl didn't do anything by half.
"I'll be alright now, thank you," Elsa said graciously. She took a sip of the beautifully refreshing liquid and beamed at the waitress as proof of her good health.
"You done good Jack, she is cute. Don't mess it up." The waitress pinched Jack's bright pink cheek and walked back to the counter, stopping once to throw a huge wink over her shoulder. The comical mixture of indignation and embarrassment was too much for Elsa. She couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles.
"She's very friendly," Elsa observes as Jack developed a lovely pink blush. The teasing waitress showed her that maybe she was not the only nervous one. It made Elsa feel braver.
The poor man took a moment to lament his terrible choice in friends and stirred the frothy content of his mug before replying, "Isla's barely worth the free drinks she gives."
The sweet scent wafted over to Elsa overpowering her senses. A decadent combination of milk, cinnamon and, "Mmm, is that chocolate?"
"I have a sweet tooth," Jack confessed. "Would you like a sip? Trust me, Isla makes the best hot choc around."
Before she even had a chance to consider, Jack slid the untouched mug across the table complete with a straw. The rich embrace of the chocolate that surrounded Elsa was too delicious to be resisted. One tentative sip later, Elsa's taste buds were transported. The perfect balance of hazel nutty goodness with the soothing spiciness of the cinnamon powder, and of course the chocolate!
"Wow! You weren't kidding," Elsa exclaimed from the chocolate hit, "This is good! You know you're not getting this back."
Across the table Jack chuckled lightly, shaking his hair. "Chocolate thief," he muttered good-naturedly as he rose. Elsa stuck her tongue out at him freezing him in place for an entire heartbeat. Thankfully, she didn't notice the minor lapse, or hear the pounding thunder coming from his chest. Jack patted the top of the wooden case as if reaffirming himself and managed to walk to the counter with his dignity intact.
Elsa contemplated Jack's casual stance of leaning over the counter. He and the waitress were clearly very familiar with each other Elsa decided as the she watched Jack get his cheek pinched once again. A spark of something hot and troubling lighted at the back of Elsa's mind and suddenly the view through the window became very interesting. She had to remind herself she'd only known this person for a maximum of twenty minutes.
Outside the rain started to fall harder now, the cascade of drops beat out a chaotic percussion against the glass. Hopefully Ana was not out there in the rain somewhere. Or worriedly looking for Elsa… A quick glance at her phone showed that it had barely gone ten thirty and that no calls or messages had arrived from her sister.
The door swung open for a couple who looked soaked to the bone, though they seemed blissfully unaware of the their condition and strolled past Elsa bringing laughter and the chill wind with them. The pair sat down in the booth adjacent to Elsa's. The leather instrument case rocked with the movement of the newcomers.
Elsa darted forward to catch the case before it fell, but too late the case slipped from her fingers and landed heavily on the polished floor of the café. The case was surprisingly heavy as Elsa heaved it up onto the table to redo the clasps that had popped open from the impact with the floor. Up close the clasps were worn and the silver coating was faded. The wood was in a similar shabby state with signs of being battered by age. There were scratches all over the surface, but it still felt strong.
A flash of colour caught Elsa's eye; in the space between the base and the lid the brightest scarlet she had ever seen peeked out. Guiltily she glanced over her shoulder, Jack was still at the counter so slipping three fingers into the gap Elsa carefully lifted the lid.
"Oh my," she breathed in awe. Nestled upon a bed of fine scarlet silk was not a guitar as she had earlier imagined but a beautifully varnished to perfection violin. The grain of the wood was smooth to the touch and the maple wood shone brown and amber under the lights of The Sweet Tooth. Elsa touched a finger to one of the four strings that were pulled taut across the length of the instrument.
"Whoa whoa whoa, be careful with that."
Elsa blinked up at Jack who was holding her hand gently in one of his own and with the other he closed the closed the case, shutting the clasps with a snap. His face was passive when he sat down beside Elsa and sipped at his fresh mug of chocolate.
"I didn't mean to snoop. I just to wanted to see what was inside. It fell down so I picked it and it was open…" She said sheepishly, hearing how pathetic her excuse sounded. She wrapped her hands around her mug doing her best to not notice how her right hand where Jack had touched her felt warmer.
