Another bright and beautiful day in Jump City, and there was no more beautiful place than Jump Gardens. Situated in the middle of the bustling city, the gardens was respite from the shadows of the tall buildings, the noise pollution of the cars, and the stale smoke-filled air stuck in the litter-dense alleyways.
Jump Gardens was a world away from Jump, all while being in its dead center. It was the only place Garfield could truly feel at ease. Even after a year in Jump, he still missed the peace of the woods - a setting that was entirely out of his reach here.
On a gorgeous sunny day like this one, Garfield couldn't imagine someone even attempting to commit a crime. Even an asshole wouldn't take away his day off when all the stars aligned into the most amazing day of the summer so far - eighty-three degrees, the sun peeking through the canopy of trees flittering across his face like warm dots of liquid gold, the breeze through his hair and the wheels of his skateboard smoothly rolling across the gardens path.
There was absolutely nothing that could ruin his day today. His hand inched toward the communicator stealthily hidden around his wrist like a watch, contemplating turning it off - just for the day, maybe even an hour! He sighed, letting his hand instead comb through his hair, opening his eyes to take in the view of the perfectly trimmed green seas of grass framing the walk-way aside the gallery of prim red roses perfectly preserved.
He kicked off the walk, his skateboard gaining more speed when suddenly, his world slowed.
His eyes locked on a girl. The girl. Petite frame, yet tall, almost fragile looking. Her slim, delicate hand reaching up to tuck her short black hair behind her ear. In her other arm she was balancing several documents, all topped off with a coffee cup in her hand. She struggled to hold everything, juggling the papers and cup between her hands, her messenger bag nearly falling off her shoulder.
He was quickly approaching her on his board. 'Wow,' he thought to himself as he continued forward, the board gliding fluidly. 'If only the universe would just once give me a-' his board jerked suddenly to the right - "Meet-cuuuuute!"
His shoulder found as sudden collision, his board slipping out from under his feet, and his back roughly meeting the pavement.
He blinked a few times, taking in his new view of the sky and the trees.
"Ughhh," a female groan brought him back to reality. He sat up. Papers everywhere, a spilt tea, and an ashy raven-haired girl were sprawled out in-front of him.
Against his better judgment, he couldn't hold back a smile. "My meet-cute!"
She brought her hand to her head, keeping her eyes closed as she absorbed the shock. "Meet-cute?" He was suddenly next to her, helping her to sit up.
"Yea!" The boy was already a little too enthusiastic for her tastes - especially for the headache growing inside her noggin after the fall. "You know, 'meet-cute'," he repeated, supporting her back with his knee.
She blinked, looking at the boy. Blonde hair, green eyes, toothy grin. She frowned, "Saying it a second time doesn't make me understand it." She sat up further, rejecting his support and beginning to collect her papers.
He followed suit, scrambling to sweep up her belongings. "A meet-cute is when two people meet in a strange way - almost like fate. You know like, in a movie. They meet by chance, and maybe their hands touch-"
In that moment, they both reached for the same page, they fingers meeting in the middle. It felt like an electric shock through his heart. He looked up, their eyes meeting now for the first time, her amethyst eyes deep and captivating.
He felt his breath catch in his chest. "And, ahem," he looked back down at her hand, which she withdrew immediately. "They look deeply into each other's eyes. And they fall, uh," he scratched the back of his neck. When he looked back up she didn't seem to be following. "You know, like, a movie." He ended lamely, feeling his words completely lost from him.
She took a moment, her head tilting to the side as she thought about this, her hair falling in her face again. "I'm not really a movie person. I'm more into books." She got onto her knees. He jumped up before her, taking her hand to help her up too.
"It happens in books too!" He grinned again, his heartbeat shaking him. "Romance books."
She blinked her long eyelashes at him again. "I don't read those books."
He nodded, "Well. I won't spoil the ending of how this meet-cute should go then." He winked a sparkling emerald green eye at her.
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I see. So this meet-cute is your doing then? You… wait around in the park to attack women and knock them down all to… flirt with them?" Her lips twitched slightly into a simulacrum of a smile that made him greedy to see the real thing.
"No!" He shook his head. "No, you can't plan a meet-cute… Well, you could, but you give me too much credit. I'm not that smart."
Both of her eyebrows shot up now, as she nodded judge-mentally.
He blushed, "Wait no, I mean, I'm smart, I'm just not the 'strategic' type." He bit his lip, looking down at his feet.
"I see," she responded unemotionally.
"Oh my god!" He noticed a spatter of blood on the pavement. "I totally forgot to ask. Are you ok? Your hand, you hurt your-" He grabbed his wrist, turning her palm to face him. Not a scratch.
"Hm?" She looked at him inquisitively. "My hand? I'm fine." She looked down at the blood. "Oh! Your leg," she pointed to the rip in his jeans. She bent over, examining it. "That's weird. Must be a coincidence… unless you just have super-human healing?" She smirked accusingly.
He panicked, immediately running his hand through his hair. "Heh, me? Super-human? No way! Are you sure you didn't plan this meet-cute? This could be the evidence from the last guy you suckered," he playfully narrowed his eyes at her.
"Ah, guilty," her side smirk was just adorable, "I stand around here waiting for reckless guys to knock me down and mess up my manuscript," she rolled her eyes, her sarcasm making Gar even more playful.
"Ok, Ok you got me." He put his hands up, "I purposely knock gorgeous women down before hitting on them so they're confused enough to say yes."
Her mouth opened slightly as she took this in.
"I'm kidding!" He blurted, his panic at a peak now. "About the knocking-women-down- thing, not about you being gorgeous. Because you are. Whew!" He fanned his shirt, "Is it hot out today or - ?"
She watched him with a deadpan, waiting for his blabbering to be over. After a moment of silence her lips broke into a full smile as she flipped her hair away from her face with a small laugh. "You're… kind of funny."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "That's me. Kind of funny Garfield. And that's my name, Garfield." He held out his hand.
She took it and accepted his sweaty and eager handshake. "Rachel," she told him. She looked down longingly at her spilt tea. When she looked back up she found him staring at her. "So, you knock a girl down, spill her tea, all to hold her hand?" She thought about this. "Interesting tactic, what's next, Master Strategist?"
He chuckled, "Well, now I buy you another tea. Maybe some lunch? I know a great vegan place right around the corner if you-"
"Ah… rain-check? I'm kind of in the middle of something," her lips formed a tight, awkward line.
"Yea, sure. When?"
"Another time," She told him, beginning to walk past him.
"Like tonight?" He continued. "Dinner? We can meet right here?" She continued walking. "Seven sound good?!" He called after her.
"Seven works!" She replied, not turning back.
"Great! Awesome! Seven! Right here!" His grin was ear to ear as he watched her wave to him over her shoulder.
"Friend Garfield!" Kori's voice made him jump. He turned to find her holding his skateboard. "Your skateboard was in the grass over there." She peered at the short-haired girl he was watching. "Is she your friend?"
"No, Kori." He took the skateboard smugly. "She is my date for tonight."
Kori turned to him. "Friend Garfield, that is glorious!" She threw her arms around him. "How did that happen?"
"Meet-cute, Kori. It's all about the meet-cute."
Rachel threw her keys onto the table, sliding her cardigan off her shoulders.
"Did you find him?" Her roommate appeared behind her, helping her to remove the sweater.
"No, not yet." She turned to face him. "But I will."
He nodded. "Good. Because we're running out of time."
