ADVANCED RP discussion

bahahahahaha and so it begins

The rain dripped down the window pane, making a splash on the ledge just below, the smell and sound of the rain overwhelmed Coco Amaris Castillo's senses. She wasn't used to so much rain, and that was all the weather had done in the first week she'd been in Seattle. It was the first time she'd ever been away from her home, Spain, she was staying with her aunt and uncle for the year, and attending University. Honestly it was all very exciting, at least, it had been. Now Coco was just getting frustrated, she wanted to get out, to see the city, meet people. Her bodyguards, or Shadows as she called them, were pretty ansy as well. Neither one seemed happy about being cooped up in the house, not that the house was tiny. No her Aunt and Uncle had a rather large estate, not as large as her parents, but it was still large. Thor, Coco's Briard, put his large head in her lap. Coco absentmindedly laid her hand on his head and rubbed his head. The dog was a constant comfort to the young woman, she loved him very much. At the moment though there was nothing much that could put her at ease. Coco got up off the window seat she had been sitting on, a determined look to her face, her bright blue eyes looked ahead. She was going out, screw the weather! She wouldn't let it rule her anymore, she snapped her fingers to wake up the shadows, left her room, and started down the staircase. Thor tried to go along as well, but Coco ordered him back to the room, he did as he was told, then she continued on her way. She was wearing an off the shoulder, long sleeved, black shirt, over a pair of skinny jeans, she had black, leather boots on, with her jeans tucked inside. "I'm going out," She called through the house, she heard her aunt reply with 'okay' and then reached for her red coat. It was a slicker, at least that's what her uncle said, it repelled water apparently, Coco looked at it doubtfully. At least he'd gotten her one with big, black buttons, and it looked kind of fashionable. She pulled the collar up, as well as the hood, and went out onto the front porch. Her shadows pulled on black trenchcoats and trailed behind her. Coco took a deep breath and then went out into the hideous weather, thankfully the air was warm, so she wouldn't get a chill later from this excursion, hopefully that is. Coco walked down the street, she remembered seeing a coffee shop last week when she'd first arrived, that was her destination. She didn't care if she was to have it by herself, she was used to being alone anyway. There weren't that many people out and about, which honestly surprised her, if this was normal for the people, why weren't they out doing things? Maybe it was just an odd time? It was 2pm after all... Coco rounded the corner to the street and spotted a place across from her, it was called Starbucks. She looked both ways down the street, then crossed quickly, she heard her shadows muttering something in Spanish, probably cursing her. She swung open the door and pushed the hood back on her head, then shook out any water that had gotten on her hair before she looked around, it was warm, dry, and smelled wonderful.

Joesph Fields stood behind the cash register of Starbucks, his feet killing him from standing so long. Most days it didn't hurt this bad, but today was just excruciating. Maybe it was the fact that the weather had taken a turn for the worst over the period of the day, or maybe it was the fact that the woman in front of him wouldn't shut up. Normally he'd try to keep on a smile, put off a happy vibe but not today. Today was an exception. Today, he really just wanted this obnoxious woman to leave with her coffee. "I said that I wanted grande!" She hissed at him over the counter, "Does this look like a grande? No! This is a tall! Am I going to get a new one for free or are you going to make me trudge though the rest of the day without and pep in my step?" Joey couldn't help but want to grab another employee from the back to help this lady, but he did that, the boss would for sure be yelling. "We can't give you a replacement for free, ma'am, but we can give you a grande if you pay the difference. You'd be able to keep the tall, and get the grande, if you only pay two dollars more." By this time, every ounce of excitement was sucked out of the teenager's voice, and it seemed that the woman with an anger problem wasn't having much fun, either. "Who taught you to be so lame with customers?" she asked, shaking her head and staring down at him. "How long have you been working here? Where's your manager? I want to speak to him!" Joey held back from rolling his eyes. Seattle was full of lunatics, that was for sure. "I've been working here for two years, my manager's not here today, and like I said we'd be willing to give you a grande if you only pay two dollars." And, by this point, the woman obviously wanted nothing to do with the grande coffee. At this point she just shook her head and stormed off, walking out into the rain as she shielded her coffee with her hand.
Joey took in a deep breath, watching the people on the floor pass by. Young teenagers throwing used cups away, walking out the door without a care in the world. New people walking in, looking for a place to sit before coming up to order... That's when he saw her. Saw someone that had to be the most beautiful girl he's seen in a long time. She had brown hair, tints of blonde flowing from root to tip. Her blue eyes put a great contrast over her whole body, and he couldn't help but wish she came up to his register to order. That was, if she was into a guy like him. Probably not, now that he thought about it. The Starbucks uniform wasn't that appealing, let alone something someone could fall for. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, black slacks, and a green apron with the Starbucks logo on the front. Not only was his apparel in the dumps, but he also wore his glasses. The thick, black frames covering his eyes and most of his eyebrows. Yeah, she probably wouldn't come over here. A guy could wish, though, right? His watch beeped, signalling that his shift only had five minutes left. Good. This day couldn't get much worse, so hopefully something - or someone - made it better.

Coco watched as some woman stormed out, she seemed very upset about something or another. Then rowdy teenagers pushed past her and the boys, they certainly didn't have many manners. Coco honestly didn't let that ruin her day though, she was too excited to be out, exploring and seeing new things. She inhaled the scent of coffee and pastries, it smelled so much better than the coffee at her home in Spain. Coco walked towards the counter, she noticed the barista finally. He was an odd looking character, not that she had much to compare him to, she liked his glasses, they gave him character, his face looked sad, tired. That worried her, she didn't like that look for some reason, and she felt the urge to want to make him smile. Coco made it to the counter and smiled at the boy, "Um hello," she wasn't sure if she was supposed to shake his hand or what so she stood there for an awkward moment, "What is your favorite drink?" She asked him, she had no idea as to what to order. So she figured since he worked there he would know what was best, he seemed like someone that had good taste. Or maybe she was just naive and shouldn't put such trust in a stranger, it was too late to take the words back though. The rain continued to pitter patter outside, and could be heard, just barely, coming down on the roof top of the cafe. Coco listened to it's comforting sound as she waited for a reply from the boy in front of her, she also started shrugging off the bright red coat, she handed the coat back to one of her body guards, she wasn't sure which one took it because she didn't bother to look behind her.

Joey couldn't help but stare at the girl, his eyes following her around the store. It wasn't until she walked towards him that he snapped out of his daze, straightening up so he didn't seem shorter than what he was. A small smile tugged at his lips, his eyes becoming brighter than what they were with the previous customer. The girl's skin was lightly kissed with a tan, something that most people from Seattle didn't have, which confused him a bit. She was either rich enough to go get into a tanning bed, or she wasn't from here. A part of him begged that she wasn't rich. Hell, if she wasn't rich there was more of a chance that she'd fall for him. What are you even thinking about, Joseph? he asked himself, clearing his thoughts. She's a customer, not a speed date. That was when she spoke, her voice coated with an accent. Definitely not from here. Another country, maybe? Panama would be cool, maybe Spain or France. There you are again, letting your mind wander. Joey blinked, letting out a small "Hello," before waiting for her next words. What was his favorite drink? Huh. Most people didn't ask him that, at least not when he was on the job. "Hazelnut Macchiato," he replied, tilting his head a little to the side. Are we the same height? he asked himself, giving up the fact that he'd ever be able to get his mind straight at the moment. If she ever wore heels, I'd be down in the ground for sure. "You'd probably like it if you're into hazelnut, vanilla and espresso." Joey's hand played with the sleeve bunched up in the crook of his elbow, obviously nervous if he would say the wrong thing. Despite his knowledge of this shop, talking to pretty girls weren't really his thing.

Coco wondered what the boy across the counter was thinking, he looked like he was day dreaming maybe... she looked for a tag on his shirt, finally she saw a little plastic piece that read 'Joseph' hah now she could put a name to the face. He looked like a Joseph, and that was a wonderful name. Finally he spoke, his voice was smooth like butter, she felt it slide over her skin, and she wasn't sure why, but she felt the urge to lean forward to hear a little better. Coco put herself in check and stayed put though, all she needed was for this Joseph to think she was a freak. "I'll take that, I'm not really sure of what to order, you see this is my first time of being in a place like this," Coco looked a bit bashfully at Joseph, not sure if that would label her freak just because she hadn't been to a cafe before. "I trust your judgment Joseph, thank you for your advisement," She smiled at him, a full smile, then dug around in her pocket for some of the American money she had grabbed off her dresser earlier. Finally she pulled out a few hundreds, she picked one out and put it on the counter, "Will that work for payment?" She really didn't understand the currency quite yet in America, she planned on taking a financing class after the summer though. One that would teach her about different currencies all over the world so that she wouldn't be so out of the loop. Coco was very much looking forward to going to University, it was going to be a fun, new, exciting experience. She wasn't sure of what she was going to major in yet, but she did know she wanted to take at least four classes, maybe one more, and one of them would be Pottery. She'd always wanted to learn to make the beautiful pots that she planted in all of the time at home, and now she would have her chance. Her father had suggested taking a glass blowing class as well, but she would hold off for that until the spring semester. Coco broke from her thoughts and just stared happily at Joseph, this strange, kind, sweet boy.

