“Two Can Play That Game” – The Beginning

On By MarquessaIn Fiction

A strong cup of hot black coffee was the only thing I wanted until I saw her.

Like everyone else standing in the queue, I needed my morning caffeine fix so I decided to stop at the first coffee shop on my way to the office.

For the first time that week, I was actually early for work. But that was only because Brittany had kept me up for most of the night and I had never really gone to bed. When I’d picked her up from the airport the night before, she had wanted to make up for lost time, lots of lost time. I was glad that I had no meetings that day because I knew that when the wave of tiredness eventually hit me, it would hit hard. Right then, all I wanted was to sit and enjoy my coffee in peace before starting my work day.

With my cup in hand, I scanned the coffee shop for an empty table but there were none to be found. If I really wanted to sit, I’d have to do it by joining someone at their table. I took a minute to assess my situation.

Two nerdy guys sitting in the far corner with their noses almost pressed against their laptop screens?

A gaggle of loud teenagers who looked too young to drink coffee?

No.

And no.

Three cute but young twenty-something women in a corner booth giggling and giving me the flirting eyes?

I smiled at them and they all smiled back.

Yes, sitting with them was the only way to go.

Until my eyes landed on her.

Sitting alone at a table for two, dressed in black yoga pants, wearing a bright mauve T-shirt with “Au Naturelle” printed on the front and a black hoodie, she stood out among the business attire and teenage trendy school wear.

Her dark curls were in a messy ponytail, a pair of glasses dangled dangerously from just above her forehead and she was sipping from a large mug as she flipped through a newspaper. The way she slowly took her time to peruse the page and the fact that she had a mug instead of a to-go cup meant that she wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry.

I watched as a smile spread across her face at whatever it was that she was reading. When she picked up her cell to check the time, she glanced around just enough for me to get a perfect view of her face.

I immediately wanted to know what shade of brown her eyes were and what I would need to do to kiss her.

As I passed my “threesome” with a nod of acknowledgement, I noticed their looks of disappointment.

But I was on a mission.

I walked up to her table and positioned myself in such a way for her to notice me. But when she didn’t, I had no choice but to break the ice.

“Hey! This place is pretty crowded. Would you mind if I sit with you?”

She graced me with the warmest of warm dark brown eyes and her smile could have lit up the entire coffee shop.

“Be my guest. But you might regret it…”

She motioned for me to sit and I promptly accepted.

“With a smile that beautiful smile, regret would be impossible.”

©2016 Marquessa Matthews. All Rights Reserved.

87 thoughts on ““Two Can Play That Game” – The Beginning”

  9. Wandering Soul

    not fair! you can’t end it like this. actually, i totally understand 😛 i do too 😛 keeps the fun alive and makes the reader come back for more 😀 interesting story. loved reading and visualizing it as the scene unfolded.

    Liked by 4 people

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  11. Pingback: #TeaserTuesday: “Two Can Play That Game” – Part 2 – #Fiction | Simply Marquessa

  13. Reblogged this on Musings of A Romance Junkie and commented:
    Around The Blogosphere:

    I love flash fiction where you get a new installment every week. It’s such sweet torture. Marquessa is quickly becoming one of my favorite bloggers and Twitter buds.

    Check out part 1 of her fictional short “Two Can Play That Game, then head over to her blog to follow the series.

    Aside… Mobile blogging socks…

    Liked by 3 people

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  14. Pingback: #TeaserTuesday: “Two Can Play That Game” – Part 3 – #Fiction | Simply Marquessa

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  19. I was interested by this–splitting up a story into weekly installments is a neat idea. I’m curious to see what happens next and the voice is smooth and easy to read. I did find myself wondering if we could have a little more information–such as why the narrator picks this lady to sit with (does she seem to be the most interesting person there or the prettiest?) and how she answered him (does she use an ominous tone or a playful one?). Anyway, I guess I’ll have to wait and see what happens next. =)

    I write fiction, too, so I’m always interested in new ways to tell a story. Write on!

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Thanks for the feedback! I try to let the dialogue show the rapport between characters. In that coffee shop scene, his description of her is what he’s attracted to (no make-up, attire, warm brown eyes, smile….). Looking forward to following your fiction too!

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  41. As a short story writer, I was drawn in by the vivid descriptions of the coffee shop and the characters within it. The protagonist’s internal conflict between wanting a quiet morning to themselves and the pull towards the intriguing woman with the bright smile added depth to the story. The dialogue between the two characters was engaging and the ending left me wanting to know more about their potential connection. Overall, a well-written and captivating short story.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. 😁 there is a part two but I really plan on making this into a longer piece and was not planning on posting the Original Part 2… msybe I’ll have to reconsider that in the interim

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