Painhurst Station

Chapter Two

I took another sip of my Latte to distract myself.

I began to relax again.

I leaned back and checked out the cafe clock, 8:40am. That meant I had twenty minutes before I had to leave and make my way to work. Work was always 9-5, typical, but 3 days a week, rubbing the backs, legs and necks of hairy old men and young beautiful women became the norm and was an easy job for me.. Except for when Lucienne came in, she was something else. Lucienne constantly moaned and constantly criticised me on how to do my job. 'You're not rubbing hard enough!' or 'Have you done this before?!'

Her passive aggressive character really deserved a fist to the face. She had greasy, short ginger curls, a million moles and a scent that I could only compare to stale bread.

She had been a client for 7 years, still didn't trust me or any of the other staff to do our jobs, we all try to change shifts when we know she's booked in.

I don't honestly think it works for her, 7 years of back rubs and she's still a b***h, tense and rude. I sighed at the thought of her appointment at 13:00.

I pulled out my tatty A5 notepad and grabbed a pencil out of my pocket, sketching the window to my right, the leaky corners, finger prints pressed on the glass and the white wooden panels, sketching each detail.

The cafe needed some TLC, it was very old and outdated, I liked it for the most part, the tables, same old white frilly cloths and chunky mugs.

Their breakfast was top tier and they had an amazing price list to match. Bacon butty and a coffee £2.50 total.

In my mix of deep thoughts of the cafe and stinky stale bread Lucie, I felt a sudden presence behind me. I leaned forward hastily in my seat, taking my pencil off my paper, I turned around, startled to find the staring man from the platform standing there, his dark eyes locking onto mine from the doorway, with an intensity that made my spine tense, my feet slammed together under the table, then my thighs. I gripped them tightly.

The air crackled with the sounds of sizzling bacon coming from the kitchen. The unspoken tension as I struggled to maintain my composure in the face of this strange man.. I didn't get too much of a look, but he definitely wasn't unattractive.

Lost in my thoughts as I turned my head back to the window, he suddenly pulled out a chair slowly as I continued sketching the window and took the seat opposite me.

I was anxious.

Why was I so anxious?

He exuded an air of confidence and sophistication, his well-dressed appearance and composed demeanor giving off a slightly intimidating aura.

I pressed too hard on my pencil and it sniped the end, blunting it.

A subtle smile played on his lips, as he leaned back in his chair, grinning, looking down at my notepad, spreading his legs and casually placing his arms and hands behind his head, exuding a sense of self-assuredness as if he had just achieved some victory.

"Nice sketch"

Overwhelmed by his presence, I only looked for a moment and I found myself at a loss for words, speechless almost, should I say something? I was unable to meet his intense stare directly, I looked away, I felt a mix of fascination and apprehension. My foot started tapping on the cold-stoned cafe floor, my cheeks blushing slightly.

Who is this man? Should I get up? Should I say something back?

The man remained calm and collected as I was an anxious mess.. leaning forward in his chair, resting his arms on the sticky table cloth, his hands coming together in a composed gesture that only added to his enigmatic allure. He tilted his head slightly to the right, smiling with his eyes, analysing my company.

The tension between us was unknown I couldn't help but wonder what this mysterious man's intentions were as we sat in silence.

"Emma, is it?"

I turned my head towards him slowly, then caught his dark green eyes.

"What?"

How did he know my name?

He grinned, then yawned, like he was so relaxed in my presence he could sleep.

Leaning back in his seat he replied once more.

"Your name badge, on your Tunic."

He adjusted himself in his seat. Grabbing the waist band of his trousers, as if they had gotten tighter.

"Oh right, yes, Emma... you?"

I looked up at him softly.

"It's Erik. It's nice to meet you Emma. You sure do love your morning coffee, don't you?"

What? How the hell did he know that?

"I love your drawing, you are very talented Emma."

I took a moment before I responded to his previous question. He looked down at my chest, then adjusted in his seat, as I gathered my thoughts, staring at the only button I didn't do when I got dressed this morning..I placed my pencil down gently.

I picked up my latte and anxiously sipped finally responding.

"I sure do. Latte to be exact. Or flat white, I'm not a picky girl."

His eyes aimed back towards mine when I finally responded. Shifting about in his chair again, looking down, then back up to my face.

"Oh I know, it's my favourite, too. Latte that is."

Erik sat back, staring still at my face, I looked up, still feeling shy. I responded with a shaky mouth.

