12:33pm. Wednesday.

She turned off her subs, lowered the volume of her stereo, finished singing along with mr. mayer and pulled her keys out of the ignition. Her black flip-flops met the parking lot and carried her to the entrance of starbux. she surveyed the tables, chairs and green umbrellas on either side of the front door with her eyes safely hidden behind her sunglasses.

there. on the left. white t-shirt. faded jeans. black work boots.

she only saw the top of his head, as he was looking down at the paper below his right hand... but felt her shoulders automatically lower and her neck lengthen. her gut was suddenly drawn to the back of her spine and her steps changed. lighter. slower. he didn't look up as she passed into the store.

she ordered an iced latte and shmoozed with a barista she didn't recognize. a newbie. amanda.

after adding sugar and spilling some of her drink on her right thigh, she stepped back outside. she held with her two plastic portfolios- one neon green, one hot-shot blue. she looked to her left and saw nothing but empty seats. she didn't see any shade. she looked back to her right and saw the only haven her pale skin had from the sun... right next to him at his table.

her confidence pushed her feet towards him, but her insecurities pulled her passed him and his shade to a table his back was towards.

"ugh..." she mumbled as she settled herself. feet up on the chair. friendship bracelet hook around her toe.

a half an hour passes, and she has listened to him converse on his phone, let him listen to her on her phone, and watched him smoke a marlboro red while scribbling on that same paper. she has switched from the friendship bracelet to cutting out different clippings from the Washington Post Magazine.

The homeless woman approached from across the parking lot. She had with her a coin, valued at $1,100. she asked both of them if they were interested in purchasing it.

She could honestly say that she didn't have that kind of money. Being unemployed did have its benefits. Before the woman left she bummed a cigarette from him.

His face was now turned towards her. She locked eyes with him for the first time and nearly fell backwards out of her seat. His eyes were a piercing, icy blue.

"Now she's going to expect a cigarette every time she sees me. What was she trying to sell us?"

"A coin. For $1,100."

Not exactly the conversation she had played out in her mind for the last 30 minutes... but he DID break the silence between them.

another half hour goes by. When her long-time acquaintance shows up... she is thrilled to learn that he knows both of them, and soon the conversation is a threesome.

Who knows what was said. all she remembers is that it started.