Chapter 2
Ami stared straight ahead. She had been sitting on her chair silently for the past five minutes trying to understand what had happened. A little smile continued to cross her pale lips as she released a contented sigh. Her mind continued wondering to the wonderful man she met. Her fingers lightly ran across the smooth cover of her new book... she seriously doubted she would start reading this story any time soon.
A smile played upon her lips.
It was a good day.
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They had arrived to the bookshop shortly after the two met. Ami was the first to run into the warm store before the man with golden locks followed. Snow had started falling at a faster pace. From the looks of it, the senshi of ice didn't know if she would leave this small shop soon. It didn't cross her mind as a bad thing; she enjoyed a good book and hot chocolate on cold days as these. What unnerved the blue-orbed woman was the man standing next to her.
His dark green eyes silently laughed at her as he smiled kindly. His calloused hand gently grasped her wrist, and he led her into the warm shop. This gentleman stopped before a counter where a server waited patiently for their order.
"What can I get for you?"
The man with golden curls took one glance to the young female before saying to the cashier, "Hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon."
The man punched in a few buttons before glancing to Ami.
"And for you ma'am?"
Ami lightly frowned as she bit her lip, "I'll be paying for my own-"
"Please," cut off the man with gorgeous green eyes, "Allow me to treat you."
"Are you sure?" she asked with a small shake in her voice. She hated being a burden to other people.
A charming smile was on the lips of the man. "Positive."
The water senshi nodded her head as she turned her attention to the cashier. "I'll take the same thing." It was a surprise that someone else enjoyed the same wintertime beverage as she! On a day as this, she knew almost all of her friends would have chosen the coffee over hot chocolate (thanks to the caffeine in the black substance). Nonetheless, it was a curious matter when some mystery gentleman ordered the same drink which was a personal favorite of hers.
A cup had been placed before Ami's gazed view, and the ice senshi glanced towards the green orbs. She carefully took the hot beverage before they stepped to the closest table, and both sat down.
Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, she smiled with satisfaction as her eyes momentarily closed.
She was in heaven!
Unknown to the woman, the perfect gentleman had watched her reaction silently. A small smile played on his lips before he too drank the drink to warm his chilled body.
Ami sat her drink on the table softly, her eyes glancing around the small café. Just beyond the tiled floors were the books. Even though she enjoyed the company of someone else that didn't involve work (her alter ego- Sailor Mercury), it was out of her comfort zone to do such things. To her sight this man... very kind and lighthearted also had an aura of familiarity.
There was just something that she couldn't quite place... or touch.
Who did he remind Ami of?
"Is the drink too hot for you?" he asked her.
Using the warmed stirafom to heat up her frigged hands, the woman shook her head in disagreement. "Not at all sir."
He smiled.
Ami looked up from her hot chocolate and smiled in return as she gazed at the man carefully studying his features and observing vigilantly as she would any organism in a biology class. "So, oh mysterious one. Tell me about you," stated Ami as she folded her hands together.
The man carefully leaned forward to avoid spilling his drink before he replied, "I am an artist."
Ami blinked, "An artist?" This was new. Yes... maybe the long hair could have given that information away. She knew some artists who refused to cut their hair, or simply forgot about it to tie it in the back of their head. Their work was always more important than that of the way they looked... "What part of art?"
"I work with clay. Pots and dishes most of the time."
"That's your work?" she asked.
"More of a side job," replied the man with a smile, "I enjoy it just as much as my job."
"And your job?"
"A photographer."
Ami blinked. She knew she should have been expecting that one also. Well, he sure had the senshi fooled. "What kind of a photographer?"
He took a sip from his hot chocolate before a smirk was placed on his lips. "I deal with scenery and natural elements. Many customers higher me to do portraits of family, school graduations, weddings..." He chuckled, "They higher me to take pictures for modeling agencies also."
"It sounds like you are very successful," replied Ami as she also took a sip of her drink. She had started to think... maybe this man was a bit too old... to be this successful?
"And what about you Miss Ami? I think I've talked enough about myself," commented the gentleman.
"I'm not interesting," replied Ami with a blush on her cheeks.
"Not true," whispered the man with green eyes. "Go on; tell me."
The senshi of ice laughed softly as she nodded her head, "I am a student at the University."
"A student?" he asked blinking in surprise.
Ami nodded, "I'm working towards my PhD."
The man's eyebrows shot up, "And how old are you?"
