The day we saw forever

Romeo and Juliet

Somewhere before 11.00
We scurry out the bus. The warmth of the sun comes as a surprise. We've been cooped up in there for about thirty minutes and already the temperature has risen noticeably.

Calli takes the lead. She walks a little ahead of me with a clear path in mind. I catch up to her with two big strides. Her eyes a closed for a millisecond, taking in the sun. Her skin glowing in all the right places. Dress drifting along to the cool breeze.

'So what kind of art gallery is this?' I ask.

'Paintings,' she muses. 'I don't really know. I saw a flyer of it in the café. It looked interesting enough.'

The café she's referring to must be Smooths. It's the only hot spot in town. It used to be something else. About five years ago the place switched owners and a smoothie bar emerged from the ashes of a brown boring café. It attracts mostly teenagers and hipsters at this point. Ever since the health trend blew over to our town.

'You visit Smooths a lot then?' my voice drenched in curiosity.

'Visit?' her eyes meet mine. 'I work there.'

'O. Cool.'

'Not really. It's more a must than a want to be honest.'

'Why don't you leave?' She lets out a sigh.

'It's good money. A girl's got to pay the rent.' She winks.

I'm making notes in my imaginary notepad. She likes art. We have met before today and she works at Smooths, the hottest place in town that I have frequently visited before. Maybe we met there? I'm trying to envision her with one of those olive green aprons on. Nope, no bells ringing.

'I like Smooths. They have nice smoothies.'

'Would be dumb if they didn't.' her laugh pierces through me, sending gentle shocks through my body.

We fall silent for a few minutes. Walking side by side to a destination that I know nothing about. We pass tall buildings and many people. Every now and then I allow myself to peek over to her. She seems at peace. Her arms dangling freely by her sides and I can barely suppress this urge to take her hand in mine.

This woman is a mystery to me. Not in the way that I don't know her. More so in the way that after spending just under an hour with her I've started to feel things. Urges and desires. Myself bordering on the edge of going full on creep on this beautiful creature. What is wrong with me?

My mind jumps to a day in class. Way back when I thought it would be fun to follow some literary classes. Our teacher was this old bat. She could barely see and I'm positive that her hearing was quickly decreasing as well but that's all beside the point. We had discussed Romeo and Juliet and it brought forth a debate about love. True love to be exact.

Some of the girls made arguments about how you could fall in love with someone at first glance. Most of the male students didn't buy it. Myself included. I'm wondering now – as I'm standing so close to her – if the girls were right. Then again, how would I know? I don't think I have ever experienced real love. Not with Vanessa at least and I'd been with her the longest.

'You do that a lot, don't you?' I hadn't noticed her staring at me until now.

'Do what?'

'Disappear inside your head.'

'Sorry.'

'No, don't be. Want to share?'

'I was thinking about a class I took a long time ago.'

'In art?'

'Literature.'

'That's a kind of art.' She smiles while tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

'I guess,' her eyes don't leave me. She is genuinely interested in my thoughts so I continue. 'It was about Romeo and Juliet.'

'A most epic love story,' there is a twinkle in her eye. 'Please don't tell me your comparing yourself to Romeo.'

'Would that make you Juliet then?'

'I hope not. I'm in no mood to die for a man.' She laughs. Her hand gently tapping my arm.

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I definitely believe in love at first sight. Just saying. Do you? ;)