Trials of Men #2

The first drop of rain touched her cheeks while she stared into the horizon. Sipping her favorite cup of hot chocolate while sitting at the veranda and reading the latest novel by Jodi Picoult. It was a habit she's been practicing since a little girl.

She paused momentarily, looking up to the skies. Dark clouds and thunder rumbling in the distance created a hypnotic surrealism that brought her back to the day she met him.

It was raining that afternoon too, she was rushing back from classes and decided to check into the nearest coffee house to avoid getting wet. It was a crowded place, filled with students who like her just finished their classes. The smell of fresh brew of coffee greeted her with an almost pleasant delight as she stepped in. Slowly, she maneuvered her way across an empty table at the corner that her blue eyes caught on. The sound of chatting and laughter slowly fading in the background.

"Thump!" The sound of heavy books landed on the table just as Anne was reaching the table she spotted. It seems someone else had the same thing in mind. She looked up, and a tall man with broad shoulders slowly lifted his sling bag and lay it on the floor. He had black curly hair which was left unchecked. All she could glimpse from his face was a tiny dimple on the corner of his cheeks.

Heaving a heavy sigh, she looked around, disappointed that her seat was taken. Then he turned, probably from hearing the sound of her muttered frustration under her breath.

He smiled, gesturing her to take his place knowing that she wanted the place as well. Anne was slightly shocked, she was momentarily taken back. He was quite a charmer, she thought to herself. And a gentleman too. "Miss?", the man called out. Apparently, Anne stood still longer than she thought. "Would you like to take a seat?", he offered. Slightly blushed, she nodded. "My name's Frank. You?", the man asked. "Anne", she smiled.