Ami's blush brightened, "I'll be twenty next year."
The senshi almost laughed when his mouth dropped open.
Ami, now feeling a bit more daring, asked, "And what age might you be?"
He nervously chuckled shifting his golden curls with his bulky hand. "Almost twenty-six."
"You're birthday's soon?" she asked.
He nodded, "In two weeks."
Ami smiled, "Well, Happy Birthday (two weeks in advance)!"
He also smiled widely as he took another drink of his cooling hot chocolate. "Thank you."
Ami paused, her smile brightening, as her cheeks became bright red from embarrassment. "Sorry I am not so talkative as most women." She glanced to her beverage before reaching for it, "I generally stay secluded from everyone but my best friends."
"You're best friends must be very blessed to know a wonderful young woman as yourself," uttered the man with golden curls.
That brought a brighter blush onto the features of the young senshi. "I...I guess..."
"Don't guess," whispered the man. He leaned in towards her, his face mere inches away from the senshi of waters'. "You should KNOW that fact very well."
"Okay," she stated softly, "Then I ...know my friends appreciate me."
The man cocked an eyebrow, "That didn't sound so reassuring, but I would love to be the one whom you give your full attention to."
Ami's eyes widened, "Are... are you asking me out?"
"I could be," suggested the man.
Ami's face became scarlet- a complete contrast to the light blues she wore for clothing. Her eyes darted down away from the face of the photographer before her.
He merely chuckled well humouredly before placing a hand over her small one. His calloused thumb lightly rubbed over her soft pale skin. "You don't have to say anything now, Miss Ami. Think about it; you are a kind girl, and I would love to get to know you better."
Her eyes finally had the nerve to glance up, and her eyes locked with his bright green orbs. The smile that formed on her lips reassured the man that his proposition had been considered in the mind of this genius. She glanced down at his hand, which continued to massage the aching nerves in her palm; completely nervous, she continued her smile, but shook her head.
"I don't know how to explain it, sir," she replied softly and shyly. Anyone would have known these conversations made her extremely nervous. She was never the romantic; that had always been Minako or Usagi. Ami was un-dateable. She was unsocial. The senshi of ice was a nerd.
N-E-R-D.
Nerd.
She was one of those people who would most likely come up with some great invention or idea that would make billions of dollars before considering a steady relationship.
Yeah, she did enjoy curling up with a good romance novel... but she couldn't see herself going out with some guy she just met! Why she-
The senshi felt a piece of paper slide into he fingers, the palm of the mysterious male leaving her. His light chuckling woke her out of her intense thoughts before be took once more sip from his hot chocolate (finishing it), and he stood up from his place. "Think about it Ami. Give me an answer by Thursday if you would like to do something with me this weekend."
He stood up smiling to her once more before leaving the small shop and tossing away his trash. As his fingers grasped the brass doorknob to the shop, his emerald eyes took one glance to Ami before he completely vanished from view.
Minutes had passed as she stared at the door.
She couldn't believe what had happened.
She lightly slapped her cheek before turning her head down to her half-full cup of hot chocolate. A bright blush still stained her cheeks.
"What a handsome man..." she muttered softly.
She picked up the piece of paper the mysterious gentleman placed in her possession.
A telephone number...
Her face brightened up once again as her heart began to race.
This had to have been one of the first times something like this had happened... her eyes were becoming panicked as reality set in- her fantasy world slowly slipping away.
Ami was a master at math, sciences, and languages... but love...?
The senshi of ice stood up and walked into the book part of the shop.
Maybe... maybe she should just stick to books. Those seem to be the safest things for her at this time.
But that smile still tugged at the side of her lips. This mysterious man with the beautiful green eyes was a flirt. Her was charming, pleasant to talk to, and kind with expression and motives. There was one thing that unnerved Ami as she picked up a novel on the bookshelf, and she mentally slapped herself.
"I never caught his name."
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That was the one statement that bothered the senshi of ice even as she sat at her home fingering her book.
What was with name of her mystery man with golden locks of hair, green eyes, and a killer smile?
She rubbed her forehead nervously growling softly in a frustrated manner. "This thought is going to be the death of me. I know it."
AN: Good? Bad? Comment about what you think was alright and what needs work. The more response from you guys, the faster the chapters will come.
I thank every one who reviewed for the last chapter. It was such an encouragement! I am extremely greatful for your support! Thank you.