49. Courage
There she was, sitting in her usual spot in the cafe, with the sunlight hitting her golden hair that made it glow in brilliance, and her skin looked warm. Her jacket hung on the chair, he noticed, her white t-shirt was snug on her body. She wore her usual black skinny jeans and boots that stop right beneath her knees. Her eyes was a strange, yet beautiful, color of gray like a cloud of storm; they were focused on a book she was holding, reading the pages. Everything about her looked perfect, she looked like a painting that should be mounted in a museum for all to see; it was enough to catch his breath.
It was by accident, chance, that he met her here on this cafe. Well, he didn't exactly meet her, no he passed her by on his normal morning jog. She was sitting by the window, like she is right now, and reading a book with her coffee in front of her still steaming. The route he was taking wasn't he usual route, during that time it was under going some construction of the street. Wally had no choice but take a temporary route for his jog. Now, everyone he knew knows that Wally was a scientific man, he did not believe in magic and destiny and fate, he was a man believing in cold facts and hard evidence. But at that very moment facts and numbers meant nothing to him when he saw her through that cafe window, call it destiny or fate, he was glad that his usual jogging route was going under construction. At that moment, Wally took that route everyday just so he could see her face.
It was okay at first, just seeing her face through his jog. But the more he saw her he wanted her more. He would start slowing down at the cafe so he could linger just a bit. Sometimes when he was finished with his jog he would jog back home on the same route instead of making a circle. She would still be there reading her book. It was getting painful to just jog by her. He wanted to go inside and talk to her, but he was too nervous to try and go inside the cafe. He chickened out, he would have to deal with the jogging.
He accidently let her slip while hanging out with his friends. Megan and Zatanna was on him like hungry vultures that were finally able to get some meat in their system after days of starvation. Dick, Conner, Kaldur, and Roy watched bemusedly as they watch the girls trying to get any information out on the mystery girl that Wally had been crushing on for the past couple of weeks. The guys were getting curious about their friend's crush as well. After another hour of begging and pleading Wally caved in. He started to explain from the start.
"Dude, you need to go and talk to her." Dick said, sipping on his drink.
"I can't!"
Kaldur frowned. "Why not? Does she have a boyfriend?"
"...I don't really know. But what if she does? What if she rejects me because of that or because she doesn't like me?" Wally rubbed his friend.
Roy gave a snort. "Not going to be the first time." He grinned.
"Dude, you're not helping me."
"Oh Wally," Megan smiled. "You don't have to out right confess her."
"Yeah," Zatanna agreed with her red headed friend. "It be a little strange when someone she's never met before comes up to her and confesses to her. Try and go talk to her, have a conversation see what she likes and dislikes."
"You could find out that if she has a boyfriend or not that way you would not have to worry of rejection my friend." Kaldur smiled at his distressed friend.
"You think so?" Wally played with his fries.
"Seems like a plan," Conner said. "What's the worse that could happen?"
"She could laugh at my face." Wally glumly replied.
"I don't think she would be that mean, Wally," Megan tried to reassure him. "You guys just met with each other, she wouldn't laugh at your face."
Dick shook his head and sighed at Wally's silence. "Will it make you feel better if we came with you to the cafe?"
"Yes."
The next day they all met up at the cafe Wally had been running past for about a month in a half. Bringing him to this current situation. They all walked in and looked around the area. Wally saw her in her usual spot. This was the first time he came in here, being near her in the same area as her, it felt so surreal. That was when Roy next to him took a sharp inhale of air.
"Roy, dude, you okay?" Wally asked. Roy's eyes were wide in shock.
"Roy?" Dick looked towards the blond. "Do you know her?"
"...You...have got to be kidding me," said Roy. "You're in love with my girlfriend's sister?" He hissed out.
Everyone's eyes widen in complete shock and turn of events. Wally quickly dragged them to the other side of cafe where they could not be spotted; Roy has everyone's full attention.
"So...wait, let me get this straight...you know her?" Wally stared Roy with wild eyes.
"Yeah," Roy slowly nodded, still staring at the blond. "She's particularly like Ollie's niece, a daughter he always wanted, that's how I met Jade her sister. Now, are you sure that she's the girl you were talking about?"
"Yes!" Wally whispered.
"Wait, so what's her name?" Conner asked.
"Artemis, Artemis Crock."
"Artemis," the minute he said her name it left a tingle and a fuzzy feeling in his stomach.
Dick chuckled. "Wow, of all the people it had to be someone Roy knows."
"Hey," Roy glared at the younger boy, but he shrugged and grinned at him.
"My friend, are you feeling alright?" Kaldur glanced at Wally who seemed to be getting nervous.
"So...uh...what exactly would Ollie do if I asked her out?"
"You want me to tell you the truth or lie?"
"Dude! C'mon!"
Roy shrugged. "I'm being serious Wally, Ollie doesn't take it nicely that his one and only favorite niece dates a boy. She's dated a couple of bad ones, that's when Jade and I intervened." Noticing his paling friend Roy hastily corrected himself. "Not like I don't trust you or anything but we are protective of him. She's family." Roy clasped his shoulder. "Don't fuck it up."
Zatanna and Dick pushed Roy aside. "Don't worry about him, Wally," Zatanna smiled encouragingly at the nervous young man. "She's going to like you Wally, it might not be love at first sight for her, but she will like you. Have a little courage."
"Zatanna is right, Wally, you must not let fear run your life. If you miss this chance, you might regret it for the rest of your life." Kaldur gave him a firm yet reassuring grip on his shoulder.
Wally took a look at his friends who gave him encouraging looks (except for Roy, his look was saying "you fuck this up and make her cry, I'll kill you"). He took a deep breath and turned around toward her direction. She was still there, reading her book.
All this time Wally was always scared that he would screw it up and miss the chance to be with her. Afraid that he wasn't good enough for her, that she would reject him, but he didn't know if that was really going to happen. He was thinking too many steps ahead. He needed to be strong. He had the courage, he was going to do it. Wally walked up to her and cleared his throat. Artemis looked up from the book he was reading and he smiled at her. She was breathtaking up close. And the way she smiled back at him made his heart do flips.
"Hi, I'm Wally West."
You know, everyone enjoys a nervous and cute Wally. C'mon, he's so adorable and his friends gave him the courage that he needed (Roy wasn't that much of a help if I think about it). I thought this would be a cute concept for me to write, a nervous and afraid Wally who jogs by the same cafe to see his mysterious crush everyday, he's satisfied but craves for more of her. You like? :3
Review please!
NOTICE: The last chapter will be posted up soon, so here's an idea.
WHY DON'T YOU GUYS WRITE THE LAST CHAPTER?
You guys read it write! You guys can write Wally and Artemis's last chapter of Moments! There are only a few rules:
Rule 1: It must be rated T or below, no M rated chapter
Rule 2: There can be a few swear words, but it can't take up the WHOLE dialogue
Rule 3: It can be AU or go along the story line of the YJ series
Rule 4: PM me when you are finished so I could read it and post up the winner
Rule 5: Deadline is on Saturday of 23rd
Rule 6: Relax, have fun, and don't stress over it so much
Rule 7: DO NOT PITCH IN IDEAS! WRITE YOUR OWN STORY AND SEND IT TO ME! THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS CONTEST!
If there are few responses and others don't want to do it I'll just post up my chapter that I will be writing just in case. Good luck! :3