Whatever You Say Ch. 02

Wow! Thank you for all the great votes and all the views on my first attempt at a story! Holy-Moly, I feel like a writer...

Chapter 2

Natalie sat down at the kitchen table with her dinner. Dressed in an old pair of sweat pants and a tank top, she pushed her food around her plate. "I'm never this picky," she told Jingles. Jingles meowed obnoxiously and licked his lips. "Oh alright, you can have it. It's not like I was going to eat it anyways." Rolling her eyes, Natalie put the plate of chicken pie on the kitchen floor so Jingles could attack it. "You must be the only cat on earth who loves pie," she sighed as the cat jumped from the chair and started eating the pie, whipping his tail contentedly.

"I should probably give Nadine call. What do you think Jingles?" She asked the cat sarcastically. The cat looked up from the pie, giving Natalie a meaningful glare before getting back to his dinner. "Oh alright I promise I'll tell her about the Starbucks guy. Are you happy now?" Natalie raised an eyebrow in Jingles' direction. The cat didn't look up from the meal but started to purr quite loudly.

Natalie picked up the phone and dialed her sister's number. Once she started hearing the monotone ringing coming from the other end, she let herself drift away. When her sister picked up the phone after the sixth ring, she was quite startled, and flushed. She was thinking about that guy almost constantly now.

"Hello?" Nadine asked curtly. It was a little late for anybody to be calling, and she was in the middle of brushing her teeth. Her golden brown hair hung loosely from an elastic down her back and she was wearing a men's tank top and pink pyjama bottoms. Her boyfriend Vic had one arm around her waist and was also brushing his teeth.

"Hey Nadine, I'm sorry for bothering you. It's Natalie. I know it's late over there." She said in a reluctant voice. Deep down Natalie did want to confide in her older sister, but on another level she wanted to keep the guy at the Starbucks to herself.

"I don't even know his name,"she thought.

"Hey Nat! How are you? I haven't heard anything from mum and dad so I was assuming that you were all settled in. I have missed you though. Hey I finally convinced Vic to move in with me! I'm sorry I didn't call you before, but I've been so busy lately. I'm going to be finished my bachelors in May. Can you believe it? We are going to have a doctor in the family!.."

Natalie heaved a sigh and listened to her sister's end of the conversation with sisterly affection. She always knew her sister loved to talk. It was why Natalie thought she was a born pediatrician. Working with sick kids demanded a cheerful outlook. She knew that the most burnt out doctors in their first year came from the pediatric branch.

After a few more minutes of listening to her sitter chatter, Natalie thought she should get to the point. "Hey sis listen, I was just calling to let you know how everything is here. My semester went well and my professor thinks I have a lot of talent. Besides that, I've been studying hard and one of the small local galleries might buy some of my work in the summer..."

"Natalie that's wonderful!" Her sister gushed. "I hope you've found someone to celebrate with," she continued suggestively. Nadine's mood was infectious, and soon she had her sister giggling until Natalie couldn't help herself and broke down. She told her all about her strange encounter with the guy at the Starbucks.

After all the catching up was over, Nadine had one question. "Are you going to go see him again?" She asked.

Natalie bit her lower lip. "I don't know. He was really handsome but what if he turns out to be a creep or a stalker or something even worse..."

Nadine cut her off, "Don't be silly. You obviously think he's hot and from the sound of it he likes you too. Besides, you said he was about your age right? Maybe he even goes to university with you. I mean, you said he was familiar looking."

"Ya, I guess you're right. I'll sleep on it. If I do go back I promise to call you about it okay?" She said with a small yawn.

"Of course. You need your sleep though. Rest up and I'll catch you later. Good night sis."

"Good night Nadine."

*****

Jacob stepped out of the shower in the tiny bathroom completely naked, soaking wet, and frustrated. He had forgotten that his towels were in the dryer on the main floor of the dorm. "No doubt they are festooning the walls of the lounge by now," He rolled his eyes as her took a hand towel from the counter and started drying his hair. "I just can't seem to focus on anything but that girl though." He sighed as he draped the towel beside the sink to dry. He looked at himself in the mirror. Longish brown hair curled at his ears and the nape of his neck. Pale skin reflected brightly in the fluorescent lighting of the bathroom. He looked into his own pale green eyes in the mirror, then took in the rest of his face. Angular cheek bones and jaw were a gift from his mother, along with the light dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose. The nose itself was his father's though, straight and chiseled with a slightly rounded tip. He appraised rest of his body with distaste. Always thin and slightly gangly all through his teenage years, Jacob had never really fit any description. Now that he was twenty-two and had filled out a little, he was merely lean, and very tall. "I'm so... I'm so, ordinary," Jacob scrunched his nose at himself in the mirror. "She would never even be able to pick me out of a room," He thought glumly.

Turning to walk into his small bedroom, he noticed the hall clock reading one thirty A.M. "If only I didn't have to work again tomorrow." Jacob gave an exasperated sigh and turned off the light in his room. "Then maybe I could start looking for her." He thought as he felt his way to the bed. Half dry, Jacob sunk down onto the mattress and pulled the covers over his head. As he was drifting off to sleep, he heard a voice far away in the back of his head saying, "Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe she will come in again tomorrow."

"Ya right" he mumbled sarcastically. But that night he had dreams of meeting her again. Talking to her and then charming her and whisking her away with him. It was a nice dream, while it lasted.

*****

Natalie was biting her lip again. Wearing cowboy boots, black tights under a jean mini skirt and a red cardigan, she was feeling very foolish indeed. "I'm just going to order coffee. Why did I dress myself up like this." She thought miserably. The wind was biting at her thighs and she longed to be inside the coffee shop. "I hope he works at 4:30," she thought then reminded herself that she was just going to get some good coffee. "I must be crazy." She sighed as she crossed the same street for a second time in 24 hours.

