Her name was "Espresso"
Tricky little one you are. Tricky.
I was walking the busy streets to work one day when she came to me. The smell of smoke and freshly butchered meat came from the factory across the street. I was lacking sleep and my heart would not pump my blood. I wanted to walk faster, but my mind wouldn't let my legs.
She looked at me with those eyes.
She passed me by on the sidewalk. Her hair long and streaming in blonde strands. Her aroma sweet and tempting. Her lips succulent and inviting. It was just a moment, but I could feel the electricity pass between us. My heart began to pump again. I could feel my legs gain momentum. I turned my body around 180 degrees and followed her.
As cold as it was she wan't wearing much of a coat. It looked more like a thin, red button-down sweater. She also wore a skirt which was unusual for this time of year. We both had are hands in our pockets. She couldn't see me.
Stay in the shadows
I followed her past the pizza shop, past the dry-cleaners, past the adult video store. Until she stopped. As she turned around and looked at me her face bared a grin of sinister proportions. Her lips spread across her face in a V-shape. She finally turned a corner and entered into a Starbucks. I followed her in. I couldn't see her anywhere.
Walk up to the counter
I walked forward to the counter and heard a young, squirrely looking man with a high pitched voice say, "Welcome to Starbucks. How may I help you?"
"Did you see a young lady with blonde hair and a red sweater come in?"
"No sir. No one like that came in here."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
I looked around where the restrooms were. Nothing.
Then I saw in the corner an elderly gentlemen of about 75-80 years of age. He stuck a long, bony finger out to summon me to come to him.
"Sit down." he said. "You saw a young lady, with blonde hair and a red sweater?"
"I-I think so. I'm not so sure anymore."
He grinned and said, "You saw a ghost!"
"What makes you think that?"
"I know who you saw." He said. "About two years ago a young lady died right outside this store in a brutal car crash. Her boyfriend was in the car with her at the time and he died first (or so the doctors said). Well, she was very close to this kid and she was pregnant at the time, but she hadn't told him yet. People say she roams around this area looking for him, so she can tell him that she was pregnant.
I left Starbucks with my heart sinking. Is this real? Is what he said real? How could she be so real to me and yet a ghost? I could smell her. I could feel her.
I finally got to work. I was surprised they didn't fire me for being late
The inexplainable happens. All we can do is keep the memories and keep the stories and hope that the next perfect girl I meet is not dead.