Everything went wrong immediately. And that’s the nicest way I can say that.
I slept comfortably for the night. A bit too comfortably and accidentally missed 2 of my alarms. Fortunately, I woke up to the third one at 9:34 AM.
I hate how accurate I can be.
I immediately jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, not taking a full second to think. I washed up quite fast and burst back to my room, where the clothes those two picked out were placed in the closet.
I changed up pretty fast and went downstairs. My Mom had prepared waffles, eggs, and bacon just in time for breakfast. It took no time to finish it all, but I was in a hurry, so that didn’t surprise me.
“Lovely breakfast, Mom! I gotta get going now, bye!” I rushed past my mom, who’d been watching a show on the TV.
“Don’t stay out too late! And it’s cold outside, so bring a coat!” She yelled back as I ran up the stairs.
Getting everything ready, I checked my bag for anything I’m missing. I had my phone, my wallet, earphones, and a pack of breath mints. Not much, but it’ll have to do. I checked my watch one last time, ticking away as the hands clocked in at 10:18.
I locked up my room and went down to the front door, where I was greeted by the fresh snow falling slowly in the wind. The winter weather was always great, especially up here in Oregon. Not too cold for storms and not too light like in the south either. Perfect weather for a day like this, I thought.
The bus station may have been only a few blocks away, but I still had to deal with the piled-up layers of white across the road. Not much of a hazard and the roads are being cleared up, but it would still take the campus trip at least a few more minutes than it should.
Nevertheless, I persisted. I hoped for the best. Those two have been encouraging me in the stupidest ideas I’ve done, and even if they never worked, they still enjoyed the process. I might as well keep going since they’ve tried hard to teach me. And it was another chance like they said. I have to keep going.
The bus stop near the coffee shop had lined up with people already. Four people were in front, who either were annoyed by the snow or the bus’ late attendance. Could they have been here for more than an hour? Possibly.
Time passed long enough for me to slowly lose the feeling in my feet. The cold was breezing in the wind and it was hard to bear at times. But, when the bus finally pulled up, I jolted myself back to reality. Looking behind, there may have been at least 10 more people behind me, all freezing cold. Time had already passed for thirty or so minutes, so it made me wonder how strong this weather could be.
Hopping on the bus, I scanned my card. The machine worked today, fortunately. I sat near the entrance and not two minutes later, the engine hummed.
The vehicle was at a steady pace, so it shouldn’t take long before it arrived by the campus. I slipped my hand in my bag and pulled out my earphones and listened to some tunes. I watched the city go by from the window as the slow beats resonated into my ear. The mood felt perfect.
Not sixteen minutes later, the bus stopped in front of the shed at the campus. To my surprise, it was a quick drive. I guess that says a lot about the buses here in Portland.
I dropped off and as the bus started to move, I crossed the street. The Starbucks here is actually a popular hangout point for most cliques and groups. Although, today did look slightly less crowded. It was still a lot, but not the usual bustling bistro this place is.
Scanning the crowd, I tried to look for Alivia. After giving it a moment, I didn’t seem to find anyone with a resemblance to her. From what I’ve known about her, she tends to be usually early. Could she have stood me up? I wouldn’t think she’d be the kind of person to do so.
I realized by then I actually never gave her the actual time to meet. That was partly my fault. Congratulations, Dan. You screwed it up already, I thought.
“Hey!” A voice shouted into my ear.
I jumped. Behind me was a girl sweetly grinning at me, like how kids would when they pull silly little pranks. She was wearing a pastel pink cardigan over a white wool sweater, matching gray scarf and beanie, and blue skin tight jeans. Her dark brown hair flowed down to her left shoulder. For some reason, the glow she emitted was something I couldn’t put words into. She was like an angel, descended from heaven to pull some silly prank on a human.
For some reason, I couldn’t speak. Either I was too surprised or too in awe. I was just there standing and staring, blank in the face.
“Did I scare you?” Alivia laughed like a child. “Seems like I did.”
I couldn’t help but laugh with her. It was contagious. She was an embodiment of a child’s innocence. It was too cute and pure.
“What took you so long, anyway?” Alivia managed to get a hold of herself.
“I should be asking you the same thing! I was here way earlier than you.” I said.
“Hmm, fair enough. But, 2 minutes isn’t exactly a wide gap, you know.” Alivia countered.
“Touché. So, you want to have lunch?”