Joey couldn't help but knit his eyebrows together when the girl said it was her 'first time being in a place like this'. That was odd, most girls by her age had already been to a coffee shop, if not Starbucks. Maybe she was one of those girls that were a lot younger than their looks. Oh god, he hoped not. If he ever had a chance with her, it'd be really awkward if she wasn't legal. Sometimes he wished that he wouldn't have gotten passed seventeen, just for situations like this. Joey took in a slow breath, trying not to make it look like he was thinking about something he obviously shouldn't have been. He pushed a few buttons, making the total come up at $3.65. Then, the girl spoke again, his name coming out of her lips smooth as silk. He held back a shiver, not wanting to freak her out more than he should. At first, it didn't make him wonder how she knew his name, it just felt natural, but then he started to wonder. It took a few moments to realize that he was wearing a name tag, that she hasn't been sneaking around the cafe for the past two years. Joey looked up, when she set the bill down, expecting a five or a ten, but what she laid down in front of him wasn't at all what he expected to see. A hundred? Did she really think that that much money wouldn't be able to cover a simple coffee? He swallowed, taking up the bill to hold it up to the light to check it it was real. Genuine, 100%. Damn, she must me rich. That was more than he made in a week, more than he had in his bank account right now. He nodded to the girl, "Yeah, this is more than enough." with a simple push, the register popped open and he dragged out the right amount of change. "Your change is $96.35," he handed her the bills and coins, "I'll be back with your coffee."
Within minuted, Joey came back with a Grande Hazel Macchiato. The recipe was one that he would always remember. It was his first drink to make at this shop, let alone his favorite over all of them. Three pumps of hazel syrup, three pumps white chocolate syrup, milk, espresso, and a criss-cross pattern over the foam with hazelnut syrup. He placed the cup on the counter, smiling at the girl, wishing that he would've caught her name. It looked like he was going to have to work a little if he wanted to try and get to know her better. "I hate to ask, but are you not from here? I haven't heard your accent before."

Josephs reaction to the amount of money she set down made her worry some, maybe she'd given not enough? Or too much? He looked at her then and informed her it was plenty, then handed her back a lot of money, she frowned, must have been far too much. No worries, she set half of it back down on the counter and pushed it towards the register, "Here's a tip." she told him when he returned with her frothy drink, it looked delicious, and had a pattern on the top of it. It made her wonder how long it took him to learn how to do that, she would like to learn one day. Coco reached for the mug and held it in her hands, it was warm and comforting to have her slender hands wrapped around the mug. She looked up when he began speaking again, he was asking where she was from. "Um no actually I'm from Spain. This is the first time for me to be out of my home country..." She didn't add or out of her home really. That would definitely be weird, she was sure of it. "I like your country, its very beautiful, even with the water pouring from the skies," She bit her bottom lip while smiling, she hoped she hadn't said too much, one of her shadows grunted behind her, but she ignored him. "Oh forgive me, my manners are terrible, I know your name but you do not know mine, I'm Coco, Coco Castillo." She could feel the disapproval at her back, but honestly she just didn't care about what her men thought, they could report to her mother all they wanted that she had been conversing with an American boy. Wasn't that the point? To meet people? To experience a new culture? She waved any negative thoughts away and concentrated on the curious boy in front of her. Joseph seemed to be friendly, he had good taste in coffee, obviously, and he wasn't being overly flirty or perverted like all the elderly men were at her parents parties. She wondered if he would be interested in being her first friend in America, she wondered if that sounded sad. Probably best to keep thoughts like that to herself, especially with the boys behind her.

Joey's eyes widened when she slid a tip over to him, taking it up off the counter and sticking it in the front pocket of his apron. It was a blessing if you got a two dollar tip, but this? A nearly fifty dollar tip was heaven. With a short self-confirmation, he agreed on the statement that this girl was rich. She began to speak again, telling him of where she originated from. Spain, huh? So he was right on one of his guesses. He could see it, though. Her sitting on the rooftop of some building, overlooking the crowded city as the sun beat down on her soft, lightly tanned skin. He pushed the thought away, clearly getting deeper in thought than he ever intended. "Well, speaking for all of America, I'm glad you like it here. You'll get used to all the rain, it's not usually as bad as today." Joey felt that he was going to be talked to about making conversation with the customers later on, but who cared? The afternoon rush had already passed, this girl would be their last customer for a while, and his shift was coming to an end. There wasn't much of a punishment for that, now was there? He felt the need to introduce himself after she said her name, but there was no need due to name tags. "Pretty name," he replied. Coco wasn't a name he heard often, but it fit her nicely. She looked like a Coco, with the contrast of dark hair and tanned skin, yeah, she looked like a Coco. Leaning his forearms against the counter, Joey tilted his head to look up at her. "My shift ends in a few minutes. Mind if I join you while you finish that coffee?" He added a small smile near the end, making sure that she knew he was just being friendly, no matter how much he wanted to follow her around town while they talked about mindless nothing.

Coco liked how Joey's voice sounded, she couldn't help the urge to lean just a bit closer. He was telling her the rain wasn't usually this bad, well Joey didn't care if the rain was bad or not, she would no longer be caged. She would fly, fly high and wide across Seattle, seeing everything she possibly could this summer. Before she was tied down by classes and schedules, homework, and anything else that came with being part of University. Hm. Maybe she could talk to Joey about it, she wondered if he'd been yet, or if he was fresh out of school. He was speaking again, Coco made sure to pay attention and not let her thoughts take her too far away from the conversation. Her eyes lit up and her cheeks blushed slightly when he complimented her name, she wasn't used to this. Then he was asking if he could join her for coffee. Oh my, that was something unexpected but oh so wonderful sounding. Instead of sitting at a table trying to coerce the two men behind her into having a conversation with her she would have someone that actually wanted to talk to her! "Yes, yes please join me. I would love some company, I've only been here a week, so I really don't know anyone." She smiled once more at Joey before going off to find herself a seat. There were a few options, she chose a cozy corner that had two arm chairs and a table in front of them, they looked thick and cushiony. Comfortable. Coco sat in one, then gave her bodyguards death glares until they retreated across the room to sit on their own, she would like SOME privacy away from the big lugs.

When Coco agreed to letting him join her, he was starting to believe that if he just stuck his foot out on a limb, talking to girls probably wouldn't be that hard. But here he was, terrified of what to actually say when he sat down next to her. Sometimes was bound to come out of his mouth to start a conversation, but then again, maybe she'd take the lead and say something... Or they'd just sit there staring awkwardly at each other and it'll turn out horrible. He drew in a slow breath, trying to slow down his mind. Coco backed away from the counter, turning around to find a seat for the two of them. He watched for a moment, seeing which seat she would pick, and then he turned around, walking out from behind the register to put everything for work up. It was hard to believe that he might actually have a chance with this girl, considering she's from a whole other country with different standers, but maybe she was into socially impaired guys that put very little effort into anything except for music. Huh. That'd be an odd type. Joey untied the apron from behind his back, slipping it over his head to hand it on a hook, before turned around he grabbed his name tag off of the clothing, sticking it in his pocket. By doing this, he was left in a dark grey button up and black slim-fit slacks. It wasn't fancy, no, but it wasn't like he was actually going anywhere to talk to Coco. Walking out onto the shop floor, he made his way over to where the tanned beauty was sitting, her coffee sitting in front of her. He sat down across from her, trying not to make the air between them possibly any more uncomfortable than it already was. "Sorry that took a few minutes," Joey breathed out, using his shoulder to push up on the edge of his glasses.
(view spoiler)[((Okay, so this is his clothes right now, but ignore how his hand is in his pants. Okay? Okay.
)) (hide spoiler)]

(HOW CAN I IGNORE THAT)

Coco blew her breath over the steaming coffee, trying to coax into cooling off much sooner than it would really would. Her eyes followed Joseph around the cafe as he put things away, she tried to be secretive about it, but she wasn't sure if it worked or not, she really had never done this before, so it was all new to her. She had no idea what American customs were between a girl and a boy either. Not that she had much chance to ponder on that because too soon he was heading toward her, Coco dropped her gaze to the cup and then put the mug to her lips to take a sip. Ouch! That was still very hot, Coco licked her scalded lips before replying to Joseph, "Its okay. It wasn't that long, really. Do you enjoy working here?" Was that a dumb question? Please don't let that be a dumb question, What kind of Castillo am I? I can't even talk to a boy, I'm so dumb she told herself silently. At least the goons weren't close enough to eavesdrop, so they couldn't make fun of her later for being a complete idiot about all of this. "Sorry if you do not want to talk about work we do not have to...." She blushed, she was botching everything. How was it her mother was so smooth at talking, and graceful in her actions, but Coco herself bumbled about, blushed like a child, and stuttered over everything? She would never make it as a hostess, that was for sure, hopefully whomever she was wed to one day wouldn't expect her to throw many parties...

(Just try your best to ignore it because trust me if I can ignore PATRICK FUCKING STUMP WITH HIS HAND DOWN HIS PANTS you can too.)

