the dayâs commute becomes a little sweeter when you and Grace cross paths and bond over books
content: fluff, strangers to friends, soft kissing
song: Third Avenue - Rocco
The sound of footsteps carries throughout the bustling metro line. Everyoneâs hurrying onto the carts when they arrive, and Grace follows. Slipping into a seat near her favorite (some middle schooler stole it this time), she settles her bag in her lap and finally exhales. Seated and safe, what a relief.
The screen with each destination stop blinks in front of her, and she takes a glance up. Right below the sign, though, in her line of view, is you.
And boy, does she hesitate.
Thereâs something about a cute person on public transit that makes her heart stutter. Itâs not something that happens a lot. Grace was used to tuning thingsâpeopleâout.
But things are different now. Sheâs different now. Hyper-aware of everything, including the warmth creeping up the back of her neck. Or how she apparently gets little, tiny crushes on pretty people now. Who was she kidding? Sheâs always gotten those little crushes; she just never does anything about them, letting people walk out of her life without a single interaction.
Finally done with scrolling on your phone, you pull out a book. She takes notice and smiles to herself. A reader, of course. She knew there was something sheâd like about you other than your face.
What really catches her attention, though, is the title: Hunger. She knows that book, has some of the sentences burned into her brain. For three stops, she debates talking to you. Eventually, curiosity wins. And maybe, a need for connection.
âYou, uhââ Her voice is too soft, she realizes, and she clears her throat to try again. Loud enough for you to hear, at least. âHunger is really good.â Then hastily, she adds, âNot being hungry⌠the book. Which you probably knew I meant. Sorry.â
You smiled slowly, eyes focused on her and her pink-tinted cheeks. âYeah, I got that,â you said lightly. You glanced down at the book in your hands for a second before nodding. âIt is good,â you agreed. âIâm actually re-reading it.â
âYeah?â She turns to face you better. Starting conversations is rare for her, and she feels so unsure of herself, but something about you makes her want to try. âSo, you really liked it?â
âI did,â you said happily. âItâs so impactful. Raw and honest. I can only imagine writing something so beautiful.â
Your response made her relax, and her excitement grew. Because you knew what you were talking about. She leaned a little closer to you. âRight? Roxane Gayâs a genius,â she said, fingers curling around the strap of her bag. âThe writingâs so visceral, and she tackles it so⌠so tactfully. It stays with you.â
Your eyes practically sparkled as you nodded along. âIt really does. It feels like each line is perfectly tailored. I love it.â
She nodded back, lips curling into a hesitant smile. Your enthusiasm, it seeps into her. Draws her in like a magnet. âI agree,â she said. âEvery word, every sentence⌠it just fits.â Her eyes locked onto yours, and each second it stayed, her heart thumped faster. âAnd it makes you feel things, you know? Like, really deeply.â
âAbsolutely.â You closed the book, giving all your attention to the woman in front of you. âI mean, on so many subjects too. Thereâs body image, feminism, queerness. The intersectionality of it all.â
It feels good, Grace realized. Being engaged in a conversation that wasnât just some coworker asking how her weekend was. She nodded fervently, eyes widening. âYes, yes, thatâs exactly it.â Her words are coming out faster now, a little louder. âThe way she weaves all of that together, and how personal she gets⌠itâs not like anything Iâve read before. So complex, yet so accessible at the same time.â
You nodded in agreement and you stared at her for a moment. Really, when was the last time youâd also had a nice conversation like this? So you took a chance to introduce yourself, holding your hand out to her.