*****

"Earth to Jacob. Hello? Is there anyone in there?" Karolina teased as she knocked on his head playfully.

"What? Were you saying something?" He asked with a blank stare on his face. He hadn't taken a brake in at least six hours, and Karolina was worried about him. "No, of course not. I was just wondering if you had been abducted by aliens yesterday while we weren't looking. That's all." She raised one eyebrow to stare at Jacob. "Oh...okay." Jake turned back to the coffee machine and started pressing another batch of Columbian roast. Karolina rolled her eyes and turned to walk back to the cash. Mike eyed her from across the blender with an "I told you so" expression on his face. Karolina just shrugged and mouthed "I tried." Barely visible, Jake's shoulders slumped a little more.

The bell above the door jingled again for what felt like the millionth time that day. Jacob didn't even look up now. After the first few hours of hopeful watching, he had given himself a firm scolding and just gotten on with his job. Mike was there again today so he should have talked to him, but somehow he felt he couldn't share his disappointment with Mike. Jake didn't have the closing shift today so he decided that he would just take his break off at the end of his shift and leave a little early. Jake looked at the clock. It read 4:25 on the nose. "Well, I guess I'm just going to leave a bit early instead of taking my break. Okay guys?" It wasn't really a question as Jake headed into the back and started taking off his apron and putting on his coat.

Just as he was turning the knob on the back door, he heard Mike call him back. "Probably wants to go for a drink after work." Jacob grumbled as he closed the door and put his head down against the wind.

*****

Natalie was furious with herself. Furious looking so stupid just for some guy that wasn't even there, and even more so because she was so disappointed. She walked up to the counter anyways and ordered a double chocolate biscotti and a hot chocolate with whipped cream. "Might as well be comfortable in my misery," she thought wryly.

It was a little busy in the shop, it being a Saturday, so Natalie went and sat down at a table to wait for her order to be called. She was well on her way to misery when a guy sat down at her table with her order and a strong looking cup of black coffee. Natalie gave Mike a confused look, but accepted the offering and gave a timid nod of the head.

"Thanks, but you really didn't need to bring this to my table. I could have gotten it myself." she finished. She was trying not to lapse into complete misery and embarrassment. Having another person around was not helping matters much. "I remember you from yesterday." he said simply. He was giving her an expression that she couldn't read. She was about to reply when he said, "I'm Mike. I work here at the Starbucks with Jake." He extended a hand. Natalie bit her lip slightly and shook it softly. "Who's Jake?" She asked, but she had a feeling she already knew. "Jake is the guy that...served you yesterday. Don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember! I can't stop remembering!" Was what came to her mind, but she simply said "Yes, I think so," as she picked up her biscotti and dipped it in the whipped cream.

There was an awkward pause an awkward pause as Mike figured out what to say. "Well I just wanted to come over and say hi on Jake's behalf." He paused and looked at her. She was looking at her hot chocolate but she also looked a little confused. "He saw you yesterday and asked if you came back and he wasn't here, I should introduce myself on his behalf." Natalie raised her head and glanced at him skeptically. Mike continued a little faster. "It's just that...He would really like to meet you but he's..Shy. And so being the friend I am," He flashed a wide grin and Natalie produced her own small smile, "I have volunteered to introduce myself and eventually introduce him. But he seems to have left already-" The door of the coffee shop swung open and suddenly, there he was. Jake was breathing hard, flushed from the cold, and standing right in front of the table.

The shop was suddenly silent. Everyone turned their heads to look at the figure of Jake, his eyes on Natalie. Mike raised his eyebrows but Jacob seemed not to have noticed. He stood there looking just as shocked as Natalie was feeling. Abruptly he bent over and took Natalie's hand in his. "Hello," He paused uncertainly. Her hand was so small and warm inside of his. He almost groaned out loud. It was so soft. He shook his head and looked back into her eyes. They were a warm, rich brown. The color of dark honey. "I just came to introduce myself before I left. I'm Jacob. You can call me Jake if you like."

His stare was so intense when he had flicked his eyes up from her hand that she forgot to breathe. Her heart was doing insane things as she noticed how smooth and cool his hands were. His eyes were a bright, vivid blue-green that had her wondering if he was human. She opened her mouth to say hello but she closed it again, afraid that it might come out as a groan. Instead, she nodded her head slowly once. She was beginning to blush. "I'm Natalie," she said very softly. She took her hand away from his reluctantly and it was like a spell was broken.

Her hand dropped out of his onto her lap. Jake was about to cry out in triumph when he realized where he was and what he was doing. He blushed slightly and unbent himself. Putting his hand at his side and he said abruptly, "I really have to go. But it was nice meeting you. Goodbye." Jacob turned on his heel and fled the shop. All of a sudden the noise volume tripled as all the customers were now talking excitedly.

Natalie was too stunned to move. She let her hands rest on her lap and then looked up at Mike. It looked like he had been holding back laughter for a long time. "Well it was nice meeting you Mike. I have to go now too unfortunately. I'll see you around."

"Of course. See you soon Natalie." He watched her as she got slowly from her chair and put her scarf and coat on. As she was walking out the door Mike saw her come out of her stunned state. She blushed deep pink and almost ran across the street. He chuckled to himself as he picked up the full mug of hot chocolate and brought it back to the counter. Karolina walked up to the counter fanning herself with her hand. "Oh boy. Any more intense than that and I think our lover boy will heat this place for a month. No wonder he was so down before." Mike rolled his eyes and replied, "This is going to be one interesting year."

Karolina smiled and feigned a southern accent as she winked at him. "Amen to that!"

To be continued....