We went and sat at the nearest table, right by the window next to the glass doorway. The table had dark brown cushioned sofas fitted for four people, similar to a diner’s. I placed my bag on the far end of the seat while Alivia placed hers on the opposite side.
“You can sit and wait while I go buy some food,” Alivia said.
“You sure? I can buy it myself,” I asked.
“Yeah, of course. I still needed to return the favor you did one week ago. It’d be terrible for me if I didn’t.” She answered with a determined tone.
“Oh! Okay then.” I said as she ran off towards the line.
I never thought she could be so accommodating. After the coffee and the stay-in-for-a-while getaway, I wasn’t sure if she was just being kind or that’s just how she is. I guess I got my answer here.
As she was ordering I got to take in the surrounding area a bit more. The atmosphere was quite welcoming for a multinational coffee chain. The soft jazz music playing on the intercoms, the bustling baristas taking orders, and even that slight chatters of normal townspeople. It may have been a Starbucks, but it was more traditional-like than modern. It felt more like a small bistro & bar than a coffee shop.
Outside, snow laid smooth on the crossroad. Portland was already getting into the Christmas spirit with decorations and lights all over the city. The snow and darker atmosphere brought the lights out more, giving it a slight sparkle once in a while. If anything, it almost felt like a winter wonderland.
“Lunch has arrived!” Alivia said while placing a tray on the table. “I bought you a Turkey Pesto Panini and some tomato soup we can share while I bought myself a Chicken & Quinoa salad.”
“Wow. This looks pretty good!” I complimented her.
“Also, I didn’t know what kind of coffee you liked, so I got us these.” She placed two large frapuccino cups in front of me. “I got you Mocha Cookie Crumble and I got Caramel Ribbon Crunch.”
“You have a pretty good eye for delicious food.” I picked up and examined the turkey sandwich.
“Well, when you spend hours on end on Pinterest, you’re bound to find something good. Let’s eat!”
The panini was a mix of turkey and basil pesto with provolone and peppers for extra flavor. It was good for a store that mainly sells coffee. The tomato soup wasn’t that bad either. I wouldn’t mind eating these again if I didn’t have many choices for lunch.
As I was eating, I looked over at Alivia, who was taking a bit out of some chicken with her fork. She looked to be enjoying the food, smiling with every bite she takes from her salad. It was like watching those Korean eating videos on Youtube. Only this felt more literal. I wouldn’t mind watching this one, though.
“So, you said you were going to tell me your name?” She said after swallowing the chicken.
“Right, about that...” I didn’t know what to say. If I did tell her now, it might make things a bit awkward. I have to delay that reveal for now. “How about I tell you that later? We still have all day to talk. Plus, it makes things a bit mysterious, right?”
She thought for a moment. My legs trembled. Eventually, she let out a casual shrug.
“What’s life without a bit of mystery, right?” She took a sip from her Caramel Ribbon Crunch.
I let out a slight sigh of relief. “By the way, why did you arrive a few minutes later than me?”
“My dad had me take a detour. He said he forgot a clipboard from his home office and had me deliver it to a nearby station.” Alivia explained. “How about you?”
“Bus traffic. You know how the roads are today.” I said.
“Yeah, true. Snow has been falling for a few days now.” She said. “Now that you think about it, Christmas is about a few days away, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “It’s always quite festive here in Portland around this time of year, doesn’t it?”
“Absolutely. I just love the decorations around the city and the beauty it gives at night. Certainly, it’s a sight to see.” She looked out the window with a smile.
I took a sip out of the drink she bought me. It was a good blend of chocolate and mocha. Something you can’t clearly find anywhere else. As expected of Starbucks.
“Hey, you want to walk around the park?” Alivia turned to me. “I’ve been meaning to visit the park for a while, but I never seemed to have the time.”
“Hmm…Sure, why not?” I gave a slight smirk at her.
We finished our lunch up and went out. While walking towards the park, I observed around the city. Snow lined up beautifully on the trees and bushes, as well as some of the storefronts. Colorful lights flickered aimlessly on shops and buildings. Some were even above the roads. Shops even had Christmas carols blasting on speakers, bringing the festive spirit into the air.
I took a glance over to Alivia, who was enjoying sightseeing around as well. Her slight exhales flowed in the cold air as she looked about with joy. It was like seeing a kid enjoying the city for the first time. Pointing, not knowing where to look and just laughing all the way. It was a cute sight to see.
I just wish I could stop time, so I can enjoy this moment forever.
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