Echoes of Aphasia

Chapter 1: Handsome Strangers And Coffee Dates

Have you ever wondered to yourself how things could have turned out, if only you’d made different decisions back then? Well that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the past four hours as I stare across my new apartment. I have just finished unpacking everything I owned, which was quite frankly not a lot, but I had what I needed to get by with. My name is Alexis Alesana Harrison. In my old town everyone knows me as Alexis, but I would much rather them call me on my middle name. I've never really liked the name Alexis and the Nicknames that gets paired with the name always irritated me.

They say the best stories begin with tragedies, but I would have to disagree with them on that. Whoever they are. I mean, who doesn’t love a good old laugh? My start is not that happy though, you see I am currently on a run from my past, trying badly to mend my broken heart. Trying to erase the pain that follows me closely, everywhere I go. I sometimes think back to when I was still a little girl, naive and so full of hope. If only I had known then that life could be so cruel.

Deciding that I have had enough of this pity party, I stand up and get dressed into something more appropriate for the public. I stare at my reflection in the mirror while I’m applying a thin layer of makeup.  My long blonde hair is long forgotten now as I stare at the brown locks that frame my pale face. I didn’t want to change, but sometimes it’s for the best. Sometimes it's needed so that we can forget the pain we're feeling when we stare back at ourselves.

With one last glance into the mirror, I grab my black leather jacket and rush out of my front door. I wanted to explore my new home and maybe, just maybe, forget about exactly what it was that I had left back at home. And what exactly I wished I could bring here with me.

After hours of wandering in the busy streets, I stumble upon a cosy looking coffee shop called Coffee Addictions. I decide to go in, and as I open the door, I’m immediately met with the smell of coffee. Apart from the smell of old books, this has got to be one of  my favourite aromas.   

“Hi, can I please have a black filter coffee.” I ask the cashier.

“Sure miss, will it be to go or will you be sitting here?” the cashier asks me. She seems a bit young to be working here, no older than seventeen years old if I had to guess.

“I’ll be sitting here for a while.” She smiles at me and finishes up my order. I then walk to an empty spot and pull out my cell phone. I reply to my hundreds of emails and messages while I’m waiting. Apparently the whole town heard that I moved and now everyone is trying to contact me to ask when I'm coming back. I sigh and just as I send my last reply, the cashier calls out my order. My parents aren't happy with my sudden move. They're scared I will fall apart when I'm alone, but what they don't understand is that my home town was driving me insane.

I get up to take it from her, seeing that she is too busy to bring it to the table. It must be hard for her being the only one on shift. I get lost in my thoughts about my own job and how I am often the only one working myself hard to become a success. The only one willing to put in all the work. Without looking, I bump into the most beautiful stranger I have ever seen.

Light blue eyes pierce into mine and I can feel the stranger’s strong grip on my arms as he’s holding me, keeping me from falling on my backside and humiliating myself more than I currently am feeling. I want to thank him for saving me from humiliation, but I seem to be at a loss for words while staring into his eyes. It’s like I’ve known him for years, and yet, I just met him. How is it even possible to feel this drawn to someone you have only literally just bumped into.  

Realizing that I’m probably staring like a creep into his captivating eyes, I finally speak up. “I’m so sorry, sir, I didn’t look where I was going. I’ll be more careful from now on.” I’m surprised that I even got some sensible words out. They were sensible right?