Joey watched how the girl across from him dealt with the coffee. It was entertaining seeing someone try something new for the first time, but all at once, it was a little odd. It didn't hit him until now that he should've threw in one or two ice cubes to cool the steaming drink off before handing it away, but it was too late for that now. Besides, with the rainy weather, it was always good to have something warm in your system. He breathed out a laugh, a half smile curling onto his lips once Coco asked a very specific question. Did he enjoy working here? It had its ups and downs, just like every job, but of course, there was something else that he'd rather do than make coffee all day. Then, she added more onto her previous statement, saying that they didn't have to discuss work if he didn't want to. "No, no. It's fine." Joey shook his head, dragging a limp hand across his face, a nervous tendency that he had never seemed to loose. He shrugged as the beginning of an answer that would soon be verbally acknowledged. "Working here's great, there's just better things out there in the world to do than stand around for six hours making coffee." He looked down at his hands, trying to get over the fact that he didn't have his dream job. Not yet, anyway. Time had its effects, and over time, maybe he'd get to reach where he's trying to get to. For right now though, Coco was where his mind needed to be set. Joey looked back up, not raising his head so he looked over the frames of his glasses. He could just make out the simi-blurry shape of the girl in front of him.

(Its not possible)

Coco was paying special attention to Joey, wanting to make sure she didn't miss a word he said to her. He said it was great, but she had the feeling he meant otherwise. Perhaps he was using the American sarcasm she'd read so much about, it would make sense. She should have been more sensitive to asking him something like that, who was she kidding? No one told themselves when they were a child that they wanted to grow up and become the coffee guy. Heat flooded Coco's cheeks, making her feel like she was more naive than ever. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by my question..." She tried a half smile, "Do you want to go to University one day? I only ask because I start my first semester at Seattle University this Fall. It would be nice to see a friendly face." Coco sipped some more of her coffee, it was slightly less hot, so she dared another sip, then set the cup down on the table once more. Her hands never left it, like it was keeping her grounded to the spot she was in. Her mother would certainly not have approved her telling him that, she would say something about it being an inappropriate amount of personal knowledge to a stranger. Coco didn't care though, Joseph didn't seem like a stranger to her.. he seemed like a long lost friend that she'd finally been reunited with. Oh that was definitely going in her personal journal when she got home.

(gotta try)

When Coco apologized for asking the question, he had started to believe that he might have answered wrong. Maybe she just didn't understand what he was trying to say? That might have been it, but it was too late to take back the reply. He was mentally trying to figure out how to explain what his job meant to him, just in case he got a chance to tell her later on, but it still seemed impossible that he'd ever get to explain it in the right way. Joey raised his head when Coco asked another question. University? Like college? Oh god no, that hadn't been on his list of schooling in a long time. Sure, when he was a kid he had high hopes of college but as the years went on, those dreams slowly slipped away from his grasp. He shook his head, giving her a small smile. Now, he did wish he was attending the University just to see her face. If only he had been going to school again, it'd be a living hell, but it'd be worth it all for a few more minutes with this girl. "I used to wanna go to college, but now I really can't see it. Yea, I mean, schooling is great but there's nothing I could really see myself going for considering the rut I got myself into with careers." And all of this was true. He could always get a basic degree in music, but what fun would that be? He already knew everything that he needed to, he just needed some kind of record label to pick up on his sound, and that didn't seem like it'd be happening anytime soon. Things happened though, right? Joey put his elbows on the table in front of him, sitting his chin on top of his hands. He raised a brow, his facial expressions asking a question that had yet been said. "What're you going to college for? Anything special?"

Coco noticed the little things, like the way Joseph's eyes were all on her, and the way he kept fidgeting when he spoke to her. His facial expressions gave him away, his emotions were practically on his sleeve. She felt weird talking to him, mostly because she had had so little human interaction in her life. His words confused her, why couldn't he go to school? She didn't ask the question out loud because she didn't want to sound like a fool. Instead she considered his question to her. She honestly hadn't decided on what she would be majoring in yet. There were so many options that she didn't know what she should choose. "My mother and father want me to become a doctor," she was quiet for a moment. "Honestly I don't think that's the right field for me though. I'd love to get a degree in history or maybe music history. I'm not sure yet," she shrugged with a bashful expression on her face. "I was hoping that the summer would give me some insight in what I want to do. Is that naive?" She dragged her bottom lip in between her teeth and chewed on it gently.

Joey forced himself to keep calm, to slow his heart rate down so he wouldn't become anxious. This was the longest conversation with a girl - or rather a stranger - that he'd had in a while, and he wasn't about to scare her away because of a slip of the tongue or a not thought out action. He listened as Coco explained her school choices, saying how her parents wanted one thing while she wanted another. It was easy to say that her parents were right, she should go into the medical field, it paid great money... but what she wished for was a whole other category that he understood. A history degree could put her into teaching, possibly a scientist if she tried hard enough, yet music history? That was something he'd be able to help out with, if not just encourage. This girl was perfect, everything he had ever asked for. "It's not naive," Joey replied, shaking his head side to side. "it actually makes a lot of sense. Finding out what you want to do for the rest of your life is pretty traumatizing, which is honestly why I think I've been stuck at Starbucks since I was seventeen." A small hint of pink flashed across his face and he lowered his head, trying to hide the embarrassment coming over him. Nope, he should not have said anything about how he was going to be stuck at this coffee shop for his whole life. That sentence should have not been said, and now this girl is going to think he's crazy and walk away from the table and never speak to him again. Joey swallowed hard, hoping that Coco wouldn't think their conversation had gone from decent to complete trash. Sometimes he couldn't believe the things that slip out of his mouth, and sometimes he wish his mind had a filter on it so he didn't go and embarrass himself as well as others.

Coco rose a delicate brow, he sounded pretty bummed out with himself. She honestly didn't see why, if he wasn't happy with where he was then why didn't he change? Go out and get a different job? Go to University? Or go after his dream? Maybe he has obsessive parents like mine and he's not allowed to do anything he wants... I mean this is the first time I've even been away from my own home really.. She thought to herself as she watched him with her ocean blue eyes. If he had as strict of parents as she did then she didn't want to delve too deep into the why's of everything, because that would only make him highly uncomfortable. "Well if I can do what I want and follow my dream, even though it makes me nervous, then you can too, you don't have to be stuck being a coffee barista for the rest of your life. You should go after whatever it is you want to do with your life, unless someones are holding you back from doing so?" The last part she said kind of quietly, mostly because she knew what it was like to have controlling parents that don't let you do what you want, and smother you almost to literal death. It was almost impossible to even function with parents like that, Coco was happy that she had finally gotten out from beneath her own overbearing parents that had almost driven her over the edge of insanity. Yes she was quiet, small, and seemed mild spoken, but any person could be pushed to the edge of their breaking point where they just lose it. Once she pondered if serial killers had parents like hers, because if so then she could completely understand why they lost it and went on killing sprees. Then she realized how psychotic that sounded and tried not to ponder on that idea any longer, if a shrink heard some of the things that went on inside of her head he/she would more than likely lock her away and put her on some very good drugs with no chance of ever being released.

Joey watched as Coco seemed to be debating on what to say next, like every word running through her mind could not be spoken aloud. What was going on in that pretty little head of hers? It must've been something controversial, seeing how it took her many moments to respond. Was it something he said? It must've been. He had said something that wasn't right or made her feel uneasy and now his love life was just going to sink down into a dark abyss with all of his other emotions. He'd just decided that love wasn't ever going to be something he felt, that it was forbidden and he wouldn't be able to jump onto that bandwagon. Then, she spoke. She spoke about how you should go out and do what you love, take a risk and jump into what you wish to become. She said that he didn't have to be making coffee his whole life, that he could be something much more. Coco subtly asked if someone was holding him back from reaching his goals, and he couldn't necessarily answer that. He shook his head, "No, no one's keeping me from doing any except for myself." Joey didn't want to go into full detail on why he wasn't as confident as he should be. After all, he was quite a good musician, talented in more ways than just one, but he wouldn't put his face out there. The fear of rejection constantly ran through his veins, terrified every step of the way through this journey. A small smile slipped onto his face, signifying that he honestly no longer wished to carry on with the hard-to-mention subject. "So what're you into?" he asked, trying to think of a follow-up question to make himself more clear. "What are your hobbies?"

Coco chewed her bottom lip as she thought about what he said, he didn't seem to want to continue that direction of conversation, and she wouldn't push him. He wanted to know more about her, what she was into, her hobbies. Oh if only he knew her childhood, what her life was like with her parents. She had to take a moment to get her thoughts together to decide what to tell him, how to answer his questions best. It was certainly a difficult thing to answer since she was positive that her hobbies were in no way interesting, but she figured that she would give it her best shot. "Well back home I would spend hours out on the beach front property below my parents house collecting sand dollars and sea shells, so that's one of my hobbies... I also like to watch birds and to fish. I made a couple of the bird houses that hang outside my window, and I've caught some pretty big fish. I guess that's kind of lame and dumb but I wasn't allowed to do much outside my home so......" Coco ducked her head and peeked up at Joey from beneath her eyelashes, her cheeks were pink, and she felt like she was probably the most pathetic girl on the planet. From what she'd seen so far not many girls seemed to be into bird watching here in Seattle, nor did they seem to enjoy fishing like she did. In fact her uncle informed her that mostly men fished, not girls. She had replied to him that she was a skilled fisher and would not give up her hobby to please the population of Seattle. Of course he'd given her that judging look he could get sometimes and mumbled something about her future husband putting her in her place, before Coco had been able to reply her aunt had dragged her from the room to go bake something or another. Hopefully Joey didn't feel the same way her uncle did about girls fishing and the other things she enjoyed."I also like yoga, long walks on the beach, and going to the market to shop for fresh fruit and veggies..." She added quickly, hoping that those few things would get her some kind of points with him.

