Make me smile by clicking that little star button on your screen

I stood in my mirror looking at what I had chosen to wear. It had been getting colder, so I put on a white turtleneck jumper, black denim skirt and some opaque black tights. I couldn't be bothered to deal with my hair, so I just threw it up in a messy bun. With minimal makeup on, I jumped in my car and drove. 

I had no idea where I was going, all I knew was that I was feeling better, like my old self again, and it was nice. 

I came to a red light and took a right when the light turned green. I was going to take 5 rights, one left and go into the first café that I saw. 

My car came to a halt as I parked up. The gentle pitter patter of innocent little rain drops forcefully bounced against the windscreen. I watched as they raced against each other - who could get to the bottom first. I rubbed my hands together, blowing my warm breath into them at an attempt to stop my fingers from feeling like icicles. My nail beds had turned a purple colour due to the unforeseen drop in temperature.

I took the key out of the ignition and studied the place I had ended up. 

The tiny café was swallowed despondent by the huge high street shops encircling it. I observed as hundreds of people rushed in and out of shops, hiding away, whereas others huddled around an umbrella, hoping that would shield them from the sky's torturous behaviour. They reminded me of mice frantically scattering around whenever a loud noise was heard.  

Above me sat a grey, lifeless sky. The clean smell of rain surrounded me entirely, something that only Mother Nature herself could replicate. The brightness of the sun and colourful aspects of the blue sky had been thoroughly washed out by the heavy, grey clouds. Everything around me was being dampened and I couldn't help but feel my mood become it too.  

It wasn't long before a loud but distant drumming noise echoed through the air. A beautiful but dangerous cast of lightning interrupting the darkness of the sky, but only for a split second. The rain poured down harder, sounding like it was applauding the show of lightning that had just passed. 

Mother nature was being a bitch. 

The quick performance of terrible temper overshadowed my feelings of melancholy entirely. My attempts of sulking were nothing in compare to hers, rather pathetic. 

I sighed and jumped out the car and rushed inside. 

The bell rung above my head as I swung the door open, drawing the half dozen of customers vision on me. I smiled at the all as a blast of cold wind entered the door, carried by the crisp wind.  

Unlike the outside, warmth hugged me. The tip of my nose defrosted as I let the door swing closed behind me. All of the customers returned to their conversations as glass door blocked the entrance and the cold breeze was forgotten.

A waft of strong coffee welcomed me at the door. The sweetness of the huge variety of sweet treats hit the back of my nose, tickling my brain and giving me the sensation of a little sugar rush just at the sweet fumes. I inhaled deeply at the welcoming feel the café gave me. It was a thirty-minute drive from my place, but I would easily call it my local with pride. 

Many different topics of conversation filled my ears all at once, some being said more enthusiastically than others.  

My eyes scanned over the people seated at tables, assessing what type of people come here. 

At one table there were four older ladies laughing in response to something the one with a purple jumper had said. On another table there were a young couple talking, on the third table there were two men sitting with straight suits and brief cases, presumably discussing some type of business, and on the table to the very far right sat a someone on their phone. I couldn't make out much about them, but all I knew was that I didn't know anyone in here. There was going to be no trouble and that's just what I needed. 

I made my way over to the counter and looked over the menu. A good portion of the menu was made up of different variations of coffee and tea, which helped narrow down my choices by quite a lot seeing as I don't like either of them. 

I settled on a chocolate milkshake with caramel. 

I turned my vision so I was no longer looking up but rather looking in front of me. A girl that seemed to be around my age stood with her hands on the counter just staring at me. She had straight black hair tied up in a ponytail with two thin singular strands of purple that framed her heart shaped face. Her hazel eyes that were lined with black, winged eyeliner behind thick circular glasses stared at me with a bored expression. 

You could tell that underneath the makeup she, was tired. The light reflecting off her silver nametag told me that her name was Lucy. 

I waved my hand in front of her eyes after she stood there for a good five minutes. Her eyes widened and she took a step back. It took her a few seconds before she realised what was going on. 