Jack did not immediately respond, instead he bent over the case to check the straps holding the instrument in place and carefully redid the clasps. Elsa wondered if he was trying hard to bite back a harsh retort. Some people were very particular about their possessions, and she had read somewhere that musicians could be quite attached, even reverent of their instruments.
"Stop looking like you got caught stealing a wallet." He said finally. His tone was light and easily calmed Elsa's frayed nerves. "Thanks for picking it up. It's a really old case and the clasps always come loose. But," Elsa winced at the but. "But you do have to take care with the strings. These strings are really fine nylon, if you're not careful you could cut yourself."
"Nylon? Like tights? I thought violin strings were made from cat guts." Elsa said incredulously. Wrinkling her nose a little at the thought of catguts.
"Yes, nylon like the tights," Jack chuckled. He leaned closer to Elsa conspiratorially and Elsa found herself following the movement and leaned towards him too. Eye's the colour of a winter morning mesmerized her as Jack lowered his voice to a whisper, "Being a violinist is a gruesome business Elsa, catguts and puppy tails all over the place."
"Shut up!" Elsa slapped Jack away as he burst into laughter over her wide eyed expression. Once he had settled back down Elsa put her hand on the case. She could feel Jack's eyes on her long fingers she brushed a fleck of silver paint away from one of the clasps. "You probably get asked this a lot but will you play something for me?"
"What in here?" Jack looked around, not convinced that the customers here welcome an impromptu violin solo. "I don't know Elsa..."
It wasn't that he didn't want to play for her that made Jack feel uncomfortable; it was the fact that part of him desperately wanted to play for Elsa. To show off. That kind of bravado was not something he usually reveled in. But going after a woman just because she looked lonely in a jazz club, following her and bringing her to a café was also outside of his usual behavior pattern.
"Come on, you kind of owe me a musical performance." Elsa tapped her fingers on the case as if beating out the logic.
"How? You were leaving the club anyway."
"Well," Elsa gave an exaggerated shrug. "If you hadn't been there to nearly kill on the stairs I might have changed my mind and sat with the crowd instead."
There was humour in her tone but Jack had seen her face when she had stood up from her table. And now he heard the words she didn't say. Instead of sitting by myself. He sighed defeated. "Okay, but not here. We could use the roof, there's some shelter from the rain but it will be cold."
"The roof?" Something very much akin to mistrust passed like a shadow behind her eyes. Of course, Jack thought, they had only just met tonight.
"I'm not going to go crazy axe murderer on you." He joked lightly. He stood up to give Elsa space to get up from the booth and wrap up against the cold.
"I don't know," Elsa said as she wrapped her woollen scarf twice around her neck. "Jack is an awfully common name. How do I know there isn't a secret compartment inside that thing, like in the movies?"
"Trust me."
And oddly Elsa found herself trusting this man, who she had met earlier this evening, enough to let him lead her out of the building and up to a metal staircase that wound up the side of the building. Elsa had to pull her scarf over her head to protect herself from the still falling rain. She went first up the stairs watching every step on the wet surface. Twice her heels nearly slipped and twice Jack caught her gently, a reassuring warmth at her elbows.
The roof was a clear open space, not large but big enough for some tables and chairs. Spare room for summertime custom Elsa assumed. There was a low brick wall that went around the perimeter to safely enclose the space. The rain had slowed down to a fine drizzle now, the only evidence of it were the agitated ripples on the surface of the small scattered puddles. Jack took Elsa's hand and led over to an alcove inset into the wall, where there was enough room and protection from the rain for both of them.
"It would be nice up here if it weren't so miserable." Elsa looked out at the city lights not entirely swallowed by the gloom of the dark clouds.
Beside her Jack readied his violin. She watched as he prepared with practiced ease, methodically checking the strings and adjusted where needed. When Jack finally lifted the violin to his shoulder to Elsa he looked like a man complete. His shoulders were relaxed but straight, ready to bear the wooden instrument, not a tremor or shake could she detect in the man.
Jack turned to face Elsa and she gasped into her scarf. In the darkness it seemed that his eyes had changed from the cerulean colour of the sky to something closer to silver. She would have to describe this all to Ana later, what would she say? The closest description she could think of was the soothing glow of snow reflecting beans of moonlight.
