First encounter

Rachel was having a terrible day. She had prepared tirelessly for her job interview, only to have it called off at the last minute. The rescheduling had left her feeling disappointed and frustrated. She trudged through the hallway of the company building, her head down, deep in thought. Her mood was written all over her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she was grumbling to herself as she walked.

“Fuck!!” she cursed as she stomped down the hallway, she muttered under her breath about the incompetence of the company's HR department. Why would they schedule an interview just to call it off at the last minute? She had not only prepared for weeks but she had also spent money on costly diesel to get here and she wasn’t going to be getting a refund for that.

The thought of having to wait even longer for a chance to prove herself was frustrating. She let out a sigh and shuffled her feet as she walked towards the company café.

As she entered the café, she noticed that it was relatively empty, save for a few individuals scattered around. She was muttering under her breath and grumbling as she made her way over to the counter to grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, calming her nerves a little. She approached the counter, her eyes scanning the menu. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she had skipped breakfast in her haste to prepare for the interview.

"Can I get a croissant and a cappuccino, please?" Rachel asked the barista.

As she waited for her order, she took a deep breath and looked around. As she reached for the paper cup, she suddenly collided with a stranger in a suit, causing his half-filled cup of coffee to spill all over her white blouse. Rachel was taken aback, her heart racing with anger and frustration.

The hot liquid splashed onto Rachel's white blouse, leaving a dark brown stain in its wake. She gasped in shock; staring down at her ruined shirt. Rachel was livid. She looked up at the man, her eyes flashing with anger.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed. "Watch where you're going!" she yelled

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you," he said, his tone was cold and without reaction.

"Oh, of course not," Rachel replied, her voice laced with bitterness. "I'm just a blind idiot who can't see where she's going." She fired sarcastically, “This is a new shirt, and now it's ruined thanks to you." she further nagged.

The stranger's expression darkened at her words, and Rachel could see his annoyance growing. He was a tall man, well-dressed and confident, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through her. He had dark hair that was styled in a professional manner. He was dressed impeccably in a well-tailored suit, and Rachel couldn't help but notice the expensive watch on his wrist. He was wealthy, but that changes nothing for her.

The man's expression changed from apologetic to grumpy. "I said I was sorry," he said, his tone becoming sharper. "It was an accident."

Rachel was not impressed. "An accident that could have been avoided if you had been more careful," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just forget it," she muttered, turning away from him to grab a napkin from the dispenser on the counter.

As she began to dab at the coffee stain on her shirt, the man spoke again. "You know, you should really watch where you're going," he said, his tone sarcastic. "It's not my fault if you're blind."

Rachel bristled at the insult, turning to face him. "Excuse me?" she said, her eyes blazing. "I am not blind. You're the one who bumped into me."

"You know what, forget it," he said, his voice cold. "I'll just buy you a new shirt." He offered with an egoistic tone

Rachel scoffed at his offer. "Like I'd let you pick out my clothes."

"Fine, then how about I just give you some money and you can buy your own damn shirt?" he retorted.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, a scowl on her face. "I don't want your money. Just stay away from me, grumpy!!."

The man seemed unfazed by her anger. "Whatever you say, Princess," he replied, shrugging. "Just be more careful next time."

"Forget it," she muttered, walking away from the man. "I don't have time for this."

As Rachel stormed off, the man watched her go, fuming with anger. He couldn't believe that she had been so rude to him. He had tried to apologize, but she had been hostile from the start.

"Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath. "She's the one who bumped into me, and she's acting like it's my fault." He soliloquized

He looked around, and sure enough, everyone was looking at him. He couldn't help but feel a little bit embarrassed. He had lost his temper, and nagged with a lady, now the whole coffee shop was staring at him with a mix of curiosity and fear. Of course they had reasons to be scared of him, but that wouldn’t stop them from gossiping in his absence.

He cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure, but the damage was already done. The people in the coffee shop went back to minding their own business, but he could feel their eyes on him. He grumbled under his breath and started to walk out.

As he stepped out, he felt a gust of wind hit him. The sun was shining brightly outside, and the cool breeze was refreshing. He took a deep breath and tried to let go of the anger he was feeling. He couldn't believe the nerve of that woman. Who did she think she was? He didn't even know her name, but he already disliked her.

He couldn't believe how things had gone so wrong so quickly. One minute he was just trying to get a cup of coffee, and the next he was in a heated argument with a stranger. He never got along with women; in fact he was always having women problems.

He shook his head and tried to put the encounter behind him. He had more important things to worry about, like his job and his family. He took another deep breath and tried to let go of the tension that was still lingering in his body.

As he turned the corner and walked out of sight, the people in the coffee shop went back to their conversations, forgetting the whole incident. But for the man, the encounter would stay with him for a long time to come. He wasn’t someone to easily let go and he hoped to meet this clumsy Princess again someday, then he would teach her.

To be continued!!