Bring On The Thunder -Open-

[{Allison} Alaska]

Noelle swung open the door to the Beanery, trying to be as quiet as possible. The small bells at the top of the door called out, and Ellie winced, knowing that people would look up to see who was entering the small coffee shop. Ellie stood at the enterance to the coffee shop, trying to find an empty seat in the packed shop. Truth be told, Ellie's original plan was to never even come to the Beanery, but the weather had not cooperated with her plan to hang out at the park all day. It was pouring buckets of rain, not even the weatherman could have predicted this bad of rain. Clutching her notebook that had some of her songs in it, Noelle spotted an empty table in the corner, by the window that faced the parking lot. Ducking her head down, so that her long, wet, brown hair would fall down into her face, Ellie made her way over to the table, the scent of coffee hanging heavily in the air.

Noelle sat down in the booth, and glanced around. Just about everyone was talking to someone that they knew, except Noelle. Biting down on her lip, Ellie told herself not to focus on what everyone else was doing, and to just keep to herself. Opening her wet notebook, Ellie frowned slightly when she saw that some of the black ink had smeared or bled onto other pages. Oh well... At least I can still read most of it... Noelle thought tucking a strand - well more of a clump, considering how it was completely soaked - of her wet hair behind her ear. Picking up her black pen, Noelle tapped it against the formica table, trying to think of something that rhymed with thunder. The one thing that Ellie absolutely hated about songwriting was having to occasionally make words rhyme, since, in her opinion, she completely sucked at rhyming. Thunder... Blunder... Summer... Hummer... UGH! Noelle found herself thinking, unhappy with all of the words she was able to come up with.

After five minutes, Ellie was pretty fed up with not being able to come up with any words she like, Noelle closed her notebook, and gently put it aside. Since none of the waitresses had yet spotted Ellie in her dark, quiet, little corner, Ellie tucked her hand under her chin, and stared blankly out the window. Cars of all shapes in sizes were pulling in and out of the parking lot, and Ellie was somehow fascinated by that. Even though she was fairly girly, Noelle always had a weakness for cars. She like the pretty colors, like metallic red or baby blue, and the new car smell. Hence the reason she kept her own car so clean. She'd had it for almost a year, and it still had that new car smell. To put it lightly, she was a little OCD about her car. Snapping back into the present, Noelle put her hand up to her mouth, and chewed on one of her nails, a habit she shared with just about the rest of the world's population.

[Shadyyy.[:]

First days always sucked. First day of school, first day of work. Anything. Cory's first day was just the same. He had been in supposedly bright and sunny California less then 2 hours and it was already pouring rain. His stereo was blasting an old CD he had made back in Elizabeth,CO his hometown. The one just a few days ago he had left everything he had known and loved to start over. New. He sang aloud to one of his favorite slow songs,

"tell me tell me
what makes you think that you are invincible
I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure
please don't tell me that I am the only one that's vulnerable
impossible

slow down girl your not going anywhere
just wait around and see
maybe I am much more you never no what lies ahead
I promise I can be anyone I can be anything
just because you were hurt doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed
I can be anyone anything I promise I can be what you need"

Before the song was over tears had stung at Cory's eyes. He knew he couldn't drive anymore. He pulled over at a what seemed like a popular coffee shop. He gathered his money and pulled the keys out of the ignition. The music stopped. And so did his tears. He got out and made his way to the door doing what all he could to not slip and fall in the puddles of pouring rain. As he opened the big doors to the shop, the warm sound of people chattering and soft background music and the warm smell of coffee surrounded his senses. The little bell above the door rang out making some heads turn in his direction. A nervous smile crossed his lips as he slid over to a vacant couch in the corner of the shop. He sat down and shivered. This was nothing like home. In Elizabeth everyone knew each other and it was nearly impossible to go somewhere without knowing someone and stopping to chat. His small little Colorado town seemed so far away. He longed to go home. To go home to his family. To go home to his familiar lifestyle. To go home to Lizzy. His heart ached for her to be with him.

He missed her since the moment he said goodbye. This was going to be harder than he imagined. He slid out his phone, and flipped it up. 5 New Messages. 'Oh Lord.' He thought as he read them. 4 of them were from Lizzy. The last one form his worried mother. He replied to one of Lizzy's messages, 'hey, miss you like hell, please reply. ]:' Cory couldn't stand doing this to her. She meant everything to her, but he knew he had to leave. He hoped she would still want him back when we got the money to get her and bring her to this lonely town. He slid his phone back into the pocket and surveyed the premises. Everyone seemed to have someone to talk to. Except for a brown hair girl in the corner. She looked frustrated and uncomfortable as she stared down in a book taping a pen on the table. He looked away noticing how she reminded him of Lizzy. He was intrigued how a girl as good looking as herself was alone in the corner of the shop. He longed to be home. More than anything.

