“Duck!”

I didn’t think about it; I ducked. A small object went whizzing over my head, missing it by mere inches. I stood back up, looking around for the thrower.

I saw him running towards me from a ways off, a concerned expression on his face. “I’m terribly sorry, miss. I have horrible aim, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

I nodded, secretly summing up everything I knew about him in my mind; tall, athletic looking, slightly geeky, probably came out here to the park every day he could. He had gorgeous blue-green eyes that seemed to have an endless depth, and his messy hair fell across his eyes in a strangely sexy way. I shook my head; why was I thinking about this? “Yeah, I’m fine. My name’s Sadie,” I said, my hand outstretched.

“I’m Mark,” he replied, shaking my hand, a very cute sideways grin on his face. “You come here often?”

I thought about lying, and telling him that I came here every day, but a lie wasn’t going to get me anywhere. “No, I don’t even live here. I’m staying here for the summer to watch my aunt’s house while she and her husband are taking a second honeymoon in Australia. I just found this place today.”

I thought maybe his smile faltered for a split second, but maybe I had imagined it. “It’s beautiful here, isn’t it? How long have you been here? Have you been to a lot of places yet? How about the beach?” He paused. “Sorry, I ask a lot of questions.”

I laughed. “It’s alright. Would you like to go somewhere and talk? Are they any coffee shops nearby?”

He laughed. “There’s a Starbucks right around the corner. Shall I escort thee there, milady?” he said in mock-formality, offering his hand with a slight bow.

I responded with the same. “Oh, please do, dear sir. I shall be most delighted to accompany thee on thy excursion.” I giggled, perhaps a bit too girlishly, as I took his hand. He walked with his head held high, as if he were someone of great importance, my hand resting in his.

However, it wasn’t long before he started to laugh. I had to admit, it was pretty comical, walking down the street like we were some kind of royalty. And I, of course, couldn’t help but laugh as well. The whole way he would, every now and then, say something in an absurd English accent, thee-ing and thou-ing the whole time. We were in complete hysterics by the time we reached the door of Starbucks.

I wiped the tears from eyes; I hadn’t laughed that hard in quite some time. “Do you want anything to drink?” he asked me. “Their latte’s are amazing, you know.”

“Sure,” I answered. “Although, I’m not too fond of latte’s. How about a French vanilla cappuccino instead?”

“As milady commands,” he said with another bow and a smile. I laughed and went to find an empty table.

I found one somewhat removed from the majority of the people and sat down, looking absently at the fine print on the sugar packets. Mark returned with the coffee, and four pastries as well.

“Trying to fatten me up, are you?” I said, trying my best to keep a straight face.

“Yes, and then when we are finished here, I shall take you home and shove you in my oven and have you for dinner,” he replied, a very serious look on his face.

I snickered into my coffee that I had been attempting to drink, nearly spitting it everywhere. “Oh, lovely, I’ve always wanted to be eaten.”

And that was how I met Mark. It was after that that everything began to change.

A/N: I’ll actually probably expand on this a bit more, I realized it was kinda short. I don’t know where this is going yet either, it just came to me one day so I started writing. Reviews are appreciated!