Coco listed her favorite things to do, what she enjoyed back home, and Joey listened intently. He had only visited the beach once when he was fairly young. The privet school he attended in his youth had taken a field trip down to California, letting all the kids have a small "spring break" as a group without actually going back home. It was a beautiful sight, the waves lapping against the jagged rocks near the coastline. The small turtles inching their way across the sand while their tiny minds prayed the seagulls flying above would avoid them. It was something he'd go back to if he ever had the opportunity. Seattle was great, but not necessarily what he was looking for to spend his whole life living in. He watched as she ducked her head, shielding her face from a disapproving look she would be looking for, yet that never came. Instead, a very thin smile was plastered against his face. Joey thought that what she liked to do was cute, even the whole fishing thing. Sure, he wasn't exactly a fisherman, never even went fishing to be honest, but he'd learn if she was the one to help him out. A laugh bubbled up from his chest whenever Coco said she liked 'long walks on the beach', but quickly stopped himself, knowing that she probably wouldn't know why he was laughing. His hand shot to the side of his face, his fingertips edging his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Those are great hobbies," he commented with enthusiasm. "You're lucky you grew up with spare time." Joey had always made room in his day to do the things he liked, to practice some type of music, but it was never enough. He always had to stop short to finish homework or to talk about what was going on at school. It didn't seem like Coco had to deal with little to no free time when she was growing up, but of course, that was just a guess. "I mean, of course you did things that were productive, but they weren't things that you did from sunset to sunrise. No, well, I..." He searched for words. Maybe he shouldn't have tried to change his previous statement. "You just, uhh... You seem like someone that didn't have a lot of worries growing up, know what I mean?" No, she probably didn't know what he meant. It was always something stupid that got him into ruts like this, simple sentences that forced him to stutter and ramble. A turn off for sure. Hopefully Coco wasn't thinking he was an idiot, that he couldn't even think straight.

Coco watched Joey carefully as he seemed to be trying to figure her out, then he spoke, it wasn't a judging voice, but one that was understanding and interested. He thought she was lucky, she almost laughed aloud, instead she kept a neutral facial expression and listened as he continued to ramble on, about how she didn't have worries, didn't have to do certain things from sunup to sundown. Well he was right about the second part, the first part he was sadly mistaken. She had plenty to worry about, like whether she'd ever escape, get a chance at life. For a very long time she'd had the fear of never leaving her parents home, of being kept from the real world and dying an old maid that had never left home. Her heart had always yearned to see the world, to go on adventures like she only read about because she was never allowed to venture from home. Now though she had a chance, a chance at life, love, adventure, laughter, happiness. She wasn't sure if she would ever go back home, Coco was afraid of being trapped once more. "Well I think I understand what you're saying, and in some ways you're right, in others you don't know the half of it. Maybe I'll tell you about my life sometime, but for now I think my hulks are ready for me to go home." She gestured toward her two bodyguards whom had stood up and were giving her glares. It was getting kind of dark, that was probably why they were ready to leave. "Can we see each other again Joseph?" She asked with hope in her voice, her eyes were pleading as she stared at the cute boy across from her. Coco was afraid that he was going to say he didn't need to see her again, she'd bored him to death enough. "I mean if you want to, I don't want you to feel like you have to spend time with me," She added quickly. Her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults as she awaited his answer, Coco stood up, abandoning her cup.

Joey listened as she said that he got part of what he said right, but the other half was something he got completely wrong. He hoped that the hotness in his cheeks weren't visible, but that was unlikely. This time, he didn't raise his hands to shield his face, but instead let Coco see how easily embarrassed he got. It felt like an odd thing to do, but right all at the same thing. She spoke again, saying how it was about time for her to leave, nodding to the two men dressed in black that had followed her in. The three of them were an odd couple, which made him wonder why they were grouped together. Was she under witness protection or something? Is that why she moved to America? Probably not, but she said that she would tell him about her life sometime, which meant they'd meet up again later. Hopefully it was more sooner than later because once this girl announced she was leaving, it felt like a part of him would be leaving as well. Even if they had just met, he was somewhat attached to the beautiful girl. Joey nodded his head when Coco said that she didn't want him to feel forced to spend time with her. A small smile slipped across his red-tinted face, "I'm here every day," his voice wasn't small, but wasn't very loud either. He stood, their eyes level. Yeah, they were definitely the same height. There wasn't much left to say. He had said his answer, not straight-forward but he still gave her his answer. Hopefully she picked up on subtle things and wasn't one of those people that had to be told "yes" or "no". It's be pretty awkward if she thought he was trying to avoid her by saying he worked daily, but that wasn't what he meant at all. By this time, he wished he would've chosen a different way to word his response, but now it was too late. Looks like he was the one waiting for a response now....

Coco wondered if Joseph wanted her to come see him here every day, was that what he was insinuating when he said ihe was at work every day? She was slightly confused by his statement, and she didn't want to sound dumb by asking what he meant. So she thought about her words for a few seconds before responding to Joseph. Coco shrugged her coat back on, and made sure all of the buttons were buttoned before she looked at Joseph with a timid smile, "Perhaps we could have coffee again? Or perhaps dinner one night?" She suggested, hoping that she wasn't being too forward by suggesting the outings. She had heard that America was much more forward than other countries though, here women even asked the mans hand for marriage sometimes. That would be unheard of where she was from, everything was still kind of formal and old school there. Coco slowly pulled her hood up onto her head, "Think about it Joseph, I'll see you another time," She leaned in and kissed his cheek, it was a sign of respect and friendship with her family. "Until then," She whispered against his warm cheek, then she turned, and without a backwards glance she left the coffee venue, to go out into the pouring down rain. Some rain spattered her cheeks because of the wind, Coco didn't mind though, to be honest it felt wonderful against her overheated cheeks. She couldn't help the smile on her face, it would stay there for a little while, she was sure of it. She felt her bodyguards flank her, but even their presence couldn't deter her mood. She found herself sloshing through the rain without a care, her thoughts only for Joseph, for his smile, his eyes, the way his voice sounded when he spoke to her, the way his cheeks colored when he thought that he was speaking out of turn. Joseph was truly adorable, and he spoke to her with respect, and curiosity. Coco took a deep breath before going up the steps to her relatives home, she walked up the steps, entered the foyer, and started to take her rain gear off. Her shadows told her goodbye for the night, but Coco wasn't paying them any attention, she had finished putting her jacket and boots up, and was busy ringing out her hair when she heard the booming voice of her uncle behind her, "COCO." He said sternly, Coco shivered, and not just from the rain, as she turned to face him.

Joey let a smile creep onto his lips as Coco spoke, her request to meet up again forcing his head to nod up and down. Either way would work for him, coffee or dinner, but he would pay, no matter how much money she had to spare. Coco took a small step towards him, lowering her head to place her lips against his now bright pink cheek. He knew that in some countries this action was a sign of greeting and farewell, but in America, it meant so much more. His stomach was doing somersaults, getting itself twisted into more knots than he could count. The girl whispered more words into his ear, yet his mind was elsewhere, unable to pick up what she had said to him. Joey knew to keep his mouth shut, that if he tried to say anything right now it'd come out terribly wrong, forcing her to leave with a bad impression. The girl turned on her heels, confidently walking over to the exit as the two men in black followed her. One of them stepped a little too close towards him, knocking his shoulder with enough force to make him stumble sideways. The man turned his head, glaring at Joey before walking out the door to follow Coco. It didn't matter, nothing mattered right now. A girl way above something his standards would be liked him. A girl who shouldn't even have spoken to him wanted to see him again. It was unreal how the world could lead you places you had no intent to go, how you met people there who could possibly play a huge part in your life. He turned away from the windows, forcing himself to not watch her walk home through the rain. He collected himself, turned around and walked through the doors to get into his car, sitting there for a few moments before backup up and beginning his journey home. This day started off for the worst, and now it was ending like this. A part of him honestly wished he wouldn't see Coco again, that it'd be better for everyone if he kept another year of heartbreak away from himself. It was too good to be true. She was too beautiful, too smart and willing to do actual things in life. There wasn't a chance that she'd stay with someone like him. It just wasn't likely.

Coco inhaled until it hurt, then let the breath out as slowly as possible as she turned around to face the wrath of her uncle. He looked purple, well his face, his cheeks to be more specific, looked purple. Like he'd held his breath too long, or he'd been hung upside down like a bat. "Yes?" She said in the quietest of voice, she sounded like a small bird about to get squashed. Her uncle visibly relaxed a little bit, he looked more concerned than angry, which was a huge relief for Coco. "Darling we just want to look out for you, we love you. I know you have your own security here but that doesn't mean we shouldn't know exactly where you're going. Did you have that phone we bought you?" From Coco's guilty look he assumed that that was a no. "Please my love take the phone, and tell us where you're going rather than swooshing out the door with no information. Okay?" He bent forward and pecked a kiss on her slightly damp forhead. "Maybe a hot bath is in order?" He said with a small smile, he gestured toward the stairs. Coco nodded and left his presence as fast as possible, Thor met her at the landing at the top of the stairs. "Hey boy," She murmured and ran a hand along his head as she passed by him and went to her room. She sighed, it didn't matter if she was in America or Spain, she would always have someone dictating what she could and couldn't do, and enforcing rules upon her. Coco bit her bottom lip, this was not what she wanted for her life. Oh well, she pulled out a pair of grey and pink sweats as well as a black towel, she took them, and her new iPod to the bathroom that was attached to her room. She made sure the doors were locked, leaving Thor to lay on her bed, and started the water in the porcelain tub. As the bath filled Coco peeled her clothes off, letting them fall to the tiled floor of the bathroom. She slipped into the steaming bathtub and let the hot water wash all the stress and worries away. Every knot disappeared, and she just let herself relax for once.

