A Sudden Encounter On The Cobblestones
The young man stepped forward along the narrow alleyway with both arms stretched out wide. A fresh red rose and a sealed white electronics box stuck out from the back pocket of his dark cargo trousers.
Two women standing beside the outdoor cafe tables immediately shifted their weight backward. Their palms pushed outward toward his chest as their shoulders tightened.
“No, please get away from us,” one called out, leaning back against the wall of the building. Her hands stayed raised like a barricade between them.
The man paused on the stones, his fingers curling slightly toward his sides. He took a slow breath and stepped away into the daylight.
Opening Arms And Changing Tides
Down the cobblestone corridor, another moment unfolded under the pastel facades of the old buildings. The two companions stood chatting near the bistro chairs, their coats replaced by fitted knit dresses.
The man walked toward them once more, keeping the long stem of the flower pressed flat against his spine. His arms opened wide toward the paved walkway, offering an embrace without saying a single word.
The blonde woman in the burgundy dress broke into an open grin. She stepped straight toward him, wrapping both arms securely around his neck.
Her companion in the green dress remained beside the bistro table, her eyebrows drawing together as she folded her arms across her ribs. She watched every inch of the embrace with wide eyes and parted lips.
The Box And The Stem
The young man held the embrace for several seconds before gently drawing his hands back down to his waistband. He reached behind his lower back and took hold of the rose stem alongside the rectangular cardboard packaging.
He drew them forward into the light and extended both hands toward the woman in burgundy. “Here’s a little something for you,” he said, pressing the rose stem and the boxed phone directly into her fingers.
The woman let out an audible gasp, her fingers curling around the smooth plastic wrapping of the box. She pressed the gift against her chest, her smile stretching from cheek to cheek.
“Oh my goodness, thank you so much,” she said, tilting her head toward the flower blossom. Her friend took two quick steps forward, resting a hand gently upon the blonde woman’s shoulder.
“Wow, that is so incredibly sweet,” the brunette added, stepping directly into the center of the walkway. She spread her arms outward toward the man, leaning her upper body forward in expectation of an embrace.
Turning On A Heel
The young man raised his right palm flat toward her, blocking the space between their chests. He took a decisive step back onto the grey stone pavers.
“Sorry, but I have to run,” he said, tilting his chin upward with a quick shake of his head.
He pivoted on the balls of his feet and walked away down the center of the alley. His hands slipped into his pockets as he moved past the cafe umbrellas without glancing over his shoulder.
Both women remained standing side by side in the middle of the narrow street. The brunette lowered her empty hands to her sides with her mouth slightly open, watching his tall brown dreadlocks disappear into the distance as her friend held the rose box against her dress.
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