"Where did you go?" Carlos looked up and saw the muffin I was currently shoving into my mouth. "Really? We have things to do and you spent a half hour getting muffins?"
"I told you, I have an extremely balanced breakfast. If I don't get the exact amount of carbs that I-"
"Yeah, I couldn't care any less." Carlos moved to sit at the table and opened his laptop. "So, I was thinking we could-"
"I saw him." I sat across from Carlos and grabbed both of his hands, swinging them back and forth like a lovesick schoolgirl.
"Who is 'him' James?" I threw my head back on the chair and sighed.
"He's the beautiful, sweet, charming blonde that I saved the other day." He groaned aloud and leaned forward again. "He works at the bakery down the street, the one that we always get coffee from."
"James, you can't do this again!"
"Do what?"
"Pull another reverse Stockholm on me." My jaw dropped and my hands found my hips. "Don't give me that look. Remember the guy you saved from that fire in that old apartment complex? The one that fell out the window?" I nodded although I had no clue what he had to do with anything.
"You save these people, then fall in love with them. Then when you date, you think you're going to last forever, so you come close to giving away your secret. Then I tell you not to, they break up with you a few weeks later, you cry, then do it again."
"You're being dramatic."
"No, you are. You need to stop this, man. You're way too emotionally connected to the people you save."
"That's not true, and I totally resent that."
"Whatever man, can we talk about the updates I did on your suit now?" I nodded and folded my arms. Carlos continued explaining, but I wasn't really listening. I was too busy thinking about when I'd have time to stop and get a coffee and some more muffins. He must have noticed because he stopped talking and sighed.
"Did you see that guy earlier?" I tap Camille on the shoulder until she gives in and responds.
"We work at a cafe, Ken. Dozens of guys are in here all the time." She laughs and moves to put a cap on the drink she's making and hands it off to a girl waiting on the side. "Be more specific?"
"About six feet. Brown hair, hazel eyes, kinda tan?" Camille shrugs and leans against the counter. "He came during coffee rush! Dozen muffins?"
"Oh, yeah!" She picks up a rag and goes to wipe down tables. "He was alright."
"Alright?" I trail behind her. "Just alright? Dude was comparable to a greek god."
"So why didn't you ask him out?"
"I got scared." She laughs, pats me on the head and pushes me off of the table I'm sitting on.
"Get over your fear! You'll never find a man with that fear of rejection clouding your judgement."
"How do you know I'm gonna see him again?" She walks over and puts the rag and cleanser behind the counter, then takes a seat next to me.
"Considering the fact that he bought a dozen muffins he might need something to wash 'em down later?" I laughed and she shoves me toward the register. "Get back to work, flunky."
"I need coffee, 'Los." I pull on his shoulders to stop him and turn him to face me. "It's not like I'm of any help in this situation. You guys always talk over me anyway."
"Of course you need to be there. You need to know how to work this stuff."
"Look, Loge soups up the guns, you put them in the suit, and I read the manual later. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need caffeine before I do anything." I walk down the street in search of coffee and come to the little cafe that Carlos and I frequent when we're in the area. I peek in the window first, trying to see if Kendall's still there, but instead I see a perky brunette working the cash register. Disappointed, I walk up to the counter.
"Hi. What can I get 'ya?" I order my usual, and she scurries off to make it. I turn around and see someone walking toward the back, covered by crates and crates of dishes. Before I can comprehend it, I'm on the ground holding the blond in one arm and the crates of dishes in the other.
Camille sends me off to the back to get clean dishes and bring them out to the front. Before I left her, she told me to take two trips but I thought I could pull it off in one. After all, it was only two crates.
I stack one on top of the other and hoist them into the air, making sure to kick around before I walk out so I don't run into any boxes. I make it out of the back and to the store front with no problem until my foot catches on a puddle. When I think that I've hit the ground, I wait for the crates to come crashing down on me, but they never do. I open my eyes and there he is.
"You okay?" He laughs, his perfect teeth glimmering like stars. I babble for a while, unable to form words while he sets the dishes down and lifts me into a chair like little girl with a skinned knee.
"You're really strong." It's at this point that I realize that I should have stuck to babbling senseless words because he laughs at me again.
"So I've been told." Camille runs from behind the counter and stands between us.
"That was amazing!" She adds enthusiastically. "How did you even get to him so fast? It's like one second you were there, then you were here!"
"I've been told that too." He stands up, and brushes off his pants. "I just work out a lot. I'm training for a marathon. Is my drink done?" He's suddenly acting uncomfortable and it seems like he just wants to leave.
"I'll get it for you." I run to the front of the store, almost slipping in the water again before making it there. I hear him say 'be careful' as I grab his drink from the counter and finish it up, popping the lid on before I hear Camille's voice in the back of my head screaming to get over my fear of rejection. I pull a sharpie out of my apron pocket, draw a little doodle of him saving me on the side of the cup, and sign it with my number. I wave him over and he picks his drink up and heads toward the door. He takes a sip, and stops. My heart drops when he turns around and comes back.
"What's this?" Camille looks between us and smiles at me, signaling me talk to him.
"My number." He raises his eyebrows and I continue. "I figured that I owed you one, and you'll need a way to call in that favor." He smirks and looks back down at the cup, my heart racing the whole time.
"I will definitely do just that." He puts his hand out and I grab onto it. "James. James Diamond."
"Kendall Knight." I look into his eyes as his hand slips away. "Thanks for, y'know."
"You're welcome, Kendall." He winks at me, then saunters out the door. Camille runs over and jumps up and down by my side.
"You actually did it!" She continues her little dance, but I just couldn't get over this weird feeling over deja vu that had washed over me when he left.
It's been a while, but it's here. I know a lot of people don't read this, but I like it so far and I'm definitely planning on continuing this. :)-