The Time Thieves (ᴀ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ) discussion

The cafe is your general, run of the mill coffee shop. It provides a great environment for socializing, making it fairly popular. Plus, you know, there's coffee. Nectar of the gods and stuff.

Alexia walked into the café, looking around. She walked up to the counter and bought a coffee. She walked over to a booth in the corner of the café, and sat done.

((Down* my brain temporarily left me.))

Derek opened the door to the cafe. He ordered a drink and sat down in the booth seat directly behind Alexia, sipping his beverage.

Alexia glanced behind her when Derek sat down. She turned back to her drink and took a sip. She hissed quietly; it was hot.

Derek took off his jacket, setting it on the edge of the table. Then, his phone dropped out of the pocket, clattering loudly to the floor and proceeding to bounce under the seat. He swore quietly and started trying to reach underneath the bench.

Alexia glanced at him again. "Need help?"

Derek looked up from the floor, his hair falling into his eyes. "Yeah. Help would be nice."

Alexia slipped out of her chair and got on her hands and knees. She slipped her hand under the booth chair, searching for his phone.

Derek got back down to return to the search. He grabbed the phone and emerged from under the bench triumphantly. "Got it!"

"Great," Alexia said, sitting up. "Glad to have helped, even if I didn't do much."

"Every little bit counts," Derek smiled. "I'm Derek, by the way," he said, extending his arm over the bench and to Alexia.

Alexia took his hand. "Alexia Morre. Nice to meet you."

Derek firmly shook Alexia's hand. "You, too."

Alexia released Derek's hand and got back into her seat.

Derek finished his drink and grabbed his jacket, heading out the door. As he slung the hoodie over his shoulders, his lighter and a package of cigarettes fell out.

Alexia watched him go and saw his stuff fall out. She hopped up and grabbed them. "Hey! Derek!"

"Oh my - I'm so sorry. Thank you. God, this is embarrassing," Derek gushed, his face going red.

"It's fine," Alexia said, handing him stuff. "Your pocket might have a hole or something."

"Maybe. I was mostly talking about the fact I even had cigarettes in my pocket. Not exactly a highly-approved activity," Derek explained.

Alexia shrugged. "I guess."

Derek put his things in his pants pocket. "I don't care much for it either. I'm just having trouble quitting."

Alexia nodded. "Good luck, then."

"Thanks. I'm gonna be on my way, then," Derek said. "See you around."

"Yep," Alexia said. "See you."

Derek nodded, then proceeded to walk out, hands firmly on his jacket pockets to prevent anything else from falling out.

((We done?))

((yes))

((Kk.))

Alexia walked into the cafe, yawning. She bought a coffee and sat down in a booth.

Derek sat outside at first, enjoying the ambiance. Then, seeing Alexia walk in, he followed her and sat down at her booth. "Good morning, sunshine!"

Alexia jumped, not having seen him. "Hi."

"Enjoying your book?"

Alexia nodded. "Yes. I stayed up reading it last night, thus my yawning."

Derek nodded. "What about your classes? What're you going to school for, anyway?"

"Oh, I'm gonna be journalist," Alexia said. "Hopefully."

"Cool."

Alexia nodded and sipped her coffee. "Ow. It's hot."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "Sort of the point, isn't it?"

"I guess," Alexia said. "I wish it wouldn't burn my tongue though."

Derek shrugged. "Tongues are...expendable."

Alexia rolled her eyes and yawned again. "Thanks again for the book."

"Just glad you're enjoying it," Derek said.

Alexia nodded and took another sip.of her coffee.

((Is Alexia going to neglect the fact that Derek's number is written in the book?))
Derek drank the remaining bit of his coffee, then set the empty cup down. "So..."

((Patience, young grasshopper. Good things come to those who wait.))

Alexia watched him out of the corner of her eye, sipping her coffee again.

((I'm not patient, and I am certainly not a grasshopper!))

Derek bit his lip, not sure what to do next.

((True.))

"So," Alexia said, turning to face him.

Derek cleared his throat. The tension in the air was palpable.

Alexia sighed. She sipped at her coffee. "Blech. I don't even like coffee. I don't know why I come here."