The metal key jostled the inside of the lock on the doorknob, turning slowly to open up a gateway into an apartment. Joey stepped inside, shutting the door behind him before slipping his fingers across the light switch, illuminating the small apartment before him. His eyes crossed the somewhat empty space, taking in the objects surrounding him before stepping further into his home. Nothing was out of place, every item in its exact spot in which he had left it. His feet carried him through the living room, his arms stretching outward to place his hands against the thin curtains. The pieces of cloth were seemingly useless compared to the gloomy weather of the outside world. Rain spurted down in sheets outside of the window, the grey clouds calling his name out into an empty abyss. Joey stepped away from the window, drawing his sea green eyes to somewhere other than the city around him. It took him moments of complete silence before his own mind caught up withe very detail that had happened to him in the past few minutes. A girl, one who had just arrived to the states, spoke to him as if they were long lost friends newly reunited. It was odd to have someone that beautiful walk up and speak as if he was equal to her, as if they were the same. Yet Coco was different. Coco was just as uncertain with words as he was, just as unprepared with getting to know someone better as him. They weren't much different, the two of them weren't, but he still could not grasp the thought completely, could not wrap the idea of being something more that friends with Coco around his mind. His own heart could not withstand another split in it, not even a hairline fracture, so the boy was hesitant about opening himself up for the darling girl before him. Joey forced the thoughts away from his mind, walking towards the small section of his apartment that held a limited amount of instrumental equipment. A laptop, hook-up cords, acoustic - as well as electric - guitars, a recording mic, followed by lazily-thrown notebook paper and sheet music. An arrange of pens and pencils littered the floor, yet other than that, his corner dedicated to his passion for music would not expand any larger sometime soon. His fingertips skimmed the neck of his guitar, his mind blurred by spinning images and words. Funny how a simple girl could eat away at what was left of your soul, how piercing blue eyes left imprints within the folds of your brain. Never had he been so love sick, willing to do anything just to have her soft lips graze the skin against his cheek once more. A lump formed in his throat, the thin strings attached to his heart pulling him away from his music-designated area and back towards the window overlooking the city of Seattle. His eyes softened, lowering slowly as he tried to forget Coco one last time. That girl may have been a one time thing, who knew? A mysterious beauty whom he'd never lay eyes on again. Perhaps her promise to meet up again would be broken, the simple words that said they would see one another shattering like glass, tumbling to the floor with and ear-splitting sound. It seemed unlikely for a girl like Coco to abandon her promise to another, but he wasn't about to get his emotions caught in between the battle occurring with his mind and heart. Joey leaned closer to the icy window, his forehead being pressed against the glass. Some thought he was too much of an over thinker, his own thoughts dragging him away from the true point of any conversation. Others believed he self consciously talked himself out of situations, his heart knowing a task was a bad idea, so it tried its best to convince his mind he would soon be doing wrong. Yet what did Joseph think about his own decisions? Did he believe he missed opportunities? Of course not. The boy thought he did what was best for him, no matter how much he missed in life. He would forget anything that could potentially hurt him, even if that meant forgetting one of the only girls that could give him a chance.

Coco had fallen asleep in the tub, for how long she wasn't sure. She wouldn't have woken up when she did if it hadn't been for Thor whining and pawing at the bathroom door. She jolted awake, her head was foggy from the heat of the bathroom and the nap. She got out of the tub, pulled the plug for the water to drain out, and wrapped herself up in the fluffy towel. Coco took her brush and combed it through her long hair until it was smooth and shiny. After she braided it she got dressed, brushed her teeth and opened the bathroom door. Thor rushed in and sniffed her, then sniffed the tub, he was making sure that she was okay. "It's alright buddy," Coco murmured to her pet before padding into her room, Thor trailed behind her, Coco plopped belly down on her bed, then turned over onto her back to stare at the ceiling of her room. Her thoughts were full of a boy with glasses and a smile that a girl could never forget. He was so nice, and helpful, he talked to her with ease it seemed. Joseph. A soft sigh escaped her lips and a smile curled over her lips, her heart seemed to beat just a little faster and she felt like letting out a happy shriek for no apparent reason. She didn't though, it would alarm her aunt and uncle. So instead she grabbed one of her throw pillows and bit into it to quench some of the new emotions rushing through her. Coco turned over on her side and eventually relaxed enough to fall asleep, she had thoughts of searching Joseph out in the morning, which put her in a good mood just before dreams took over.

(IT GETS RUSHED NEAR THE END BECAUSE IT KEPT GOING ON AND ON AND ON)

Joey's green eyes flashed open, staring blankly at the red numbers that glowed "5:30". Raising his hand, his fingers pressed the button located on the top of the clock, stopping the piercing sound from ringing out through his apartment. A groan escaped his lips as he threw the covers off of his body, grabbing his glasses and pushing them up the bridge of his nose. Work was great, wasn't it? Having to get up before six in the morning just to drive to a building filled with a majority of people that get on your nerves was what everyone looked forward to, right? He let a small smile slip onto his face as he dragged a hand through his hair, his feet hitting the cold floor and his own mind taking him towards the bathroom. It was a routine, same thing every morning; never changed, never will. Joey reached upward and back, grabbing his own shirt by the shoulders and peeling it off. He undressed the rest of the way and turned on the shower, stepping into the warm water and quickly washing his hair. It didn't take long for him to finish up, so within minutes Joey stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and walking back into his bedroom in search of clothes. He dried off the rest of the way, slipping on dark slacks and a long-sleeved shirt. Glancing across the room at the clock, he cringed, knowing that he would have to rush in order to leave on time. The boy with a lack of confidence ran aimlessly around his apartment, gathering what was needed - such as keys and paperwork - for him to be able to make it through the day. Joey scooted his glasses upward with a full hand as he made it out the door, pulling it shut behind him and walking as fast as possible to the apartment complex's stairs. He would've taken the elevator, he truly would have if it hadn't been broken for the past few months. The maintenance seemed to think that busted lightbulbs were more important than the main transportation in the building, but he never tried to dwell on that too long. Once outside the building, the boy scrambled to get the correct key ready, his hands sweaty and the mist coming down from the Seattle sky not making the task any easier. Eventually he got the door open and settled his belongings in the passenger seat, his hands digging around in the doors for a white box of contact lenses, desperately hoping he would be able to find some since it didn't look as if the rain would be easing up today. His fingers brushed up against cardboard and he quickly pulled it out, hastening to pull off his glasses and place the contacts into his eyes. Joey blinked a few times before starting his car and driving off, the clock attached to the console reading "5:50" The corner of his mouth twitched into smile while he nodded to himself, pleased by the timing of his current affairs, even though he wouldn't exactly be on time. When he finally reached his destination, only a couple of people stood outside - some employees whereas others were early customers. Joey apologized for being a few minutes late and unlocked the door, telling the customers they were welcome in while everyone was setting up shop. Lights were being switched on, machines were plugged in, various smells could be identified while everything was being warmed up. Cinnamon, vanilla, hazelnut and pumpkin spices wavered around the shop, dancing playfully while customers waited for their coffee. Joseph went to the back, pressing play on the already-made playlist for the shops music. Tying the signature apron around his waist, he made his way to the front near the registers, awaiting his first customer of today's shift.