"What can I get for you?" She asked as she dragged her hand down the side of her face and stifled a yawn. A forced smile was on her face as she waited for my order.

"A chocolate milkshake, please."  

"The milkshake machine is broken," she told me after deeply sighing and rolling her eyes. "Would you like a salted caramel hot chocolate instead?" I nodded my head as she yawned for the third time in our little interaction.   

"Been one of those days, huh?" 

"Yup. I'm just so tired I can't even think properly but it hasn't been too busy today so that's alright. What about you? How's your day been?" She questioned as she began making my salted caramel hot chocolate right in front of me. 

Did I really want to bother this person who seemed to have enough on their plate as it was? 

She glanced up at me as she stirred my drink, "That bad?" 

"Yeah, you could say that," I laughed half-heartedly whilst tapping my card on the card machine. 

"Maybe it's something in the air," Lucy joked as she slid my drink over to me. 

I thanked her before finding a free table to sit at.  

I sat at table number four. I let my body rest in the chair as the seat opposite supported my legs. No one was going to sit with me, so I rested my feet on the seat. 

I twisted the hot cup in my hands before bringing it to my lips and taking a sip. The hot ceramic cup against my cold fingers sent that tingly feeling from the palms of my hands all the way to the very tips of my fingers. 

I needed to have time by myself where I could just think. Think about any and everything that came to me without any distractions. I thought it was a dangerous thing, thinking, so that's why I ensured that I had no time to, but it turned out that it was what I needed to feel better. It was clear to me that the one thing that I had been avoiding for weeks was something that helped me move on. 

That nagging feeling was still there, just a tiny bit smaller in comparison to a few hours ago.

I sat there intensely glaring at the cocoa in my hands as my mind went wild with trying to make myself feel better, trying to find something positive out of such a shitty situation. 

I removed the cup from my lips and placed the glass back on the table, hearing the noise of the contact. 

"What has happened?" A voice asked, interrupting me from my thoughts and making me jump in the process. 

I moved my head, looking either side of me. They couldn't be talking to me.

I glanced ahead of me to see a guy with black, curly hair, deep brown eyes and a cute nose. He had his ears pierced and small tattoos on his hands. He sat there, his straw in his mouth as he drank something. I couldn't it make out. 

He's definitely my type and I would have flirted with him a but just the thought of doing so felt like a betrayal. I was still caught up with Jace. 

"Excuse me?" 

I was totally baffled by why this random guy had come over to me and asked what had happened. I never thought that what I was thinking was that obvious. Maybe he can read minds? No, that's stupid.

"I was sitting over there and saw how sad and deep in thought you looked. I thought someone like a boyfriend might have come in after you but no one did so I came over to make sure you're okay. You looked really depressed."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" 

"I'm Darius," he informed me, smiling cutely afterwards. Like I said, he was definitely attractive, but it was the fact that all I could think about was Jace in that moment that stopped me from doing anything. 

"Okay, so, Darius, why are you here again?" 

"You looked sad so I wanted to make sure you're alright. I don't like seeing you sad, even though I've never seen you before. But your eyes just looked so hurt. Plus, I'm bored so off load onto me, you never know, you might need my advice as I assume it's about a guy," he winked and grinned at me. He made my heart flutter, but nothing like what Jace could do. 

"And why should I do that?" 

I couldn't help acting suspicious of this guy. We'd never met before but yet he seemed to... care about me. Maybe I was completely off and I missed the attention Jace would have usually given me but he genuinely seemed concerned. 

He shrugged his shoulders as he swallowed the drink he had in his mouth. I saw his Adams apple move before he spoke again. "Consider us best friends." 

"You don't even know me. Are you sure you want me to tell you?" I was apprehensive of this guy- Darius' intentions. 

"Sure, why not. I've not nothing better to do and if it means I get to spend this time with a pretty girl like you then, I don't mind at all." I grinned as he sat there looking in my eyes and winked.

(A/N) DARIUSSS AHH I LOVE HIM ALREADY