“My name doesn’t matter,” she says as you attempt conversation behind the buzzing of the cafe. She’ll stand in front of you holding a look of indifference as you try to read her eyes. Yet her eyes are speaking another language, one they didn’t teach you in high school or college. You’ll watch her as she stands at the counter. Your eyes will dance at the colors on her arms; those muted tones of purple, red, blue and orange that weave and wrap themselves around her arm and down her elbow. Her hair is held up gracefully in a loose hold with a black clip. Her nails are painted the perfect shade of raven black and filed like dulled knives as she taps in rhythm on the counter, waiting with what seems like patience. You’ll wonder if her eyes are really that shade of grayish purple as they drift in and out of reality and dance with the Latin beats that flood the coffee stand. She’s dressed in a black camisole that has the perfectly tattered lace trim. Her khaki pants rest loosely on her hips and her sandals reveal a homemade pedicure.
Your eyes will move back to her tattoos that rest on her arm; vines carry dead or dying tropical flowers she had probably designed herself. You’ll think her to be an artist of some sort, with paintings displayed somewhere in the city that only the privileged will see and only you can imagine. She wears no make-up, yet you can paint her face like the finest vintage doll with colors that cannot be created in the mind. Her eyes drift into boredom as the minutes drag on to fill the silence. Her indifference has left your mouth feeling like cotton, your mind is blank and you suddenly feel like a moron as you stand in front of her.
Her earrings dangle, barely resting on her shoulders. They dance with every turn of her head, grazing the side of her neck with brilliant silver that seemed to have been created only for her. Think of something to say to her, you beg yourself but nothing comes out of your mouth. Finally, she sighs and hands you a glance with her dreamy eyes. Her rosy lips part to speak and you grow anxious as you imagine the words that will pour out of those lips.
“Takes forever, huh?” she says, and you’re only be able to nod because her voice is like music you can’t decipher or want to end. She’s the siren that lures your ship to crash onto the rocks near the shore. Your boat will capsize slowly and sink. You won’t care that you’ve lost your treasure or your crew; you’ll sink to the bottom of the sea with a smile on your face, happy that the siren cared to sing to you at all. She turns back around to face the counter and you kick yourself for not having something witty to say to entertain her.
The barista presents her with the cup of patiently awaited coffee that you imagine being served on a silver platter. She swings around you graceful, flashing a coy smirk in your direction as if thanking you for your silent worship. You watch her walk down the street from your spot near the window.
Shake your head and come back to reality. You sit in front of your laptop. You’ve been sitting in that corner most of the morning with almost nothing written for your class, daydreaming about a mysterious girl you’ll never meet and probably doesn’t even exist.
About the Author: Born and raised in Chicago, IL, K.M. Snyder is currently a Creative Writing major at Columbia College Chicago. She has enjoyed reading and writing since she was young and grew up surrounded by books, as her grandmother was a children’s librarian. She also enjoys photography, coffee and cookies.
It’s beautifully written. I pictured myself there, a witness to the scene. Simple grammar but used in such a way that the story just flows, you see yourself as a part of it and want to participate thanks to the descriptive writing. I sure came back to reality at the end too. Flowing writing is my favourite style! Well done, keep up the hard work, i’m sure there is more talent in hiding in there!!
Hey there! I give you props for this piece, I really enjoyed reading. I also want to give you kudos on the use of second person. There aren’t many who can pull it off, but you did! Tiffany showed me this piece to read cuz she really loved it. I really loved it as well so keep up the good writing and I hope to keep reading more of your work!! 😀