you will hear thunder

“sure, it looks great - I mean, you look nice..” he cleared his throat and gave her a smile as he listened to her. “I think you’ll be fine, but a law firm huh? that sounds like it could be fun, what’s it like?” he chuckled and scanned the area around them. “I don’t think this store is very busy at this hour..on another note, what do you think of this?” he held up a button up shirt to his chest that was totally not his colour, asking for her opinion.

“Thank you,” Carter told him sincerely. She breathed a laugh, the words law firm and fun didn’t seem to go together in her opinion. “It’s...quiet,” was the only way she knew how to describe it. She let out a chuckle and shrugged. “It’s all right,” she modified her answer about the law firm, not fully believing the sentence however. At the sight of the shirt, Carter tried to hide her dislike for it. She looked up at the man, not knowing how to word her response, but she decided that if he helped her, she should help him. “Do you want me to be honest?” she asked. “That colour kind of brings out the red in your skin.”

Colin was browsing through the rack that had some nice shirts, not usually being one to shop he figured he could do with something new to wear. humming to himself softly he was caught off guard by the girls question. “the dress?” he asked with his eyebrows raised as he scratched the back of his neck. “I think it’s quite flattering on you if I’m being honest..what’s the occasion?”

Carter knew that it may have seemed a little odd that she was asking a complete stranger for their opinion on her dress, however she needed one. When the man responded to her, she was glad that he didn’t take the opportunity to make some kind of rude comment towards her. “You think?” Carter smiled, glad to get an outsider’s perspective. “It’s for work - I just got hired at a law firm and I wanted to make a good impression,” she shrugged. “Thank you, by the way. I would’ve asked someone else, but..” she gestured around herself. “I don’t really have anyone else to ask.”

Leila let out a relaxed laugh. “Well, I’m glad I could act as a reminder. Something good ought to come from me wandering around, desperate for someone to help me to cross the road.” She had cleared her schedule for the rest of the day, well aware trying to get any real coding done would most likely prove entirely unsuccessful. Better take it easy. “Carter. It’s good to meet you.” Leila nodded, thinking for a moment. “Let me buy you a coffee as a thank you. If you’re not terribly busy, that is.”

“You too,” Carter replied with a smile. Although she found herself wanting to go home a few minutes ago, she slowly saw that feeling disappear. Being cooped up in her room everyday she was out of the office got boring and lonely quicker than she thought it would. “I could go for a coffee,” she commented with a chuckle. “Have you lived here long?” Carter made conversation as she continued to walk by Leila’s side.

Tyler shrugged his shoulders at the girl “I don’t need it” He walked over to the counter putting down more than enough and grabbing the bag to walk back over. He smiled at her knowing all to well just how appealing his looks could be if he just acted right. “I’m Tyler” he extended his hand out to her.

Carter watched as Tyler made his way over to the counter then back over to her. A shy smile tugged at her lips at his acts of kindness. The idea of letting him do all of this without any reciprocation from her end made her uneasy. “At least let me pay you back somehow,” she offered. Her eyes fell to his extended hand before returning to his. “Carter,” she offered as she shook his firm hand, a flutter in her heart appearing for a moment.

Tyler was at a loss for words and no idea on how to proceed with the situation his mouth hanging a bit in suspense of what she might say next. He shook himself back to life taking off his sweater and offering it to her “I could get you a knew one” was the only thing he could think of coming back to himself. Tyler looked over the the cashier motioning to get a new one reheated for her while holding out the sweater. He didn’t know who she was but something seemed very familiar about her and that was worth missing the meeting at the firm for sure.

As he held out the sweater to her, Carter stared at it for a moment before hesitantly taking it and draping it around herself. Although she was swimming in it, she enjoyed having it around her. Before she could protest to his offer, she watched him wave his hand and she knew there was no stopping him now. She bent down quickly to pick up the filled bag before tossing it into the nearby trash. “I can pay you back,” Carter offered. “I’d just have to run to the bank quickly,” she added.

