I walked down main street, taking in the crisp Autumn air into my lungs, trying to dampen the turmoil taking place inside of my heart. Why were people always so horrible? I swear, some people just didn't deserve the title 'human', because most of them are not even short of the word monster.

I was walking, looking down, and studying the cracks in the side walk when I bumped into some one. I mentally cursed myself at doing that once again in the last twenty four hours. I looked up and started to apologize.

"I'm so sorry I-"

 I stopped when I saw those sea foam green eyes again. Any thing that I was about to say froze in my throat. He smirked amused and his eyes seemed to shine.

"We've got to stop meeting like this." He teased

 I blushed, embarrassed that I bumped into him again.

"Sorry, I am such a klutz." 

"Well you were looking down while you were walking." He remarked gently

"Once again, I'm sorry. Well, nice seeing you again I'll just be going now."

I tried to walk around him but he grabbed my forearm and I once again felt the electricity and gasped. I turned back around but he quickly released me. 

"I'm sorry. Habit." He said

I looked at him confused, about to ask what he meant by 'habit', but I kept my mouth closed.

"You seem intimidated by me." He suddenly said

I looked at him, in a three piece business suit, grey with a charcoal blue tie, a white dress shirt, and the distinct smell of old spice cologne. My mouth watered and my heart hammered.

"No, I am not intimidated by you, I am just simply embarrassed that I keep running into you like this." I said with a nervous laugh

"Nothing to be embarrassed about, it's not like I'm bothered by you running into me." He smiled

I blushed.

"So, where are you on your way to?" He asked me

"Just walking...I had to clear my head."

 He looked at me thoughtfully.

"Well I was heading to this office building, but I am a little early. Would you like to get coffee?"

 I looked behind me and even beside me to see if I was the one he was talking to. Was I dreaming?

This man actually wanted to be seen with me, and in public none the less? When I looked back up at him, he was staring at me confused.

  "What are you looking for?"

"I thought you were talking to someone else for a second."

Wow.... that sounded so stupid out loud.

"Why wouldn't I be asking you?" He asked me confused, albeit a little miffed by the tone in his voice

 "Uh...I- never mind. Coffee sounds great, let's go."

I wanted so badly to forget this conversation, but Leo wasn't going to.

"Hold up Ellie, I asked a question."

His voice made me stop in my tracks. There went that authority again, and immediately my legs went to Jell-o. I felt him come up behind me and felt his breath against my ear. It made me shiver, and no it wasn't the air outside this time.

"What was your question?" I asked timidly

 "Why wouldn't I be asking you? And give a good reason." He demanded, eyes darkening

 Okay woah....where did that come from? 

"Well I uh, I just thought that maybe you saw a prettier girl behind me and you were asking her." I said quietly, looking down at my feet.

He walked in front of me and boldly put an index finger underneath my chin, raising my head to meet him. His eyes bore into mine and I stood there unmoving.

"Well I am asking you. So are you joining me or not?" He asked gruffly

Wait....did I make him mad or something? Jeez, what was his malfunction?

 "Sure." I said

 He started walking ahead of me and I followed like a puppy dog. We reached a Starbucks not that far from where I originally was. We ordered our drinks, paid, and got a table waaaay in the back. I sipped my caramel Frappuccino while he drank his mocha hazelnut blend. I avoided his eyes the whole time, but I felt his eyes on me the whole time.

 I heard him make a "hmph" noise

 I looked up and saw him staring at me. I couldn't hold his gaze and I looked back down.

 "I haven't known you long, but I notice that you often look down. Why is that?" He asked

 "I don't know, habit I guess." I smirked

 I saw from the corner of my eye that he pursed his lips. 

 "Well it needs to stop."

That made me look up.

Why?" I asked

 "Because, I don't like it. It's not becoming of you."

Not becoming of me? dude, Since when do you know me?

I got a little annoyed. I barely knew him and already he was telling me what to do? 

 "Well that's not up to you now is it?" I asked with a bit of edge to my voice

 He looked at me and said nothing. He even looked a bit amused. 

I looked back down and continued sipping my now sickly sweet tasting coffee. I pushed it to the side in disgust.

 "Ready to get out of here?" He asked me

 I nodded, and got up from the table, discarding my drink on our way out. I had cleared my head enough by now. So I started walking down the road to get back to the office. But Leo was still following me.

"Is there a reason you're following me?" I asked him

"There is an office I'm supposed to be going to this way. That alright with you?" He asked me amused

 "Just peachy." I muttered under my breath

 I heard him chuckle. And then noticed that when I reached the door to the office, he walked right in after me. Okay, so there were other offices that occupied this building, but I was still surprised that he followed me towards the elevators.

 "What floor?" I asked him

 "Three."

 My heart fell to my shoes. He was on my floor? Oh God!

I clicked that button and the ride, though five seconds, seemed to take five years. Once we stepped off, he followed me towards Caine and I's office and when he saw us, smiled.

 "Ah, I see you have met our new partner. Hi, I am Caine." Caine said, holding out his hand.

They shook hands.

 "Leo." He answered

 "Nice to finally meet you. I've heard good things about you."

 "As I have of you, Mr. Caine. So, what will I be doing here?"

 "Well, as I had told you over the phone, there is a huge person of this practice moving on to another bigger practice in Texas."

 "Right, that you did."

 Caine glanced at me with a sad look on his face. And then I got it: he was the one leaving. Over the past few months he had been diligently trying to find a replacement for someone leaving the office, yet no matter how often I asked him, he never told me. 

Now I knew why.

 "You're leaving?" I asked him softly

 He pursed his lips and nodded towards me sadly.

 "Well...why?" I asked 

 "My mom needs me back in Texas, she's been sick and I don't know how much longer she has. So I have to go. I'll be back.....some day. But right now, I'm needed there. I didn't want to upset you."

 I sighed and accepted it.

 "When do you leave?"

 "I have a week left. I should start packing up the office."

 "Yeah, you should. Besides, we should go out on Friday, that way, you have a proper going away party." I said

 He forced a sad smile. 

 "Sounds great." He replied

 He said his regards to Leo as he walked back into the office we shared, closing the door behind him. I sat down on one of the waiting room chairs trying to soak it all in. My mentor and fellow therapist for the last few years was leaving, and now he was leaving me with the same weird stranger I kept running into. 

"You okay?" Leo asked 

 "Yeah...just can't believe this is happening."

 It was interesting how he went from hard and bossy, to actually caring and gentle 

  "Hey, I know he means a lot to you, and I know that me and you haven't gotten off on the right foot, but I would like a chance to prove that I can be a great mentor to you. I mean, I don't like to brag, but I am kinda the best there is." He smirked at me

 I couldn't help but stare at his perfectly straight and white teeth. I involuntarily smiled back.

 "Now, I would like to redo our date....if you don't mind."

 "What date?"

 "Our coffee one."

 "Since when was that a date."

 "Since I said it was." He smirked

I got up and stood in front of him.

 "No, you don't call the shots here. Besides, It's not a date if you don't ask me properly."

Lord knows I'd basically do whatever he asked of me. Why was I feeling like this? I never had this feeling before.

He half laughed and half scoffed and I looked around the room with my lips turned to the side.

 "I'm waiting." I said mocking him

 He smiled.

 "Would you like to go on a date with me, Ellie?" He asked

 I walked up to him closer, despite my wobbling legs and my thundering heart. I smirked and said, "No"

 His face didn't give anything away to surprise or anything in that nature. I smiled once again and walked into my office to see if Cain needed help with packing.