Chapter Three

The rain drummed against the truck’s roof as they found a parking space close to the door. Bastian smiled, his hair and face drenched, as he’d been compelled to open his window as they drove. He cranked the window closed and jumped out of the truck, pulling his hood down and embracing the bitter evening.

Noel followed, slamming the door shut behind her, pulling her hood up and over her face and making a beeline for the three sets of double doors that marked the food court entrance.

Bastian was soaked through when he caught up to her, as she stood in the small entrance, leaning next to the pay phone, pressing herself against the bulky metal heater. She had stripped off her sweatshirt in a feeble attempt to regain her warmth. She was shivering.

“Ha, you really aren’t a wet weather kind of girl, are you?” He pulled his sweatshirt off and walked closer, laughing and smiling.

Noel’s heartbeat quickened nervously as he leaned against the register next to her, his arm gently pressing against hers, warm and inviting next to her chilled, gooseflesh.

“You wanna go inside? I’m ravished.” He grabbed her hand, not in a romantic fashion but in a way that said, “you absolutely have come with me” and pulled her into the buzzing racket of the food court, enveloping them both in the smells of Chinese food, taco seasoned meat, and fresh-out-of-the-freezer-and-onto-the-grill burgers.

Bastian tugged on her hand and kept his grip firm, as if he was afraid that, by letting go of her, the crowd would swallow her up.

She held on tight, mostly for good measure but also because she didn’t know how long it would last and his touch was reassuring. Her stomach growled anxiously.

And its after here that I find I'm at a loss of creative passion. Its been nearly tree weeks sense I've had even a spark of progression and I would love to get the readers perspective of what they believe would or should happen.