WHO: Elysia and Chris WHAT: Bumping into each other. Literally. WHERE: The main lobby WHEN: Mid-afternoon WARNINGS: PG to be safe
Piping hot and pitch black. That's how Elysia liked her coffee; always had and always would. It was a fact just as basic and accepted as 'the sky is blue' and 'mimes are vaguely creepy.' The paper cup was warm in her hands even through the cardboard cozy, a welcome contrast to the cold winter air. A couple of tote bags were slung over her shoulder, bulging with groceries that were threatening to spill all over the sidewalk. Not that Elysia cared at all. No, she was far more concerned with sipping at her coffee, humming softly to herself, and generally enjoying the walk back home. Honestly, it was was almost worth not being able to find her coffee maker if it meant she had a good excuse to buy some Starbucks.
It was because of that preoccupation that she didn't see notice the shouts behind her and didn't have a chance to step out of the way before a large man in an even larger coat rammed into her from behind, sending her sprawling onto the concrete, her drink splashing open and spilling everywhere, including onto the food that had fallen from her bags. The man didn't even bother to apologize - he just kept running, waving a hand back at her as though to make up for the fact that the heels of her hands and her knees were now stinging, the skin scraped raw and bleeding a little. Great. That certainly wasn't going to make playing the cello very pleasant for the next little while.
Another man, young and a bit plump, scuttled over to Elyisa to help her gather up her things as she pulled herself into a kneeling position. "Well he was certainly rude," he tutted while carefully sorting out her belongings and putting them back into the bags. "Are you alright?"
Elysia blinked and turned to him, trying to shake herself out of her stuppor. "Yes, I'll be fine." It was a little robotic, but it seemed to satisfy him, as he just nodded and let the subject drop. She worked with him to gather up the rest of her things, this time much more securely packed. Thankfully only the bananas seemed to have been damaged. Those were bruised almost beyond saving, except for maybe as an ingredient in banana nut bread. "Thank you for helping me."
"Oh, it was no trouble. Ah... If you want, I could even replace your coffee?" His face was hopeful and his smile just a little too broad to pass as naturally shy. In fact... Now that she thought of it, he was standing uncomfortably close to her. Her eyes narrowed at him. She didn't care for people trying to lie to her, even with something as simple as trying to be a little smooth when flirting.
"No," she snapped, all traces of politeness gone from her voice. "I don't want you to replace my coffee. I appreciate the help, but I do not appreciate being propositioned by a stranger that I haven't even exchanged twenty words with." She pulled the bags away from him and swung them into the crook of her elbow, glaring at him. "In fact, I'd go so far as to say that was 'certainly rude.'" With that, she turned on her heel and marched away from him, head held high. Well, as high as anyone who stood at a grand total of five feet and three inches could manage. In the time it took for her to buy a new cup of coffee and get back to her new home, her anger had turned to a slow simmer and just general annoyance. People could be such douche bags sometimes.
She nodded to the doorman and muttered a quick "Thanks" as she hurried inside, eager to get back to the safety of her apartment. At least now that she was home she knew she wouldn't be slamming into anyone again. Or really, that's what she thought. In the few seconds she was distracted looking through her coat pocket for her keys with her free hand, she managed to bump into someone all over again.