Glad she had found someone willing to help her navigate her way to the coffee shop, Leila relaxed considerably and cracked a friendly smile. “Right? I’ve had them every few years ever since I was twelve but they continue to be the absolute bane of my existence. Still important, though, getting your eyes checked.” Leila for one had the strained eye of someone who spent most of her time staring at computer screens. “I’m Leila, by the way. I don’t think I introduced myself before begging you to walk with me. Sorry about that.”

Carter praised herself for being able to speak to a stranger so easily, it gave her a small inkling of hope that things here wouldn’t be as bad as she thought they would be. “Oh for sure,” she agreed with the girl’s statement. “I’m glad I ran into you though - serves as a reminder for me to get my eyes checked soon,” she smirked playfully. “Oh don’t worry about it,” the brunette waved off Leila’s apology. “I’m Carter,” she offered. “It’s a busy street, probably not the best to walk down with impaired eyesight.”

Isaiah shook his head, “No. I mean, well kinda, I teach at Chapman Elementary. So it could be argued that I go to school, but I’m not a student anymore.”

Carter nodded at the response, “sounds like fun.”

“Definitely not ordering that much, just the one drink,” He turned to the cashier and ordered the hazelnut macchiato iced before paying and stepping to the side. He smiled at the girl and headed down to the end of the counter to wait for his drink.

When it was her turn in line, Carter ordered the hazelnut macchiato as well before following the man to the other side of the counter. She willed herself to continue the conversation and at least attempt to make a friend here. “So, do you go to school around here?” the girl asked.

Tyler looked at the facial expressions shift on the girls face as he looked down at the now stain. He noticed her food now on the ground as well “Fuck” he looked at his watch unsure how to handle the situation. As he looked the girl up and down he was unsure who she was thinking he’d had an idea of just about everyone that knew about this hide away spot. “You really should watch where your going” He said slipping the phone into his pocket as he grabbed a few napkins from near by. Tyler held them out to her not getting a better look at her eyes “wow” he thought to himself now getting a much better look at her altogether.

The girl couldn’t help but sigh when she realized how inedible her pastry was now. There’s always next time, she decided. At the sound of the man’s voice, Carter glanced up at him, unsure of what to say, not only because of the situation they were currently in, but because of the attractiveness of the man in front of her. His words shocked her as she slowly took the napkins out of his hands. “Well,” she chuckled as she began to clean off her shirt. “You bumped into me as well,” she pointed out softly, glancing up at him but not for long, as she got shy under his stare.

Isaiah shrugged, “I’m into hazelnut, thanks for the input.” He let out a sigh of relief as the person ordering multiple drinks stepped away from the counter, “Thank god, I was starting to get worried I would be forty by the time I got coffee.” He joked as he stepped forward.

“Anytime,” Carter chuckled along with the man in front of her. The tense that wrapped its fingers around her shoulders seemed to ease as the line moved up. “Finally,” she sighed. “Hopefully you won’t be ordering as much as that guy,” Carter nodded her head towards the man who was leaving. “Because if you do, I might just turn fifty in the meantime.”

“Yeah, I know, it’s a weird thing to ask. I just think everyone would be better off if I didn’t wander into the traffic or do something equally dangerous.” Leila smiled briefly, incredibly grateful the young woman had proven to be decent about her request. Getting into an argument of some sort was the last thing she wanted. “That’s alright, I know where we are. The coffee place I need to get to isn’t far from here,” she explained and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think the doctor went a little bit overboard with his magic drops.”

“A-all right,” Carter smiled at the girl as they began walking. She tried to fall a step behind for the girl to lead them in the right direction. She took her time to absorb the surroundings, to try and remember where a few things were. She chuckled at the girl’s statement. “I know what that’s like,” she replied. “Those things are the worst.” She kept an eye out for any nearby coffee shops as she kept an ear out for the conversation she was currently in. “I switched to contacts a few years ago, but I can’t seem to get away from those drops.”