Amelia was met with the same hazel eyes, the ones which were behind the camera each time.
"Oh the boyfriend steps in", Nick said, standing up from his chair, staring at Shawn.
Amelia sat in between the two tall figure now, looking at them turn by turn as each spoke.
"You should leave", Shawn said staring back at him. Neither of the two were ready to give in.
"Poor little rich brat, huh?", he said before bringing his mouth next to his ear, "Careful, I might steal your woman", Nick whispered in Shawn's ear, then came back to look into his eyes, with a smirk plastered to his face.
"Guys?", Amelia looked at both of them, oblivious of what was going on.
The two of them looked at her. Thinking that the time wasn't right, Nick took Amelia's hand in his, and said, "It was nice meeting you", with a smile and turned around to walk out of the door of the coffee shop after looking at Shawn one last time.
"Shawn?", Amelia called out to him, as he still had his eyes glued to Nick, as he left in his car.
"Hmmm", he hummed looking back at her.
"Wanna sit?", she asked.
He sat on the chair opposite to her, where Nick was sitting a few minutes ago. He wasn't smiling like he always did, rather he had a serious look on his face as he looked at Amelia now.
Amelia raised her eyebrow as she didn't understood his expressions.
"Are you that naive?", he asked her, in a very calm tone. A tone which suggest hell breaking loose on you in a few seconds.
"Huh?", Amelia looked at him as he spit those words out.
"You had no idea who that guy was, and you were so naive to let him sit with you?", he said maintaining his calm.
"And were are we going with this?", she asked furious of his words now.
"You know that", he said looking straight into her chocolate brown eyes. "That guy is bad news", he said.
"Ahhhh, You know him?", she asked raising an eyebrow.
"No, but I know how guys are", he said.
"I should stay away from you then, you are one", she said with an expression which said'bring it on'.
Shawn was left speechless to that. He looked at Amelia and contemplated if he should carry on with this.
"You shouldn't have talked to him", he said.
"And you think you can tell me that", she said.
"Tell you what?", he asked.
"Who I can talk to and who not?"
"I didn't mean that", he defended himself.
"It's just that................you should be that welcome to people around you", he said.
Amelia refused to argue any further. Shawn looked at her with the ever calm that he had.
"Listen, I get it, you are independent, free to make your own choices but I was just warning you of people's real intentions", he said.
Amelia let go off the anger he had and looked at him.
She took a deep breath and looked at him.
"What shall I get you?", he asked, "Because this is cold", he pointed at the cup of coffee Amelia was having before.
"A hot cup of mocha", she smiled giving up on his cuteness.
"Right your way ma'am", he said as he was quick on his foot towards the counter. Amelia looked back at the book which lay open on the table, she sighed looking at it, and thought of reading it, while Shawn brought the order.
"That is a wonderful book", he said coming back after a few minutes with their orders. He placed the cup of coffees on the table as he sat on his chair. He took the book from Amelia's hand and read the page she was on.
"Hey, give it back", she said.
"Oh you've met Gabriel I guess", he said referring to the character in the book, turning the pages.
"And he is so hot", she said rolling her eyes up in a dreamy way.
"And I thought this girl was naive", he said chuckling.
"I can take care of myself", she said referring to the conversation they were having earlier.
Shawn nodded at her. He took out something from his jean pocket and placed it on the table between the two cups of coffee.
"Hey, it was with me", she said remembering the time she had placed it on the vanity table before going to shower in the morning.
"I took it", he said playfully.
"Is it true?", she asked Shawn.
"What?"
"The thing you wrote here, Lia means "bearer of good news","
Shawn smiled at that, and looked at her.
"Yes, and you've been lucky for me ever since we've met", he said with a low, serious smile on his face.
She smiled back at him, and placed it in her pocket.
Shawn placed his hand on the table and signaled Amelia to place her hand in his.
As Amelia did that, he placed the capsule in her hand which were covered till the palm with the Olive green full sleeved top that she wore, and closed her palm after that. He noticed her nude nail paint as he did that, and he couldn't help but drool at that a little. He kept staring at her hands, until she cleared her throat.
"Are those real?", he asked.
"Why the hell, do guys always ask that?", she said closing her eyes dramatically mid sentence.
"I feel it is inconvenient to walk around with those", he said.
"That sounded dumb", she said.
"As if" Shawn defended.
"It did", she said talking her left hand and the book from his side, back in an instant.
Shawn reached out for the book, but it was too late as it was already in Lia's territory.