Grace stared for a split second, at the smile on your face. The warmth in your eyes. Her stomach fluttered, but she ignored it in favor of slipping her hand into yours. âIâm Grace,â she returned. And then a polite, âItâsâ Itâs nice to meet you.â
âNice to meet you too,â you said. Tilting your head, a brief idea passed your mind. âYou know⌠we should get coffee sometime.â
She froze, hand stilling in yours. Realizing she was still holding on, she finally let go to process the proposition. âYeah,â she said suddenly. âYeah, Iâd really like that.â
Your smile widened. âAwesome. Thereâs a cute shop called La Villa along this route. When you have the time, we should stop by.â
She nodded again, perhaps a little too quickly. âYeah, I know the place.â Thinking about it makes her anticipation double. Sheâs walked past the shop too many times, but has never had the opportunity to stop inside. It was one of those cute, trendy places with overpriced matcha and their own brand of coffee beans.
âUh⌠when do you usuallyâ?â she cut herself off, hurriedly trying again. âIf youâre free this weekend? Or whenever works for you.â
She was unbearably cute, youâd give her that. âIâm free this weekend, yeah. How about⌠Saturday at noon?â
âSaturday at noon,â she echoed with a smile. âSounds perfect.â
When it finally rolled around, Grace was annoyingly early. Sheâd been sitting in a quiet table against the window for fifteen minutes with a water cup sheâd gotten from the barista. Each time the door opened, her eyes darted up, but to no avail.
Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out quickly, only to see an email notification from work. Then she feels stupid, because you didnât have her contact, so how could you haveâ Anyways.
The door jingled one more time, a few minutes before noon, and there you were. She wondered why the sight of you made her feel warm everywhere.
âH-Hi,â she calls with a smile.
âHey,â you said, smiling back. You strolled up to her table, taking the empty chair. âHave you ordered yet?â
She shook her head, fidgeting with the condensation on the water cup. âNo, not yet. I was waiting for you to get here.â
âThatâs nice. Should I go order for us, then?â
She practically beamed at the offer, much so preferring to sit and wait (if given the option). Sheâs rehearsed her order a million times by now, but the sight of you standing up from the table has all reason flying out her brain.
You raised an eyebrow, but nodded, walking away towards the order counter. A few moments passed when you returned with an iced vanilla latte for her and another drink for you. You set the latte down in front of her and sat back down.
âTa-da,â you presented. âAn iced vanilla latte.â
Her heart skipped a beat, because, how did you manage to guess her go-to order? âOh my god,â she breathed, reaching for the cup. âYou got me my favorite.â She takes a tentative sip and nods in approval before setting the cup back down. âNow I feel like you were stalking me,â she jokes.
You laughed a little. âStalking you? No, it was just a lucky guess.â
âWell, lucky guess or not, itâs perfect. Thank you.â She took another sip, staring at your own beverage of choice. âYou didnât get the same thing?â she asked curiously.
You shook your head. âNo, I got a different one. Why, you wanna try?â you slid the cup towards her on the table, with the straw lolling to the side.
A small thrill went through her. Sharing a drink was normal, really. Right? Either way, the offer makes her smile again and she takes the cup for a sip. âHmm, this is good!â
âRight,â you gushed. âItâs my favorite.â
Graceâs smile softened, because your smile makes your whole face look kinder. Sweeter. She leaned back, holding her cup in one hand. âYou have good taste.â A comfortable silence of drink sipping passes before she blurts: âIâm really glad I talked to you on the metro.â
âMe too,â you said. âI think weâll be great friends.â
The initial feeling of disappointment makes her blink, before she recollects herself. Of course you were only being friendly, you barely knew each other! But why does it make her so⌠blegh?
Apart from that hiccup, she found herself relaxing in your presence. Sure, her cheeks were still a little flushed. But it was all smooth sailing. By the time sheâs finished her latte (and maybe stolen another sip from your cup), sheâs surprised at how much sheâs revealed about herself to you. How she was working with Emily on an art project, or how her middle school bully called her âAsscroftâ one time and now it makes her giggle.
When things were finishing up, she hesitated by the door of the cafe. âSo⌠do you think we could do this again?â
Face lighting up, she quickly pulled out her phone and handed it to you. âHere,â she said. âPut your number in.â
And you listened, making yourself a contact. âThere,â you said. âNow you can text me whenever.â
Grace grabbed her phone and immediately, you got a PING! from yours.