"Excuse me Erik.. I don't mean to be rude but, do I know you?"

This time I matched his gaze directly and I could see the colours of his eyes mixing with mine.

He waited this time to respond.

His eyes diverted towards the window, then slowly back to my face.

His hands locked together tightly, slightly digging his nails into his fists. He looked at my lips for a moment, then my nose, then back up to my eyes.

"Have a good day, Emma."

Erik suddenly rises from his seat, shoving his chair back under the table aggressively.

This time, looking away from Emma, he flashed a charming smile at the waitress before making his way towards the exit, adjusting his suit waist band once more and leaving Emma feeling nervous. He didn't look back.

The waitress grinned, clearing the table next to me.

I couldn't help but wonder about this mysterious yet undeniably attractive stranger and the reasons behind why he is now.. leaving me?

Was I rude?

I couldn't help but notice his trousers became tighter after our conversation and I felt myself become warm and lost.

"What the f**k?" I whispered to myself in confusion. I waited a moment. Finished my last sip of the latte and swiveled around in my seat and slamming my empty coffee cup down on the table, my eyes desperately searched the room for Erik, he was gone.

"He doesn't come in here often" Betty stated.

Betty was the waitress of Painhurst's Café for the last 25 years, or so she says. Betty was an older lady, white bob cut, short and massive boobs, I didn't know her age, but I'd of guessed early 60's, she had a smile that made everyone feel welcome, she had warmth in her eyes and was always polite to customers.

"He usually sits on the tables outside you know, just him.. do you know each other lovey?"

"No, I'm actually not familiar with him, but it was almost like he was already familiar with me, which was strange"

Betty looked at me with anticipation.

"I was ear-wigging, I won't lie. I think he's pretty dishy, count yourself a lucky lady, if I were your age, I'd snap him up!"

"I think I'm good for now, I don't know him", I smiled and remained polite.

He did look familiar, like an old photo or a memory refreshed by another.

I felt a rush of conflicting emotions as I sat in the cosy corner of the cafe, watching Betty collect a wobbly pile of tea plates and tissues.

Erik's words filled me with a mix of confusion and happiness, stirring something deep within.

I could feel my thighs involuntarily pressing together under the table thinking about it, a physical manifestation of the tension building inside me with every re-play of his words and voice, but as the clock on the wall chimed, pulling me back to reality, my heart sank as I remembered my impending work shift with stinky Lucie. With a quick, apologetic smile, I stood abruptly, the scraping of my chair echoing through the small cafe.

"Bye Betty, I better be off!"

"Bye lovey, see you tomorrow." Betty waved.

As I hastily gathered my belongings, pushing them into my bag, I was thinking, I wished he stayed longer. I wish I spoke a little more. I noticed the pulling of the trousers, too.

The realisation of being late for work hit me, adding a sense of urgency to my movements as I hurried out the door, leaving the thoughts of Erik behind but carrying the memory of our encounter.

As I approached my train, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts fixated on my recent encounter with Erik. It had only been brief.

He really had caught me off guard with an unexpected compliment about my sketch, but his earnest gaze and the depth in his voice lingered in my ears still, long after he had hurried off. Confusion knotted my stomach; his face felt achingly familiar, yet I couldn't quite place him.

Memories tugged at me—an echoing laugh, a shared class at the local art studio, perhaps? Could he be an ex-classmate or a friend of a friend?

As Emma navigated the crowded platform, shoving her way through the throng of commuters, she felt an unsettling tug in her memory, like a half-remembered dream on the edge of recall. The way he stood, his wild hair and the suit. It was well fitted and looked snug, especially around his legs.

Just as I reached the ticket barrier, my mind drifted back to the moment we had exchanged words, his strong firm voice, his eyes green like fresh frosty moss. The slight agitation in his voice when I questioned him. Shaking my head to clear the haze, I realised the train was approaching.

With a final burst of energy, I darted through the gate and onto the train, just as the doors slid shut behind me with a reassuring thud. As I leaned against the cool metal pole, I allowed myself a moment to breathe, trying to quell the knot of unease in my stomach.

The train jolted forward, but her thoughts remained trapped in that strange encounter, piecing together fragments of Erik's face and demeanor.

Questions lingered like lost souls in my mind: Who was he, really? And why did it feel like an inexplicable connection to someone I hardly knew?

I looked down, taking a moment to breathe, trying to come back to reality, staring at my shirt, that's when I noticed, I forgot my name badge.