"Elsa?" Elsa snapped out of her daze, heat flushed her cheeks. She had been staring into this his eyes she realized and internally cringed at having been caught. "What would you like me to play?"
"Er… anything I don't mind."
Jack stood up, taking in a deep breath and slowly exhaling he closed his eyes and touched the bow to the strings. He hesitated. Then began.
The first chords were low and melodic. The tune that followed was soulful. The tempo was measured and every note was perfectly executed. Jack played with precise technique and the sounds he produced were lovely but there was something missing. This was too controlled.
And then it all changed.
The music seemed to expand as the tune become sonorous, the pitch so low Elsa felt it rather than heard it in her bones. Ethereal fingers made of bars and octaves danced up and down her spine vibrating each vertebra with the song. The tune changed continuously, it was like nothing Elsa had heard before. From one small instrument Jack created an orchestra of layered mellifluous melody. One moment the notes tangled in her chest making her feel as if she could never be happy again only for the next movement to coax her heartbeat into the liveliest of dances.
Jack's music whispered stories to Elsa.
Each stroke of the bow painted a picture in her mind. Elsa did not know how Jack did it but he seemed to be playing out the colour of the midnight sky, the moisture of a leaf at dawn and even the crashing of waves in an ocean storm as his playing became more turbulent. Every note spoke, sang, shouted from the rooftops of Jack's passion for his art. Until the final echoes petered out like the last waves on the shore.
"How was it?" Slightly breathless Jack dropped his bow, putting an end to the music. The last chord hung in the air, vibrating faintly in the raindrops, dying as they hit the ground.
The absence of the music made the silence all the more profound and Elsa found herself loath to break it now. Slowly she unwrapped her scarf to better feel the cool wind on her skin. She stared down at the shining floor of the roof, searching for the vocabulary that eluded her.
"It was… You were amazing!" Elsa was still trying to deal with the bubble of emotion sitting inside her ribcage. All she could manage was a stunned whisper. "Amazing."
Elsa looked up and found Jack sitting down close enough to make out every feature of his face. Thin lips that looked soft to the touch, cutting jawline and those snow bright cerulean orbs. At this distance she could even count the pearls of water clinging to his eyelashes. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise as Elsa drew closer.
"You're buzzing," he said.
"What?" Elsa jumped back realizing how close they were and that her phone was in fact buzzing incessantly in her bag. What on earth had she been about to do? Wait – why did Jack stop her? Didn't he want to? Oh just find the damn phone, she thought to herself in a rush of panic. Finally she found it. The caller ID read Ana.
"It's my sister I have to take this," she said apologetically before hitting the talk button.
Elsa moved a short distance away to take the call and from the harried expression on her face the agitated muttering Jack deduced it wasn't a happy reunion for the two sisters. Jack packed away his violin with care, trying hard not to berate himself for not giving in to Elsa. He had wanted to kiss her but if he did now would it have been because she wanted to or because she was just carried away with the music.
Whatever the reason was Jack was not to know as Elsa walked towards him. "Thanks for everything tonight Jack, but I have to go. My sister is waiting for me downstairs."
"I'll walk you down." Jack offered as he handed her bag up to her and shouldered the violin case. She smiled weakly and started down the stairs. Jack grabbed the scarf Elsa left behind and a pen.
At the bottom a dark coloured car with its headlights on waited for Elsa.
"Wait!" Suddenly not wanting to let her go, Jack grabbed Elsa by the elbow and pulled her back. "Will I see you again?" He searched her face for an answer. Elsa was just visiting her sister she wasn't from around her. The chances of actually meeting her again were zero to none.
Without wasting anymore time, Jack pressed his lips firmly against Elsa's pretty pink ones. A far more splendid tune than any Elsa had heard tonight played through her heart and reached a crescendo with their coming together at that moment.
"My number's on the label," Jack whispered and wrapped the scarf gently around Elsa. A brilliant smile covered her face as she tilted her head to give him a quick peck of confirmation and darted to the waiting car giggling like a teenager.
Feeling considerably lighter Jack re-entered The Sweet Tooth; the last thing Jack heard as the car pulled away was an exasperated voice shouting, "YOU JUST MET HIM!"