Unknown: hey, this is grace. from the metro
Unknown: want to go get books next? or something else! iâm open
You laughed softly as you look at her. âIâm right in front of you, you know.â YetâŚ
You: a book haul sounds perfect. letâs do it
She smiled sheepishly, but any feelings of embarrassment are quickly overruled by your agreement.
Grace: yes! next saturday? my favorite bookshop is having a sale!
You: i am so down, especially for a sale.
You set your phone down, feeling both endeared and amused. âGuess that settles that.â
The following weekend came all too slowly for Grace, as she (not so) patiently awaited your second meeting. But, she did text you frequently through the week, just to make sure you wouldnât forget her.
The bookshop was just off third avenue, and it was a sacred spot. At least, for her. It was never too crowded, and a local cat often wandered around the aisles looking for pets. Along with the kitty, she just know the place like the back of her hand.
She was wandering her favorite genres when she heard footsteps stop next to her. âHi,â she said when she finally realized it was you. âI⌠got here early.â
You smiled at her. âI see that. Find anything interesting yet?â
She suddenly feels self-conscious, maybe too nervous, about being in the aisle sheâs in. âJust⌠just browsing,â she replies lamely.
But you didnât mind, because you nodded. âPerfect. Means we can browse together now.â
âYeah,â she agreed softly. âWe can.â She takes a step closer, and gestures to a nook towards the back of the shop. âThereâs this really good corner over there,â she pointed out.
Interested, your eyes followed her hands. âI trust your judgement. Letâs check it out.â
Grace is eager when she leads you along to the corner, which holds a shelf of well-loved paperbacks. The space is rather cramped for two people, and it made her heart race, but she loved it anyways. âYou first,â she whispered.
You hummed, eyes scanning for a moment before reaching behind her and pulling out a random work. She nearly shivers in the way your hand brushes her arm.
âHey, I got Shakespeare!â
âHamlet?â she guessed, as you turned the cover towards her. âNice.â Reaching for the book, her hands brush yours (totally not on purpose, ha).
âHamletâs actually my favorite play of his,â you admitted. âTwelfth Nightâs a close second.â
Her eyes widened. âTwelfth Night too?â she clutched the book a little tighter, âI love Twelfth Night.â She leans closer to you without even noticing. Her voice is a little more hushed as she admits: âViola is my favorite Shakespeare character, no doubt.â
She was starting to doubt herself when you gushed back. âViola is so cool. I mean, a lot of Shakespeareâs plays can be read through a queer lens, but Violaâs role makes the content outright gay. I love it.â
Relief washes over her as you go on about Shakespeare. Because maybe, youâre just as much of a nerd as she is. Practically bouncing on the heels of her feet, she continues, âRight? Oh my god, I know!â
The hushed words shared between you two in the nook are almost intimate, with how close you are. Shoulders touching, bodies inclined towards one another. She canât help but giggle at your words, feeling warmer and warmer with each passing second.
âYouâre⌠really easy to talk to,â she complimented.
âYou are too.â Your smile makes the heat in her chest and the butterflies in her tummy triple. âI⌠feel like you really get me.â
She understood, because the connection feels tangible. Real, as if it was electricity buzzing.
âI⌠I donât wanna weird you out,â she prefaced after a moment. âBut, I just have to say, Iâ I really,â her voice quieted. âI really want to kiss you right now.â
Your eyes widened, because it felt a little sudden, especially from someone as shy as Grace. âYou do? I meanâ you can!â
âOkay,â she exhaled. âOkay.â Already close enough to you, her free hand came up to your jaw and pulled you in. Enough to plant a small, hesitant kiss on your lips. When she pulled back, she was staring at you. Cheeks pink, lips barely parted.
And all she could think was⌠Again.
Seeing a lack of rejection in your expression, she leaned back in.