1
Staring at that blank page on her damned laptop, has become a daily ritual for her. Cheryl had what you would call a 'writer's block'. Sighing she left her desk.
"Pablo, what do you think? Chinese night and netflix?"
"Meaw." Her cat answered as he brushed his body on her legs.
"Chinese night it is, then!"
Scrolling through her contacts she placed a order and started her espresso machine, for a late coffee. Her life was boring, but boring is what she wanted, that was the main reason why she moved from New York to Greendale. A quiet town, with a couple of blocks and a hole lot of 'picket fence' people. Her reflexion in the espresso machine was hideous. Her red maine was all over the place, her glasses ware crooked and glued,because she didn't want to go outside to a ophthalmology clinic. She was wearing a t-shirt from when she didn't had boobs and now it looked like one of those cropped shirts, that girls now a days wore, pijama pants with a hole from her cat's claw and a multicolor robe that had better days. Sighing again, she took her coffee and her wallet to open the door, that was banging too loud for her. With Pablo between her legs, that was more then happy for the food that arrived, she opened the door and begin rummaging for the money.
"How much I owe you, Jimmy?"
"Eighty seven buck's, miss Blossom!"
"Here, and thank you for coming so late, you made me and Pablo really happy!"
He was a cute boy, with dimples and blonde hair, but those eyes. His blue eyes had no innocence in them anymore, at 18 years old, his eyes told too many sad stories.His gaze seemed to carry the weight of experiences far beyond his years. It was as if each glance held a hidden narrative, a silent testament to the challenges he had faced. Despite his youthful appearance, those eyes betrayed a wisdom and sorrow that set him apart from his peers. They were the kind of eyes that had seen too much, yet they still held a flicker of resilience, a determination to find beauty and hope in the world around him. They told a story of resilience, of a boy who had grown up too quickly, yet still clung to the essence of his dreams.
"Miss Blackend, it' much. One hundred and fifty bucks, you can't pay me that much!"
"Please, Jimmy, take it as an apology for the late hour delivery. And maybe like that it will be your last delivery for today." She smiled and pushed his hand away.
While the boy smiled and thanked her again, another door along the holl opened. It was one of her neighbours, but this one in particular she hated with all her might. His music was sll that she could hear every night, not that she was seeking sleep, but the techno wasn't really her thing. And he had a dog, a wolf actually, that would always sniff at her door and make Pablo restless. Her bengal cat was her baby,and someone else upsetting him, became her nemesis. Thought Cheryl never saw the owner, her mind was made. She thought that her neighbour was insufferable, to say the least.
"Jimmy, I ordered that food an hour ago, what the fuck did you do all this time?"
And time stopped for Cheryl, she wanted to say something, to give him a piece of her mind, but the way he look into her eyes,made her feel naked and exposed. He was looking at her soul, he was taking something that she buried so deep, even she couldn't access anymore. She felt a surge of vulnerability, a sensation she hadn't experienced in years. Her defenses, meticulously constructed over time, crumbled like ancient ruins. Cheryl hesitated, torn between the urge to shield herself and the curiosity to explore this unexpected connection. It was as if he could see past her carefully curated façade, straight into the essence of who she truly was. A part of her wanted to flee, to escape the intensity of the moment, but another part was irresistibly drawn to the possibility of being truly understood.
Tall at maybe 6 foot 8 with board shoulder's, a slim waist, like he did basketball in highschool, with a nose so sharp he could cut papers, and a fitted jaw. And those eyes, ah, what beautiful stories were hidden in those noisy blue eyes of his. She was so lost in them, that she didn't see him approach with his hand outstretched in her personal space.He had an aura of quiet confidence, the kind that seemed to fill the room without him uttering a single word. His presence was magnetic, drawing her in with an irresistible pull. As he stood before her, she couldn't help but notice the way his smile seemed to light up the space around them, a warmth that contrasted with the chilly air in the hall of their apartments.
His hand, extended towards her, was strong yet gentle, an invitation rather than an intrusion. It was as if he was offering her a glimpse into his world, a world she was suddenly eager to explore.
"Hi, I'm Ace!"
His presence was commanding, yet there was an unexpected gentleness in his demeanor that caught her off guard. As he moved closer, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. His hand remained extended, a silent invitation, or perhaps a question unspoken. She hesitated for a moment, her heart racing at the thought of what this encounter could mean.