Coco was tangled up in her thick comforter, the sheets were pushed to the floor at the end of the bed, something that had happened sometime in the night. Thor slept at Coco's side, he was fast asleep, almost as deeply asleep as she was. The sun's rays were barely touching the top of the tree's, and were filtering through the wooden slats of her blinds, the smell of food cooking was in the air, and the murmur of voices below could be heard. This is what Coco slowly woke up to, first her eyelashes fluttered some as they attempted to help her open her eyes. She started moving her limbs slowly, almost like she was wading through thick mud. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why she felt so stuck at first. Then she managed to actually see and her blue eyes glanced at down at the wrecked bed spread. "Holy smokes," She muttered before attempting to unwind herself from the blanket. "Thor what were we dreaming about last night, it must have been pretty intense," She spoke to her dog like he could respond, Thor only perked his ears up and looked over to her with a blank stare. "Don't act like you can't hear me," She told him with a grin, the dog cocked his head to the side and let out a soft woof, one that would increase in volume if she didn't tell him to stop. "Its okay boy, its okay, I was just playing," She reassured him with a pat on the head and then successfully finished untangling herself. "There," She said and got out of bed, she lifted a wooden blind slat and peeked out into the world, the city was slowly coming alive and she wouldn't fall behind. Coco hurried as she opened her closet doors and searched for something to wear, "What do boys even like girls wearing?" She asked aloud, she told herself that she was talking to the dog, it made her seem more sane in a way. She pulled out a pear of tight jeans, soft brown boots, a grey off the shoulder sweater, thick socks, and a beanie. She dressed as quickly as Thor would allow her, once he saw that she was getting dressed he wanted her attention and was begging to be let out. "Shhh its okay, I'll ask the maid to take you out," She told him in a soothing tone as she finished putting her boots on. Coco wanted to get out of the house before her shadows showed up, which gave her only ten minutes to be out the door. That way she didn't have to worry about them following her all day, Coco grabbed her leather satchel and slung it over her shoulder and chest, then she grabbed a button up jacket from a nearby chair, and a black scarf, before putting the beanie on and heading out her bedroom door. She felt rushed, but that only added to the excitement that was zinging through her. Her boots barely made any sound as she practically ran down the stairs, she whisked into the breakfast room and planted a kiss on her Aunts cheek, then half hugged her uncle. "I'm off to check out a few classes, and my professors before classes next week," She told them while grabbing a piece of toast, "Love you both." And with that she left, her Aunt and Uncles words, whatever they had been, were cut off as she opened and closed the front door. She stepped out onto the Stone step, the sun was peeking out from behind some clouds, what a freaking miracle. It just made her smile widely as she walked briskly toward the shop she had occupied the night before. She doubted that Joseph would even be there, but it was worth a try, plus she wanted something warm in her hands on the brisk, fall morning. Coco smiled and said hello to every person she passed along the way, some said hello back, while others pointedly ignored her. Coco wondered if it was unusual for a person to talk to strangers in America, she couldn't be sure. No matter, she would still be polite, as her father often reminded her, she was representing Spain in a way while she was there, so she would give them the hospitality that she would give anyone else if she were in Spain. Coco stopped in front of the coffee shop, she took a deep breath and reached for the cold handle, she opened it and the bell jingled overhead as she stepped inside. There was hustle and bustle as customers rushed to get their coffee's before work, Coco felt slightly overwhelmed as her eyes looked for only one person.

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Joey rushed around the shop, walking at a fast pace and even jogging at some points just to get everything working on time. The music he previously turned on jumped at the beginning, starting off rigged but it fixed itself in a matter of seconds. Oh, Calamity by All Time Low began to echo out across the shop, the slow guitar and voices giving off a mellow feeling. It was a good music start, seeing how it was slow and easy going for the mere six AM hours. He knew which song was next, and hoped that he'd see someone enjoying it or he'd be just a little bit disappointed - seeing how the next song was one of his own. Joey cleared his mind by taking a deep breath in and then set out to take his place in the front of the shop. His fingers moved against the register keys, switching the machine from off mode to on. The shop wasn't very busy this morning, yet still a few customers came up to both him and the other worker, talking to them as if they were a saving grace for giving them coffee. It was halfway through the first song on the playlist before he saw a familiar face step through the doors. Coco, the girl he had met the day previously, was turning her head every direction as if searching for something - or someone. He smiled, absentmindedly raising his hand to the bridge of his nose to push up his glasses, yet the tips of his fingers only hit skin. Right, he wasn't wearing them today.... Joey blinked as a warm paper cup was shoved into his hands, the name Amelia scribbled onto the side in black sharpie. He looked at the boy - who must've been only a couple of years younger than himself - that gave him the cup and quickly spurted out, "Find someone to work front, I've got pick-up." The boy nodded and disappeared to the back, returning with a girl who stood in front of the register and talked to the customers as if she'd known them her whole life. Joey nodded in an approving way as he walking over to the pick-up counter, calling out the name Amelia before a girl in her mid-twenties took the cup from him in a graceful manor. His green eyes still followed Coco, wondering how he managed to wake up and drive to work without thinking of that girl once. She had occupied his whole mind last night, and yet when the next day rolled around, he had to be reminded of what she had done to his brain. A sense of worry washed over him as he wondered why she came back to this place. Was she interested in him? No, that couldn't be it. A girl like that didn't return just to see someone as mundane as himself. Perhaps it was just for the coffee, maybe she had found an addicting source that she wanted more of.

You know those movies where time seems to stop for the main characters and everything just slows down, their eyes meet and nothing else seems to matter? That's exactly what seemed to happen in Cocos mind when her eyes met Joeys across the cafe, time seemed to stand still and it was just the two of them there in that moment, and something seemed to spark between them. Then as if she had imagined all of it the room snapped back into life and it almost felt like a roar to her ears as the sounds of people talking, and coffee making filled the room once more. Her gasp was inaudible because of how quiet it was, and she had to forcibly control her features to not wince or show any other reaction. Sometimes her imagination really did runaway with her, or something or another. Coco pushed her hand through her long hair before heading to the female cashier, she barely paid attention to what she ordered, her eyes were only for Joey and she didn't even realize it. "Hmm? Oh uh yeah, mocha latte with some ginger spice on top?" She told the girl, ordering a drink she had read about online the night before. Then she made her way down the line until she was at the pickup counter. "Hey," she murmured to Joey with a shy look, she tucked her hair behind her left ear as she spoke, a nervous gesture that was a habit of hers.

Ice blue. That's all he could see. The ice blue eyes of Coco met his across the room and it seemed as if time stood still. The people running in and out of the shop's doors froze as a blur, their movement becoming a solid mass of grey around the girl's body which was dressed in fall-like clothing. He was star struck - just like any other time he saw a beautiful girl. Except this time, it was ten times worse. Never in his life had he had that sort of experience. Even today gave him more of a heart-throbbing feeling than he had yesterday. His breath caught, the air catching in his throat and refusing to exhale. His heart rate sped up as if he had just finished running a two mile race. His stomach fluttered, twisting and turning until it was in an undo-able knot. What was wrong with him? Why in the world was he feeling like this? Even after she moved toward the order counter, Joey's gaze followed her, and her eyes never left his. Something hit him in his shoulder, adverting his gaze from Coco and forcing him to turn around. One of the workers - whom was a few years older than him yet had started work there just last week - was standing behind him... No, actually towering over him. The employee couldn't be much taller than 5'11" but still, it was much taller than him. Joey froze, wondering what he could've done wrong, but by the time he realized that he wasn't sure how long he had been staring at Coco, his face had turned bright red. Oh god, what if people were waiting at the pick-up? His eyes flickered to where cups of coffee should be waiting, yet nothing was there. A thousand questions flew through his mind but then, finally, the other worker spoke up.
"Dude, is that you?"
Joey raised an eyebrow. Was what him? The confused expression on his face must have triggered the other boy that he had no idea what was going on, for he pointed to the ceiling, which forced Joey to listen to what was going on around them. The song. The music pumping through the speakers of the shop was definitely his own voice, which brought a smile to his face since someone actually recognized it. He nodded, trying to hide the grin plastered across his lips. The other guy nodded as if to say "amazing", and then turned around to get back to work. Joey took a deep breath in. If anything, being 'complimented' on his music was a highlight to his day. That was when he remembered Coco. The boy turned back around, his eyes catching the cashier whom Coco had gone up to to order. The girl had wide eyes that flickered over to the foreigner, and then back to himself. She must've seen their little staring contest, which should've embarrassed him, but all he could do was shrug. Joey faced the front of the store, a faint smile still on his lips when Coco walked over to him. "Hi," he spoke, swallowing hard. What was he supposed to say? It wasn't as if he could take off and sit with her again, he just got to work. Perhaps he could offer another time? He liked this girl, that was obvious even to himself, but he wasn't exactly sure how to tell her that, or even show her that.
(view spoiler)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZbu... (hide spoiler)]

A song was playing overhead, and it caught Coco's attention for a moment, it was nothing like the music she was used to. She enjoyed it immensely, the voice was perfection, and she found herself wanting to sway to the music, but couldn't because that would be utterly ridiculous, right? Coco blushed slightly, Joey was saying hi, a simple hi. That hi made her day though, and she knew, without a doubt, just that one word could make her happy, and smile for the rest of the day. How a boy could do that to her, or one person in general, she wasn't sure, but Coco was sure that she was going to need to get to know him better. She thought for a moment, trying to find something to talk about so that she could linger as long as possible at the pickup counter. "I..." Coco chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, then cleared her throat before continuing, "I was wondering what time your next break was?" She said a little louder, wanting to make sure he heard her. But then it felt like maybe she said it a little too loud? Oh God she hoped not, she took a quick glance around, no one seemed to be paying them too much attention, she breathed a sigh of relief, okay good. That's all she needed, the entire café staring at her like she was some freak. Coco's blue eyes met Joey's, she wondered if he would even want her there for his next break. Hopefully so.