[{Allison} Alaska]

Noelle was lost in her own little world, concentrating on the blank piece of paper that she had started fresh on, when the bells above the door chimed again. Ellie glanced up, in habit, and saw a good looking guy looking somewhat upset walk through the door, and take a seat close to the door. Noelle wondered what the boy was thinking about, but didn't dwell on it. But, Ellie couldn't help but thinking that she had never seen him around before, and he was kind of cute. Noelle, do not think about him, or anyone in that way. Last time you did, you know what happened. And we don't need to repeat that, now do we? The goody two shoes part of Ellie's brain said, while the not so good girl side thought, Noelle, go talk to him. Now. He looks like he needs a friend here, just as much as you do. Plus, a little harmless flirting wouldn't hurt, eh? Ellie herself didn't know what to do. After all, if she kicked both voices out of her head, who would be left?

Glancing back down at her paper, Noelle scribbled a few words down that came to mind, just random words in a sea of lyrics floating around in her head. Letting her pen drop onto the table, Ellie crossed her jeans-clad legs, and hoped that by the time she left, her clothes would be dry. Ellie was halfway to la la land, when a waitress finally walked back to Ellie's table, and asked politely what Noelle wanted. It took Ellie a moment to figure out that she was actually supposed to speak, and there was no one else around to speak for her, but when she did, Ellie almost couldn't get her mouth open. "I... uhh... just.... hot chocolate," Noelle squeaked, fighting to find the correct words. This was one of the many reasons she preferred to stay silent; she always screwed up what she wanted to say.

The waitress brought back Noelle's order, and Ellie pratically inhaled the hot chocolate. Truth be told, Ellie absolutely despised coffee, but she loved the smell of it. That was one of the reasons why Ellie actually came to the Beanery, along with the fact that they had the best hot chocolate in town. And, it was just a nice place to be, so that certainly didn't hurt. Ellie felt someone's eyes on her, and she glanced up, seeing that the cute boy who had walked in the shop a few moments earlier was looking at her. Ellie's eyes automatically locked with his for a minute, but she tore her gaze away from him, and bit her lip. She noticed that there was some sort of longing to be someplace in his eyes, and Ellie wondered what it was...

[Shadyyy.[:]

Cory sat back and closed his eyes, and cleared his mind. Traveling was so hard on him. Tired was just an understatement. He still needed to find his apartment and knowing him he would get lost. He had always had a curse, of getting lost. No matter where he was, he got lost some how or another. Lizzy and himself always joked about it, and how he got lost in her eyes, and he never found his way out. Her amazing, pure, chocolate eyes....
'Snap Out Of It.' a harsh voice inside of him demanded. He couldn't think of her. He had to try his hardest. He looked back to the girl he was eyeing earlier. She had just received a hot chocolate and was sipping it silently. The same waitress approached him and asked what he wanted. "May I Please have a mocha with an extra pump of vanilla please?" As the waitress quickly scribbled in her pad, he looked back to the girl. Her blue eyes met his. he was locked as a faint smile spread over his lips. She quickly looked away, embarrassed. "Is that all today sir?" The waitress asked with a hint of flirtiness in her voice. Cory flickered his eyes back to her table. She was hard to look away from. No doubt beautiful. "Bring a Chocolate Chip Cookie to that girl over there. On me, please. " He looked over in her direction. The waitress wrote that down and quickly left the table.

He smiled at his good deed. That girl looked like she needed some friends. She looked lonely. His phone vibrated as he received a message. Lizzy. ' Babe, hows Cali. Come home please... this is unbearable.' His smile faded. As he text back as fast as he could. How could he leave her like that? He needed to go home to her... The waitress brought his mocha by and left the tab off and left to give the cookie to her. He turned to his coffee and sipped it slowly. The taste of the coffee was overwhelming. He had only gone to the small star bucks in the grocery store in his old small town. And they couldn't compare to this. Lizzy would love it...

[{Allison} Alaska]

Noelle was humming along to the Christmas song that was playing on the overhead speakers, somewhat happier since she had received her hot chocolate. "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away..." Ellie half sang, half mumbled under her breath. She liked to sing, but she was far to shy to get up and start singing along with the music. Picking up the spoon that had been layed on her table along with her hot chocolate, Ellie stirred the remaining liquid in the cup, and put her hand in her jeans's pocket, to see if she had enough cash on her to pay for another cup after she finished this one. Glancing back up, she saw that the boy was looking at her again. This time, a small smile flickered across her face involuntairly. There was something completely special about this boy, Noelle could tell. She didn't know what it was, but something intrigued her, and she wanted to know.