Amelia did a little victory dance and Shawn admired the way she swang her arms side to side.
As soon as she went normal, he gave her a serious look, like he hadn't smiled.
"Where is the troop?", he asked" Or did you drive here with that?", pointing towards the foot.
"Adventure sports, Burma bridge and stuff", she said pointing towards the glass, in the direction.
"Are you bored?",he asked.
Amelia nodded.
"Let's go".
"I really want to complete this book", she said.
"We will come back tomorrow", he said.
Amelia looked at him and gave it a thought.
"But me friends, they'll get worried", she said.
"You can call them", he said.
Amelia seemed to be in a dilemma.
"Loosen up, Lia, this obedience and 'thinking about others before self', is not gonna do you any good", he said convincing her.
His words had created a rift in her mind. But that, surely made up her mind.
"Come on", she said as she kept the book on the table, got her shrug, and moved towards the door.
Shawn was finally happy. It was around 4 in the evening, and he knew just the place to be at this time.
He looked at the book, on the table, and picked it up, nodded at the staff, and headed out after Amelia.
Amelia looked at him as she noticed the book in his hand.
"You aren't allowed to take it with you", she said.
"Relax", he opened his eyes at her, "Remember, loosen up".
"That is wrong", she said pointing at the book.
"Shhhhhh", Shawn said with dramatic anger as he signaled her to sit inside, before taking the driver's seat.
"Would you?", he asked placing the book on her lap.
Amelia didn't respond to that, so to make her react, Shawn poked her nose with his index finger. Amelia who looked out of the front, widened her eyeballs at the sudden movement.
She winced. He chucked. The usual.
Shawn moved the steering wheel on his favorite road as Amelia looked all around in absolute awe.
It was the fall season, some would say. But this place made fall come to life. The single road had trees to one side and uphill to the other, and both the sides were covered in the orange fall leaves making the place as dreamy as ever.
"I love this", Amelia said as Shawn looked at her face. He slowed the speed and looked at Lia while driving more often now, that she was even more excited.
He noticed the road widen at a distance, and stopped the car at that place. He got off his seat an opened Amelia's door.
"Don't walk here, Tyler will kill me if it gets worse", he said.
"What am I supposed to do then?", she asked.
"You can sit, open the door, feel the fresh air", he bend down to her face level and said, "And well talk".
She knew there was no point in arguing, as Tyler would kill her as well, if the wound gets worse. So she sat on the seat, placing her legs towards the door, hanging them down to the side of the car, feeling the fresh cool breeze on her nose and cheekbones, while Shawn leaned on the car, right next to Amelia looking at the spectacular view, of the mountains, that lay behind the trees in front of them.
Shawn saw a cone on the ground among the leave at a distance and fetched it.
"Show", Amelia said as she placed her hand in front of him.
The two of them stood there, for how much time, no one knew. Because in that one moment the world seemed to have seized. Nothing else mattered to any one of them right now. They were completely involved in the present and that, was the beauty of it.
"I've noticed something", Amelia said, "About you".
"What is that?"
"You like things like these", she said.
Shawn nodded.
"It is about what connects to the soul", he said, "This place gives space to my thoughts, to me".
"I feel it", she said,"I used feel the same way".
"Huh?"
"I used to feel the same, like I did today, at my father's",she said.
"He always said that he can't write something great in the hustle bustle of the city, he needed to be with his thoughts", she said.
"He is a writer, he understands the importance of simple things in life", he said.
"It is the simple things like this, that give you moments to reflect on yourself, on who you are, and who you want to be. But most importantly on who you've become", he said.
He said. She contemplated.
They sat back in the car after a few more minute. The top of the nose cold now, but that coldness was being cherished by both of them.
None of the two spoke, still in the awe of the moment. The silence between them wasn't awkward, it was rather comforting. They didn't have to cover the silence by speaking. Rather they enjoyed it, the silence, the one which makes you pay attention to the shuffling of dry autumn leaves ð with the wind.
The two knew each other for only a couple of days now, but still they felt comfortable.
Shawn ignited the engine, turned the car around to go back now.
He looked at Amelia, who had her head on the side window, as she took as much as she could from the present.
Someday, when they turn 50, no matter where they are, or with who they are, they will always carry this moment with them. And when the times are rough, they will sleep on it.
It will give them the hope that everything will be fine.
And that is the beauty of hope.
Hope.
Love.
Epic.
#But the road to LOvE is just the way I spelled it, up and down, high and low. We all know that. But we love, despite it. Because it is Worth It.......................................