Joey watched as Coco's fair complexion took on a thin sheet of red - especially across her cheeks. Now why would it be doing that? He began to wonder what would have caused the action, but the only conclusion was himself. He had spoken out a greeting, that was all he had done, but perhaps it was something else? God, he was so clueless. He wished to close his eyes and regather himself but that couldn't happen as of now, considering the amount of people around. Thoughts began to wander and Joey, out of habit, chewed on his lower lip. What if this girl thought about him just as much as he did her? It seemed impossibly but... what if? No, no that was impossible. The one girl in the past that he had believed loved him had trampled his heart, leaving him with nothing and nobody. He wasn't going to let that happen again. Walls were being put up around him, guarding his soul from any more harm. She was beautiful, the girl before him, but there was no way he would be able to let her in without him feeling awkward and unwanted. Coco spoke next, her voice trailing off at first but then becoming more audible. His next break? Why was she asking when he got off next?
Oh, he thought, and the film of pink that once covered Coco's face was now covering his.
The walls were down now. Crumbling, actually. Maybe she actually did have an interest in him. His previous thoughts were being taken down and thrown into flames, and he was now wondering if he should give this a chance. A smile crossed Joey's face before he responded, "I get off at noon today," he said, quickly checking behind him to see if her drink was ready, and it was, sitting on the counter in a white cup. He turned around and grabbed the cup of coffee, pacing himself to make sure he didn't trip or spill any liquid. "We could, uhh... Go to lunch?" he handed Coco the cup, "I mean, only if you want to. I don't wanna force you to do anything that you don't want to do. Not that I would force you to do anything, anyway, but I just want you to know that it's your choice... if we go.. to lunch...." Joey's voice trailed off in the end, knowing that he had said entirely too much. He blew it. He had already blew it. There was no point in even standing here anymore. He was going to be turned down. The small little man straightened up, his bottom lip still wedged between his teeth, and prepared himself for the worst.

Coco felt a smile tugging at her mouth as Joey looked at her with kind of a blank expression, it was like he was processing what she had just said, and it was taking him some time. She rose a brow slowly, but then quickly tried to go back to a neutral expression, because she didn't want him to think that she was laughing at him, because really she was just amused by how much alike they seemed to be. He finally spoke, she perked up, that would give her time to do some shopping and maybe pick up some school supplies. "Oh okay," She said softly, then he offered lunch, and started rambling and she was so tempted to smile. Finally she couldn't hold it back anymore, the expression had been tugging at her lips for a matter of minutes already and she finally just gave in and smiled, and the smile was all for Joey. Her eyes never left his, except to glance at his mouth for a moment, and oh what a cute mouth it was, then her eyes flicked back to his mouth quickly. Because she felt that looking at his mouth was much like a guy looking at a girls boobs, it was rude and disrespectful, looking a person in the eyes was important... right? She nodded before she even spoke, "Yes. Yes I would love to have lunch with you. Perhaps not here? Do you know of a place nearby? I'll go shopping for a little while, and then come back.." Now she felt like maybe she was talking too much and quickly shut her mouth so that she wouldn't continue on. Like he really wanted to know what she was doing for the day.
So far she had escaped her shadows, so she thought that maybe if she took her coffee and went shopping, disappearing into the city really, then maybe they would stop looking for her by noon and just leave her to her own devices? She hoped so. Coco couldn't imagine having them escort her and Joey to lunch, ugh that would be so embarrassing and she didn't want to experience that if possible. Maybe she could talk her dad into letting her not have those goons. Yeah that was a slim chance. Coco took a sip of the perfect coffee, and then glanced at Joey shyly over the rim of the cup, oh his eyes were to die for. "To die for," She whispered into the cup, then realizing she had said that aloud she blushed profusely, the urge to cover her face was great, but she didn't.

Joey heart was bounding against his rib cage, the booming sound echoing throughout his brain. Anxious to hear her response, he bit down hard on his lip, a very faint taste of iron roaming his mouth. A smile spread across Coco's face after he was finished speaking, which made him wonder if it was because he had started to speak freely and without warning. It happened often, his rambles that went on and on, and they were often hard for him to stop. Yet even though he was used to a confused reaction, the one that she gave him wasn't exactly normal. Coco stared at him with eyes filled to the brim with entertainment, as if she found this as child's play. Maybe that's all that it was, child's play. After all, weren't they just children themselves? Joey took into consideration how the girl looked at him, how her blue eyes drifted downward for just a few seconds to stare at his mouth. What was that about? He tried to clear his mind, yet it didn't work very well. She agreed to go to lunch with him, though, which made him let out the breath of air he didn't know he was holding. Then, she said she could come back later. He wasn't sure if he wanted to let her leave so soon, if he was ready to see her walk out the door. Of course she would be coming back, but there was something about the person he wanted more of walking away that made him have a strike of fear. "Yeah, there's this place down the road that's pretty good, even got vegan stuff if you're into that." Joey blinked, realizing that 'into that' probably wasn't the best wording. "I mean, if you're vegan. 'Into That' isn't really what I meant. Sometimes I say things without really thinking them through or even filtering myself so I just end up continuing and it's probably annoying, I mean my dad always used to say that it was, it's just a really bad habit, and I-" he cut himself off, "and I'm doing it right now." Joey pierced his lips together, hushing his voice. A rush of red hit his face and he couldn't stop it, showing his embarrassment full on. He really should just nod and walk away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. So, instead, he let out a small laugh, shaking his head to give the situation and clean slate, "Lunch, though. I'll meet you outside of this place." he started to back up so he could grab the next customers drink. "Oh, and if your coffee's ever too hot, just ask for a couple ice cubes to be thrown in."

The line was getting a little long, due to the fact that Coco was standing there talking to the guy that ran the pickups, but she couldn't seem to move herself, despite the whispers that were being made from behind her shoulder. Coco could tell that Joey didn't want her to leave either, or maybe she was imagining that? Probably. He was probably annoyed with her still standing there, disrupting his work, what if she got him fired? Oh no. Coco felt her palms start to sweat, and it wasn't from the warm drink in her hands, but before she could have a full out panic attack Joey was speaking again and she was all too distracted all over again to take much notice of her previous thoughts. He was rambling on and talking about rambling, and then apologizing, kind of? Coco was too enrapt in his voice and eyes to really know, and she just laughed softly with him when he laughed. "Yes, I'll meet you outside, and thanks. I'll try to remember that.. of course if you're not here there isn't even a point to me coming here.." She felt her stomach drop, had she just said that? Out loud? Oh no, oh no, oh no, he was going to think she was too forward or something. Coco blushed just as red as he blushed and tried to find her breath, her heart was bound to be pounding out of her chest at any second. "I mean," She was flustered and tried to find the words, but none that made any sense came to her. "I don't.. I uh. I guess I should be going, line and all," Coco gave him a brief smile, "I'll see you in a little while, hopefully I don't get lost." A nervous laugh came from her, and it seemed to loud to her own ears. She gave Joey a brief wave before backing away and then turning fully and escaping the café as fast as her legs would allow her. She had to be the biggest idiot on the planet, she cursed herself silently in Spanish as her feet his cement outside of the shop, she was on the sidewalk and now had to figure out where she was going to go next.

Joey untied the back of his apron, hanging it up on a hook and running his hands through his hair a few times. Tired, drained, and definitely ready for whatever was about to happen with Coco. A date? He wasn't quite sure, but they were about to go out for lunch and who knew what would come after? The thought brought a smile to his face, but he quickly covered it up in case anybody wondered what he was thinking of. The boy walked out onto the cafe floor, giving a slight nod to the second-shift workers walking in. They had no idea the amount of happiness radiating from him. Coco was someone special, even if he didn't truly know that himself, but he hoped that they would, at the very least, become good friends. Joey pushed the door that lead outside open, breathing in the cool mid-day air. It was fall, or on the brisk of fall, and the leaves were beginning to change colors. The air was nippy, but not yet too cold to walk about without a jacket. It was a nice day in particular since the rain and clouds had warn off. There were still clouds, but they where white instead of grey and crabby. He could have sworn he saw the sun - a delicacy in Seattle. Joey headed toward the outside tables, sitting down in an empty metal chair as he waited for the girl to appear on the street.

Coco kept herself busy for the morning, she visited the campus, and some of her professors. That way she wasn't fully lying to her aunt and uncle, she got some books she was still missing at the college bookstore, then went in search of more stores, off campus. She came across a few shops, one of which had a dress in it that she couldn't pass up, she took her armful of bags home mid-morning and then went out to explore the city some. Both her uncle and aunt had been gone already from the house, so she didn't have to worry about running into them, the shadows were gone as well. She wasn't exactly sure where her body guards had disappeared to but she didn't exactly care either. Coco discovered a couple of historical monuments, and a museum that she enjoyed as well during her morning. It had been full, for sure, but it hadn't kept her properly distracted like she had hoped it would. That boy, and his eyes, and that voice, just thinking about it made her cheeks pink. Joey had been on her mind all morning, and as she walked back to the café to see him she wondered if he thought of her at all since they first met. Or if her showing up this morning had maybe annoyed him? She wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe he was interested in her. Coco rounded the corner and looked up, there he was. Sitting with his back to her, in a metal chair outside the café. She would know his profile in the most crowded room, which was probably strange since they barely knew one another. Coco walked up behind him and then stepped around his chair to face him, "Hey stranger. Have you been waiting long?" She asked as she put her hand above her brows to block out the sun.

Joey sat in silence, the music that plays inside of the shop staying behind closed doors due to the fact that pedestrians had complained. Seattle was an odd city, but he had grown used to the quirks and tendencies. Ever since he was a kid he had said he would grow up and live in a huge city like New York, somewhere across the country, and somewhere that gave him lots of different cultures. Years later, he was still in the same place, living in a different section of the town, but nonetheless living. Joey looked up when a shadow was cast down on him, the soft voice of a girl being displayed before him. He smiled and stood to stand eye-level with Coco. "Just a few minutes, but that's not a big deal." Joey started to walk past her and then turned around as if to say follow me. "There's this little place down the street called Cafe Gratitude if you want to head that way. Or if you had somewhere else in mind..." he let his voice trail off, unsure if she even knew the surrounding restaurants. There was no telling how long she had been in town, and he hoped that she would speak up if she knew of somewhere different.