Noelle was about to flag down the waitress, when the waitress walked back over to Noelle's table, holding a cookie. The waitress said that the cookie was from the boy across the room, in a bored tone, and Noelle sat there, thinking for a moment. She knew that she couldn't just take it without paying the boy back, but it was kind of hard to argue when they were across the room. The waitress, waiting on a response from Ellie, raised an eyebrow at the silent girl. Noelle, finally figuring that she better say something, opened her mouth. "Uh... Well... Just tell him thanks, okay? And that I really appreciate it... And tell him that my name's Noelle, if he was curious," Ellie finally said, taking the cookie from the waitress's hand. The sentence that she had just mumbled had to be the most amout of words that had left her mouth in a long time that was directed to one person. Noelle felt proud of herself for a minute.

As the waitress walked back across the room, Noelle glanced back up at the boy, and bit down on her bottom lip to keep from bursting into a wide grin. Noelle had forgotten to ask the waitress for another hot chocolate, but Ellie had completely forgotten about that for the moment, stirring the remaining hot chocolate in her cup rapidly, as it got colder by the second. Breaking a piece of the cookie off, Noelle brought it up to her mouth, and chewed silently on it, thinking. Was this some kind of peace offering from the boy? Noelle wasn't sure. But whatever it was, Ellie sure knew that if she got a free cookie out of it, she automatically liked it.

[Shadyyy.[:]

Cory sipped his mocha listening to the cheesy, overplayed christmas songs. Thats what he hated most about this time of year. He hated the overplayed christmas music. He hated it. But his fingers tapped on the coffee table subconsiously. He glanced over at the girl time to time. It was like when he met Lizzy, unable to look away. She was interesintg though. Not amazingly mezmorizing like Lizzy was. It seemed like this girl was hiding something. He wanted to know. The waitress left the girls table heading towards him. Cory looked up at the waitress inviting. "She says thanks. Her name is Noelle. Shes an odd one. Have fun with her." The waitress said somewhat annoyed as she walked off.

Cory looked over and smiled. Should he go over there and introduce himself? Should he keep his distance? She was eating the cookie. That was a good sign. He looked around, the packed shop had thinned out abit. The chair next to her was very inviting... Without a thought he got up grabbed his mocha. He faced the girl planted a smile on his face and headed over to her. The closer he got to her the faster the words raced in his head. What if she doesnt talk back? What if she doesnt like the cookie? What if i spit? The next thing he knew he was face to face with her. "Hey. Im Cory. You looked lonely. Do you mind if I sit with you??" The words flowed out smoothly. He placed his mocha down on the table awaiting the answer. Thoughts racing in and out of his mind.

[{Allison} Alaska]

Noelle was wondering what the boy was going to do after the waitress talked to him. Would he come over and introduce himself? Stay there? Just get up and leave? It was almost fascinating, the thoughts that went on in Ellie's head. In one version of what was going on, people got up and started singing and dancing, but Noelle shoved that thought aside. She didn't know what she would do is something like everyone bursting into showtunes were to happen. Knowing her, she would just sit there in shock, not believing it all. Taking the last sip of her hot chocolate, Noelle dug her somewhat long nails into her palm, and looked out the window again. It was raining harder, if that were possible. Noelle wished even harder that she had an umbrella with her. She knew she would be soaked to the bone if she went outside now.

The next thing that Ellie knew, the boy was sitting across from her. It took a moment for Ellie to realize that he was actually talking to her. Noelle didn't catch everything that he had said, but she did hear that his name was Cory, and that apparently Noelle was looking lonely. Ellie sat there for a moment, thinking of the words to say. Opening her mouth, then closing it again, and then finally opening it again, Ellie let the words fall out of her mouth. "Uhh... Hi? No one's sitting there, so don't expect anyone to walk in and demand you to move or something," Noelle finally said, glancing Cory over, at a closer distance. True, he didn't look like he was going to hurt her, but you could never know. Still, Ellie had slightly lowered her guard, but it's not like she was going to run off to Vegas with him or anything. After all, they had barely exchanged four sentences.

