「 For @simhply, a phenomenal writer who has an unlimited amount of potential 」

s i x

It was the morning three days after my Froot Loops late night run that she decided to attend work again, her bruise now easy for her to cover up with concealer and far less garish. She stopped staying at my place a couple days before and was staying with her parents, herself finally confessing the truth about Vince and their breakup to them.

I was absolutely delighted when I saw her walk into the shop at six in the morning, she appeared as if nothing was bothering her and looked as she did the first day we met.

Happy.

"Good morning," she said to me cheerfully with a big smile, her hair tied up messily.

"Good morning," I said in return, matching her smile.

The morning waltzed by quickly with her presence, her presence making work much more bearable and lively. Twelve in the afternoon bringing a new customer and a new person for her to greet.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Travelers," Francesca said with a warm smile, our new guest one I knew.

After her warm greeting, she went behind the counter in order to take orders from the morning rush of caffeine lovers.

"Rebecca," I said, a bit breathless at her appearance.

She wore a red dress much like the one I had met her in with a red lip, her makeup professionally done and everything.

She reached into me and embraced me, whispering in my ear, "You had your chance, Ez."

I wrapped my arms around her, our embrace a bit long, myself immediately thinking about Francesca and cutting the embrace short.

Before I completely got away from the embrace Rebecca said, "She's the one isn't she?"

I nodded and she looked quite intensely at Francesca, watching her work with each customer.

I showed Rebecca to a table, serving her myself and catching up with her for fifteen minutes, my lunch break.

Through conversation I learned that she had recently done a shoot for an international magazine and had loads of offers as a result, the magazine featuring her not even out yet. She had gone on a few dates these past months, unsatisfied with Los Angeles selection of men because they all seemed to just be physically attracted to her and weren't interested in conversation. She seemed to be doing wonderful, she was happy, and I was happy for that.

After my fifteen minutes, it was Francesca's fifteen-minute break, myself excusing myself from Rebecca and going to the bathroom. When I exited the bathroom I saw Francesca and Rebecca talking, both with smiles and laughing ever so often.

I smiled, pleased by the fact my favorite two women were getting along, Rebecca still very important to me even after how everything with her transpired. I may not have been able to reciprocate her feelings in a romantic way, however, I still cared for her.

I went back to work and they ended their conversation shortly after, Rebecca walking over to me before she departed.

She hugged me once again as if she was to never see me again.

"She's the one," she told me.

I only smiled, knowing that she was.

There was this feeling in my chest that told me that I had met someone incredible and worth investing time in, myself having more than a mere crush on Francesca Scottsdale.

"You have to open up to her though," Rebecca said, kissing me on the cheek and leaving to finish her photo shoot.

I looked over at Francesca and she looked back at me, walking over and wiping off the lipstick stain Rebecca left on my cheek slowly.

"We can't have you looking like you just walked out of a strip club," she said.

I laughed and she continued, "Becca's stunning."

"She is," I replied, hurrying to say the next part, "However, I don't like her in a romantic way or anything, we're just friends."

Francesca chuckled. "I know."

Both of us returning to work, a question burning in my mind though. I had to ask her, I had to tell her. Time was running and two months had passed.

The two of us clocked out at two and put our aprons back on their hooks, herself leading me to the back room and towards the stairs, I had made my way up the first day once we were completely finished with work.

"My dad's giving the space to me, I'll be living here after the last of the repairs are done and redoing the space myself," she announced.

"That's incredible," I told her.

She unlocked the door to it and we walked up, the space just how we had left it, however, new pipes and wires lined the place. She twirled around in the loft, I watched her and all her grace, happiness emitting off of her.

"I used to dance," she announced with glee, dancing to her own music.

She took a wrong step and started to descend. I caught her before she could hit the ground, I held the small of her back and she looked deeply into my eyes.

"You're always catching me when I fall," she said, standing herself up and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Let's dance," she said.

I smiled and put my hands on her waist and let her guide, she fetched out her phone out of her pocket and played music, tossing the phone onto the ground.

"Francesca," I said softly.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Will you go out with me sometime? But, not as just a friend," I said, finally having the courage to and the timing perfect.

She said nothing for a matter of seconds, her eyes closed. I worried because she was so silent and had just gotten out of a messy long term relationship.

"I would love to," she replied after what seemed to be an hour.

I smiled and she did too.

The song finished and we broke apart, she picked up her phone and said, "Can we go to your place? I'm not quite ready to go home."

I nodded and we headed over to the motel, myself feeling a rush of confidence and joy for she was willing to go out with me. For she was open to the possibility of us even though she had just ended a relationship.

Once we stepped in she made herself comfortable and invited me to sit next to her on the bed.

"I'll go out to dinner with you Saturday if you answer some questions I've been keeping in since day one," she told me, "You seem to know everything about me, but I know just about nothing of you."

I looked at her and all her beauty.

"All right, ask away," I replied, ready to open up to someone for the first time in my life.

For she was the one.