Coco was relieved to hear that Joey had not waited overly long for her to show up, he started to walk in the opposite direction from where she had just come from. Coco followed him, letting him take lead, she hadn't heard of the place he was talking about, of course practically everything was new for her. "No I don't really know the places to eat or anything, your coffee shop is really the only place I've drank or eaten anything..." Coco ducked her head, that was probably sad to anyone that heard that. She was hopeless, just barely getting out into the city and she had class in only two days time, oh joy. "So...." Coco tucked some of her hair behind her ear and took a quick look Joey's way, "So was work okay?" She wasn't really sure how to start the conversation, but work sounded like a safe subject, maybe it would lead on to something else. She really was going to have to get better at this socializing/talking thing, because being awkward all of the time would most assuredly make Joey bored of her rather quickly, or at least those were her thoughts. She had no way of knowing that they thought a lot alike, and doubted themselves pretty much the same amount. Coco glanced around, they were in a beautiful part of the city, she felt her mood lighten considerably.

Joey nodded when she said that she didn't know anywhere else to eat. That was normal, he assumed, since she hadn't been in Seattle for very long. Even he didn't know half of the restaurants surrounding them. "You'll like where we're going," he said with a smile, turning to show her the expression. Well, hopefully she would like it. It was nearly impossible to tell. Joey turned back around to walk forward, listening as Coco began a sentence. She asked if work was okay, a general question that should be responded with a general answer, although he wasn't quite sure how he should tell her. Would he be able to say, truthfully, that he couldn't stop thinking of her? That she distracted him from doing one hundred percent on his job? He let out a breath of air, trying to figure out what to say. "Work was good," Joey nodded, slowing down his pace so he could walk side-by-side with Coco. Everything was racing in his mind, every thought and every action. It had been a while since he had gone on a date - or whatever this was counted as. In his last year of high school was when he trusted anyone with his own life. But even now he wasn't sure if Coco would be the one. "How was your shopping?" he knew that the answer would be positive, after all, who couldn't find something they enjoyed in Seattle? Hipsters, goths, preps, musicians, athletes... no matter what style you preferred, you could find something. Coco on the other hand, he wasn't sure what she enjoyed, or even if she had a certain style. Maybe she found Seattle boring, a place considered drabby compared to her home country. He took in a shaky breath, hoping that he didn't ask her a questions he had negative input in. If he was alone, or perhaps not being watched upon, he would have shook his head and buried his face in the side of his shoulder. God damn it, if he screwed this chance up he wouldn't know what to do. With a slightly red-tinted face, Joey continued forward, hoping that he didn't mess everything up in a matter of minutes.

Coco trusted in Joey, if he said that she would enjoy the place then she would probably enjoy it. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to have poor taste, not that she had ever experienced this sort of thing anyway to compare it all to. She felt frighteningly innocent, and she wasn't really sure what to do about it. Joey said that work was good, but he didn't expand. Coco walked beside him and expected him to tell her more, but instead he asked how her shopping went, it took her by surprise. "Oh," She said softly and groped for words, "Um it was good." Coco brushed Joey's arm with her own as she jumped out of the way of a bike messenger that whizzed by. "Sorry," She told him with a shy smile, "I found some shops I liked, there was one that had these adorable stuffed animals, I picked out a baby owl and named her Cho." She bit her lip, she was rambling wasn't she? And what boy would care about a stupid stuffed animal shop? She was supposed to be cute but sexy right? Oh she was failing at this whole thing terribly, Joey would probably think her a child and send her on her way to never talk to her again. Why was life so difficult? Especially dating?

Joey let out a breath of air he wasn't aware that he was holding once Coco responded. Maybe the question wasn't as bad as he thought, but there was still a small amount of tension in the air between them. Skin brushed against his own in a matter of moments, taking him off guard and throwing him back into the real world. Coco had shifted toward him to stay out of the path of a bike messenger. He tried to hide his own embarrassment, the film of pink covering his cheeks feeling almost hot to the touch. "It's alright," he said, unsure if he was assuring himself or her. Joey stole a glace at Coco as she spoke of the shops she visited. A plush animal store? He vaguely remembered going to one of those a few years back with his ex-girlfriend, but was unsure if it was the same shop. "I used to love those places as a kid," he let a small smile slip onto his face, remembering how when he was a toddler - or a bit older - how his mother would take him in there occasionally to pick out a stuffed dog or monkey. "Do they have plush-toy shops where you're from?" Joey turned his head to look at Coco, but then realized that he probably didn't ask the question correctly. "I mean, do they have a lot of them? I didn't mean to sound prejudice or anything like that, I just didn't word the question correctly, and now I can't stop talking and-" Joey cut off his own sentence, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. God, could he do anything right?

The sidewalks were slightly crowded, apparently everyone went to lunch at the same time. Or they all wanted to see the rare sunshine that they were all experiencing, Coco didn't know the city well enough to know either way. She took a deep breath and let it out quietly as she waited for Joey to respond, when she looked over at him she noticed his cheeks were pink. Hmm, was it hot? She didn't think so, it felt chilly on her own cheeks, of course her jacket kept her warm enough, but she was sure that she would need to get better gear soon for the upcoming winter months. Joey said that he visited them when he was a kid, then he kept going. By the end of his spiel Coco was smiling despite doing her best to hide it. "Its okay," She told him with understanding in her tone. "Well no, actually I never have been to one until today. The few stuffies I have in my bedroom in Spain came from my nanny, and honestly I have no idea where she purchased them from." She didn't add that her mother and father thought them childish and had stored them away a few years before. She was glad to be able to buy what she wanted, without her nosy parents in her business constantly. "Do..." She paused and thought about her words, "Do you have any favorite shops?" She hoped that wasn't an intrusive question.

Joey was gracious that Coco didn't mind his short outburst of words. They occasionally spilled out, unable to stop or get a hold of... Especially around girls. He turned his head with an expression of curiosity when she said that they did not have plush-toy stores where she was from. What did the children, or even newborns, have to sustain themselves? Was everything handmade, or was there a different form of entertainment other than stuffed animals? Joey raised a brow in wonder, knowing that he wouldn't be able to find the right words to actually say the question correctly. He tuned back into the actual conversation when a question was directed towards him. Did he have any favorite shops? Definitely not the ones that she was into, but yes. None of what he liked to spend his free time in was related to clothing, or even to decor. "Music shops," he answered plainly. "There's a couple good ones in this side of town. Trading Musician isn't bad at all, even if some people think differently. Jive Time Records isn't terrible, either. They've got used vinyl and cassettes and CD's.... The atmosphere in those places, they're the best thing in this town." Joey looked down at the ground in embarrassment, a smile spreading across is face. "I didn't say too much, did I?"

Coco and Joey rounded a corner, it looked like this street was really alive. People were sitting at small tables outside of café's, laughing, talking, and sharing their lives with one another. Coco could have watched them all day, people watching was always a fun thing to do. She turned her ear back to the conversation at hand, "Oh, those sound wonderful." She commented, "Do you think they would have any vinyls from the 40's?" her interest was peaked, she loved old music. She had a record player back in her room at her Aunts house, she'd brought a few vinyls with her from Spain, but not many. it would be nice to get some more, to give her more options. Especially for when school started, music always helped her study, and it drove her mother crazy, so it was always a plus for her. She didn't like Coco listening to anything that wasn't purely classical and Spanish. Of course there was some traditional, classical, Spanish music that Coco enjoyed, but she would never admit that to her mother. The wind picked up, sending fallen leaves scattering across the sidewalk, it was a beautiful sight and oh so Fall like.

"They might have some, I'm not sure." Joey tried to stretch his memory about the shop, but couldn't remember if they had records from below the 50's. "I don't normally buy anything less than 80's, but I'll ask the next time I go in." He wasn't trying to flirt or seem like he was trying hard, sometimes it just happened. A bad reaction, if that's what you'd like to call his interactions with girls. He looked up and caught site of the restaurant they would be attending. There weren't many people sitting outside, which was odd considering it was one of the only 'sunny' days Seattle got. "Are you into vinyl?" he asked, realizing that her question had sparked a bit of his own interest.

(sorry this is..... eh.)

(Your posts are never 'eh' so don't sweat it)

Coco felt herself become a little excited, even 50's vinyls would be fine. She wondered briefly what kind of music Joey was into , if he would introduce her to new music. Then her eyes followed his to a particular restaurant that didn't look too crowded, but smelled wonderful. Her stomach growled softly and her cheeks blossomed pink, she apparently was more hungry than she thought. "Hmm?" She looked at him, her blue eyes full of curiosity and wonder. "Yes, yes I love vinyl. My mother actually got me hooked... she used to play old, OLD, vinyls when I was little to lull me to sleep. As I got older I found vinyls that I was interested in and started requesting them for birthdays and Christmases." Her eyes brightened the more she spoke about the music, "What about you? Are you into them? If so what kind?" She kept her attention solely on Joey, making sure that he knew that she was truly interested about his likes and dislikes. She honestly wanted to know every little detail about him, but that wouldn't happen in a day, maybe not ever. Still she would take what she could get without seeming weird or stalker like.