[Shadyyy.[:]

Cory chuckled a bit as he eased into the seat facing Noelle. If that was her real name. She seemed like she was keeping something inside. And a bit insane. But he thought it was cute and it drawed him more and more. Cory took a long sip of mocha, the warm liquid running down his throat giving him confidence. He set it down and looked the girl over. She had long brown hair. Still wet from the pouring rain. Her blue eyes pircing. He loved it. Lizzy's face popped into his mind. Her tear stained broken face. His smile faded as he picked at his fingers.

He shook it off and looked at Noelle. "So... its Noelle. Right?? He said to start a conversation. He glanced over to the kitchen, to the waitress. She was glaring at them two. Cory, found this funny and lowly chuckled before turning his attenetion back to her.

[{Allison} Alaska]

Noelle liked the way that her name sounded coming from his mouth. It sounded... much more special, so to speak. "Yeah... Noelle. Or Ellie. Or whatever name you can come up with. I'll go by anything, actually..." Ellie replied, letting her words trail off. She didn't add the only thing she refused to be called was LeeLee, since that was what he called her that night. Not that she'd ever tell anyone that. Ever. "So tell me. Are you new here?" Noelle asked after a moment, trying to make causal conversation that most likely, neither of them would remember by the time that they got home. It's not like Ellie was going to spill her life story over coffee and hot chocolate to some random stranger she had just met. Ellie felt someone's eyes on them, and glanced up, and saw the waitress staring at them, jealousy in her eyes. Ellie fought back a smile, knowing that the waitress was getting the wrong idea.

Finally done with her hot chocolate, she set her cup aside, and put her blue eyes back on Cory. He was quite cute, and Noelle couldn't help but thinking that. Something seemed to be eating at him, and Ellie wondered what it was. Did a pet die? His girlfriend dump him? Ellie didn't know, but her mind stretched across the endless possibilites. Ellie traced circles in the formica table, as the pitter patter of rain on the roof grew stronger. At this rate, the whole town would be flooded! Tucking a strand of her wet hair behind her ear again, she muttered, "I hate this rain. It's pretty to look at, but I hate getting soaked." The only time Noelle ever had liked strong rain was when she was able to dance in it, but that was a rare occurance.

[Shadyyy.[:]

Noelle. Hmmm. It had a ring to it. It felt good on his tongue. It was very pretty. Just like her. " I like Noelle. Its very pretty. French if im not mistaken?" He sounded calm and smooth. They complete oppisite of what he was feeling on the inside. He wasnt looking for a relationship. Just a friend. He had his girl. His everything. 1000 miles away. Lizzy had always been good friends with a chum named Andrew and everyone knew he was madly in love with her. He would probably take advantage of Cory being gone. That thought made him wince. Andrew and Lizzy. No. It just wasnt right. "Yes. Actually I am. Just moved here from a small town in Colorado." He answered before sipping a bit of his slolwy chilling mocha.

Cory hummed along with the music softly playing in the background while he watched her with patient eyes. The rain slowly getting harder on the window making the shop get a sudden rush of cold. He pulled his hoodie closer to him and shivered. He shived not because he wasnt used to the cold, it was a mix of chill and nervousness. "Im so with you on that. " he remarked to her comment about the rain.

[{Allison} Alaska]

"Yeah... French..." Noelle replied, impressed that he actually knew that. "My mom had this obsession with France and whatever when I was born," Ellie said, thinking back to when her mother had attempted - and failed - to teach Ellie French. The thought made Ellie slightly giggle, remembering all those warm summer days when her mother would walk around, pointing at things, trying to get Noelle to say the French name of it. Crossing her ankles again, Noelle raised an eyebrow when Cory winced, and got yet another one of those sad looks he seemed to be getting quite often. "You okay?" Noelle asked, in her soft, caring voice. "Colorado..." Ellie repeated. "I went there once, when I was little... Denver was cold in December," Noelle commented, recalling the time her parents took her on a small road trip there when she had been on Christmas break.

Noelle fiddled with her hands for a minute, before deciding to just put them in her lap. That didn't last long though, because she started to fiddle with a loose string on the bottom of her blue shirt that brought out the blue in her eyes, if you really focused. Noelle also noticed that she was getting looks from people around, harmless glances, but they still made Ellie feel a little... out of place. She wasn't one to enjoy much attention, and tended to avoid it as much as possible.

[Shadyyy.[:]

"Id love to go to france one day myself. I bet is amazing there. And not to mention the great food" He said with a slight chuckle at the end. He had always been a food feind. He wanted to become a culinary artist if his music career didnt work out. Mmmm. He gulped down the last bit of Mocha and lightly set the cup down. He was amazed she noticed him wince from his thoughts. "Yeah. Im alright. Sorry." A little color flushed into his cheeks as the tone in his voice was embarassed. " Denver is amazing in December. Its always light and snow is always on the ground. But i lived in a tiny town North of Denver. I doubt you had head of it."

