NOT a typical Love Story

I don't know why I thought of this because I'm supposed to be completely over this girl. getting the last feelings out of my system I guess.

Once upon a time...

Just kidding...I've always wanted to start a story like that...

Seriously though, it was last year that I first noticed her. 

I was in 8th grade. I was immature. I wanted to be in love. And I was on the rebound. Sort of...

Anyway, this girl captured me one day. Like literally, she took me captive in the library that she worked at. She needed help with a couple things, and I was pleased to help out a pretty girl like her.

I didn't know what to think of her. She had short, brown hair, and this cute quirkiness that couldn't be described any other way than as....a bug's ear. Yes, I know it sounds weird, but roll with it.

Talks with this girl continued, and they gradually got longer, and at later times in the evening. My sister told me once that if you talk with someone of the opposite gender late at night, it means that you like them. I've found this to be untrue, but I wonder if she was hinting at something way back when...

Truth be told, this girl was becoming much more to me than someone to just love. Like, before I thought that I needed a girl to love to be happy. Jenny, as this was her name, had become more to me than just another girl to waste my time on. I felt legitimate feelings for her. Granted, I was in 8th grade, and so confused about everything, that I couldn't have seen what was coming. 

What was coming, was an ambush. The next year, after we had moved schools and tried to maintain our relationship, we were talking one day and she chose to call me. Not a big deal, though honestly I'm not usually the kind of guy who talks on a phone.

It was no big deal, the call was basically just telling me that she was through with me, that she didn't like me, that for a while she hadn't even really felt anything...etc.

It certainly hurt for a long time, but I won't lie when I say that I got over her not long after that. I guess I recognized the futility of it. A few months after that, I heard she got a boyfriend- some idiot named Jake- and I got a girlfriend named Cathy. We went our separate ways, and we were better off. We still said hey every now and then, but even that stopped when she left for college at Yale, and I went to LA for music. 

I guess that's just the way life is. 

You may be wondering why I'm telling you this strange tale. 

It's kind of a funny story. Fast forward....8 or 9 years...give or take a few months. 

"Hi, I'd like a Peppermint White Hot Chocolate please..."

"Coming right up. That'll be 5.82."

New York. 

It was a just a tiny little coffee shop in the middle of the city. It's what my mom would call a "hole-in-the-wall". I was there to play a little bit of live music, and hopefully pick up a couple bucks...

You're automatically thinking, "oh she's going to be a customer who frequents the coffee shop and they will meet and be like ohhhh."

You're wrong. 

I checked my watch- 6:27

"Hey could you just bring it up to me, I should get started on my set..."

"Yeah sure, that's no problem."

"Alright thanks. This is allllll you..." I said as I sprinkled a multitude of copper pennies into the tip jar...

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman, I, am, the entertainment for, this , evening. How are you tonight?"

The familiar sound of applause and cheers filled my ears. Ahhh...

"Uhhh....sir, here's your coffee..." 

Startled I turned abruptly, my guitar swinging around...

And knocking the hot chocolate (not the coffee) all over Barista-Girl's Apron.

"Aggggghhhhh" she cursed.

"OH MY WORD. I am soooo sorry!" Hastily, I reached for the nearest thing around me and started wiping up the hot mess. However, with my ability to make everything awkward, I was now pretty much groping this random girl as I tried to clean up the mess I had made. 

"Yeahhh..."

She and I both began to back away slowly....

As we backed away, I suddenly noticed something. 

It sounds weird, but I noticed something in this girl's eyes. 

A long time ago, it seems as if it was a memory way far in the distance, I remembered vaguely, a girl named Jenny, and she had the widest eyes any girl ever had. It was like a window to her soul and a symbol of her innocence.

I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed this before. We stared at each other for another couple of moments. 

Then she walked away. 

I looked down at my sweaty hands clenching the coffee stained......SHEET MUSIC?

Yeah, believe it or not, I had grabbed sheet music right off my case, like an idiot....

I had to plan my moves carefully....I couldn't just do or say anything. How did she not recognize me?

I stepped back up onto the stage and said, "Uhh...sorry guys, just had a little bit of an accident...

My name is Ben Ingham. Enjoy the show."

And I launched into my set list. I even said my name! How did she not recognize it???

For the next few weeks, I became the frequent customer of the coffee shop. I would frequently order the same drink, but she never seemed to recognize me. I was hard at work.

2 months later.

You may be thinking.."Two months???" 

Yes, I have courage issues. For the past 8 weeks, I had been writing a song, I was just trying to find a way to talk to you, without fumbling up the whole process. So I did the easiest thing I could think of. 

I walked in one day with my guitar and walked over to the stage 

I took out a piece of sheet music that had a large coffee stain on one side.

I began to play.

"When we first met, you took me captive

Begged me for my help, all the help I could give

Look at us now, I've gotcha captive

With a beautiful song, over this coffee shop din

Imagine my surprise, when I saw you

It was your wide eyes, that made me think I knew

Who you were, who you are, after all this time

I remember now, that you once were mine

Cause you took my breath away, yes you did

Don't you remember when, we loved each other as kids

We don't have to get back together, NO WAY.

But you can't tell me, you don't, miss, the old days."

We both stood there for a moment. The whole coffee shop had gone silent. I looked up and stared at you.

Then the door squeaked open. In walked that idiot Jake. 

I was crushed. I took my guitar and walked out the door. I swear I didn't look back.

You see, I get it. I've always been a nice guy. A nice guy usually doesn't get what he wants.

I knew that.

I knew that what I had done had been rather foolish. 

I knew that there was always the possibility that you'd say no. 

And when that idiot Jake walked in, I realized that you had really found someone. That you had found someone who was worth moving to New York and becoming a Barista for. Or, you'd found someone who was so devoted that he followed you to New York to help you live your dream. 

And I didn't want to touch that.

I didn't want to get in the way of something so pure and beautiful.

So I left. 

We didn't live 

Happily Ever After

(but that's okay)

Author's Note

This was a lot longer than I expected.
Yeah.