Hey, Lucky you! I made it ?

Enjoy!

M.

Food for thought

His sleep had given space to hunger, and he walked towards the restaurant cart. To his amusement, he found the girl from before there. She was standing by the bar, and he noticed her Jean was a size or two too big and so was her shirt which was tied up around her waist, her blond hair was cut in a short fashion, and it was sticking oddly in some places as if she was ruffling it before.

He shook his head as he noticed the attendant was trying to flirt with her and she was all but oblivious. He noticed then she was not concentrated but frowning confused at the menu and he, for some unknown reason, felt drawn towards her.

"Well, espresso! There's a word I know!" she muttered victoriously to herself, and she heard someone chuckling behind her back. The deep low notes made her body shudder, and automatically she straightened her back.

"They do have an English menu, you know?" he told her as he peered at the carte in her hands, and she blushed.

"Ah, no. I didn't," she grimaced and sighed. "Do you know how to ask for one perhaps?"

"Hey, can you hand me an English menu?" he said to the now partially glaring attendant. She snorted

"I should have known that. Thanks." she smiled, taking the menu he gave her.

She knew he was the man who had stopped her from colliding from the way her body was acting on her. But she didn't quite know how to ask him without embarrassing herself any further. She bit her lower lip as she kept pretending to be reading the menu.

"Have you picked or you are going to try and burn that thing by looking at it?" he asked with a smile. He didn't know from where this behavior of his was coming.

"Well, I had just found the espresso on the other menu, I guess I should just go for it." She shrugged

"Sure you want that? It is like this big…" he said making a small measure with his fingers. "It's good, very strong. I'll go with the americano, don't get me wrong I'll love a good espresso, but I'm certainly not very fond of its price."

"Yeah, I guess the americano sounds like the best option for now. Oh, this sandwich looks nice," he grinned at her and ordered for both. "Where did you learn?" she asked, giving him the money which he rejected.

"Here, actually. Well, not here, here. I backpacked through the other side of Italy a long time ago. And let me invite you." He said as she pushed the money once more towards him, she squinted.

"I shouldn't. You know, the don't take things from strangers and all." He chuckled.

"Okay. Then pay me by telling me why were you in such a hurry before? A history sounds a fair price for a coffee and a sandwich," he offered. She looked at him for a couple of seconds as he grabbed their order. She pointed to a table that had just emptied, and they walked to it.

"You saw me before?" she blushed, knowing he was her savior.

"Yes, well I was the one who stopped you. I'm sorry by the way. I didn't intend to be rude or something by pulling you like that."

"Don't be. I should be thanking you. I can't imagine how bad that could've ended if you didn't stop me. I don't know how I would explain myself to them. I'm Samantha Carter by the way," she said extending her hand

"Jonathan O'Neill, two l's," he said grabbing her hand. They both took their hands away quickly, trying not to look so shocked with the current they felt when their hands made contact. "Everybody calls me Jack," he offered just to try and avoid the awkwardness.

"Then I'm Sam."

"And now we aren't stranger any longer, which means you can take them." she smiled.

"Well, the history is still on if you want it?" she offered, and then nodded. "Well, I thought I was getting there too late, I showed my ticket to the cab driver, and he told me to hurry up." She shrugged. "So, I ran. I guess it's not that much of a history."

"No, not really." He chuckled, and she giggled. "Whatcha doing here taking the obvious out?"

"Ah, you mean I can't answer going to Venice?" she smiled, and he shook his head no. "Well, I'm actually here because I promised someone I would."

"Oh," he said tried not to sound so disappointed on that fact.

He kicked himself; he should know someone as beautiful as the girl was obviously meeting someone. Not that he had approached her with any intention, and what was wrong with him to be having that kind of thoughts?

"What about you?" she asked taking a bite of her sandwich.

"My friend kicked me out to get here." She raised an eyebrow surprised, and he scrubbed his face tiredly. "It's a long story. I actually did plan to come for a whole year."

"Did you now?"

"Yup."

"And how come your friend had to kick you to get here?"

"Ah, it's complicated. Short history, I was supposed to come with my wife but..."

"She couldn't make it?" She bit her lower lip sadly, feeling disappointed. He was married!

"Nope," he grimaced. He didn't understand why he was about to tell her all about his sucky marriage and this divorce. He didn't know her, and they probably wouldn't see each other again, so why he felt compelled to pour his soul out to her? "Vacations?" he asked trying to kick the ball over her court.

"Yup, the first ones… ever."

"Ever? Are you a workaholic or something?"

"I guess I must go with the or something." She grinned. "I just finished college, and I guess this is my prize."

"College? What's your major?"

"I'm," she grimaced. "promise me you won't laugh or leave." He frowned.

"I promise." He said raising his hand.

"I'm a theoretical astrophysicist."

"Wow, so you are smart then," she chuckled.

"Thank you." She added.

"What for?" He asked frowning.

"Not mocking me?"

"Why would I? I mean, you must be smart if you are a theoretical astro…that!" She giggled.

"Astrophysicist. Basically, means that if I sucked during college, I could be unemployed and working at McDonalds' forever. But thankfully I'm decent enough and got some offerings. That's plenty for me, what about you? What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a Major. In the USAF."

"Cool, my dad is a General, USAF."

"Really?"

"Yup, I guess that makes me a military brat, right?"

"Only if you are a brat, which I would say you aren't."

"You are saying that to be nice."

"No really. You look like a nice girl for real."

"I'm not a girl. I'm a woman." She frowned. "I'm twenty-two that means I'm old enough to be legal in all but three countries."

"Right." He agreed. "You are still way too young compared tough. I'm sixteen years older than you."

"Really? It doesn't show, Major." She grinned. And tried not to look shocked at her poor attempt of flirting. But she knew she had blushed furiously.

They spent a while longer talking and but soon, the attendant was glaring at them for occupying a table without using it anymore.

"Oh well, we probably should leave." She grimaced.

"Yeah, we should. So, it was nice to meet you Samantha Carter, Sam."

"Same here, Major, sir." She grinned, saluting him as she saw people doing most of her life. He shook his head and saluted her back. And then, they each went to their side of the train feeling a little more lightheaded that they were supposed to after just a conversation with a stranger on a train.