Cory was in love with snow. It was amazing. He was a snowboarder and it came natrual. Snow just made him. He didnt know what it was about it. Cory noticed peiople were staring and talking about them. It made him a little bit uncomfortable. Being new, he didnt know anyone so he was worried. He look at Noelle with a concered look. Then fixed it into a smile.

[[ Ahh. Didnt that suck. lol.]]

[{Allison} Alaska]

"Eight years of French food... Including snails, duck legs, and shrimp with eyes can scare you from a place, trust me," Noelle replied, cringing at the memories of the sickening food that oftentimes gave her food poisoning, since her mother rarely cooked them right. "It doesn't snow much here... I'm glad about that. I didn't like the snow back in Pennsylvania... Too cold..." Noelle said, letting her voice trail off, knowing she probably sounded either insane or like she actually missed that stupid town she used to live in, which she most certainly didn't. "We just get a lot of rain. You get used to it," Ellie said, pointing out the window, to the gray sky that was cracking with thunder. Ellie tapped her converse clad foot on the tiled floor along to the beat of a happy Christmas song that played on the radio. True, Ellie wasn't much of a fan of holiday music, but she loved all music, and would take what she was given, even if she didn't really like it.

Seeing Cory's worried look, Ellie figured she better say something about the staring. "You're new. You're talking to the town outcast-slash-supposedly mute. Need I say more?" Ellie asked, rhetorically. She knew that people thought of her as 'that weird chick in the corner with the weird name whose friends with the crazy blonde girl' and truth be told, that annoyed her to death, not that she would ever confront anyone about it. After all, she'd rather be known as the freaky quiet girl, than the freaky girl who does crazy things. Tapping her short nails on the table, Ellie glanced at Cory for his recation for what Noelle had just said.

[Shadyyy.[:]

Cory let a small bright laugh escape from his lips. She was cute and FUNNY. Of course he wouldnt say this outloud, it was hard enough to say it in his head. Lizzy was still ruling his mind and everythig he thought. She wouldnt leave as hard as he tried. He was stuck with her. The more he fell harder for her, the harder it was to forget about her beautiful face. "Snow is amazing! How can you not like it?" he replied with a genuine smile,"This weather is gonna take some getting used to i guess... I mean back in Elizabeth it never rained." He looked out the window as the rain still was gettign harder and louder. A crack of lightning lit up the dark sky. Seconds later a boom of loud thunder drownding out the cheesy christmas music. Cory noticed her foot tap exactly to beat to the music. She was a musician. He could tell. He was gonna get along with her very well.

Cory was confused at first after Noelle confessed about her being the shy one in town." Wait... what?" He asked raising an eyebrow. People were staring oddly at them. But she was talkative and cute and funny. How could people not come up and talk to her? Was it just him that was attracted to weird girls? " I dont really care... You dont seem like that. I mean your funny, smart, and not to mention cute." Embarassed of sayng that outloud he blushed his face turning a light shade of pink.

[{Allison} Alaska]

"Growing up in southern Georgia can make you hate snow," Noelle replied, in her slight southern accent that had slightly faded over the years. "And no rain? Wow. I love the rain... Just not when it's all stormy like this," Ellie said, realizing that her songbook had been pushed away, and was now teetering on the edge of the table, almost out of sight. Dragging it back to where it wouldn't fall off, Noelle picked at the frayed cardboard edges quietly, thinking. Her thoughts were somewhere over the rainbow when she got an idea, and flipped her notebook open to a fresh page, and scribbled down some of her poetic thoughts, half of them not making sense. She figured she could work out the details later, and just get it down now, while the idea was still with her, before it faded away, like clouds rolling away on a warm, sunny day. Putting her pen back down, she glanced back up at Cory, and smiled sheepishly, not bothering to explain, figuring he wouldn't care too much about her silly songs.

Noelle scoffed at what he said. Cute? Funny? What the hell was he on? Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "What?" just a bit too loudly, causing a few dirty looks to come her way. "I mean, funny? Me? Not so much," She said, quieter, clearing her throat. She decided not to call him out on calling her cute, figuring it was a mistake of tongue. After all, someone like him would never like a freak like Ellie... Right? Then again, Ellie wasn't the one you should ask. She was far from lucky in love, and tended to avoid thinking about that. Especially since everything that had happened to her.