Lost & Found

[Princess A]

~Francesca Marie Pope~

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She sat in the corner booth by the front window, the same way she had each and every time she'd been there before. She was a creature of habit; she liked routine, and just as always an iced latte sat beside her laptop on the table in front of her. By her side, leaned against her faded jeans and light blue tee, was a black backpack with the last name 'Pope' embroidered in white thread onto the front pocket. The bag was unzipped enough for a colorfully printed camera strap to hang from the opening.


She seemed far too focused on her work on the laptop to pay much attention to the world around her. If one had been sitting next to her and been able to see her screen, they'd see a picture of the city skyline zoomed in on the page of a photo editing software. She was in the process of cleaning up the haze along the side of the buildings when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Taking her hand away from the mouse pad, she shifted in her seat to dig the cell out of her pocket and raise it to her ear.


"Hello?"

 

[Derik Acemitch]

I hear a beautiful voice pipe up over all the noise. I trace the voice to the girl sitting in the booth behind me. She was so quiet before what made her pipe up? I turn around and see shes holding a phone up to her ear. My eyes glance at her face. I have to take a double check. No one can be that beautiful. It must be my eyes playing tricks. After a double take i realize she is that beautiful. Wow! I remind myself to introduce myself after shes off the phone.


I focus back on my screen an intense battle is going on in the game im playing. I slice down another player and turn towards my teammate to give him a buff. Before i know it ive finished the level and i look at the time 'God its been thirty minutes i really should play this game less often. I look behind me to see if the girl it there but shes gone. She left something on the seat though. It seems to be a camera. I walk over and pick it up. On the strap it says Pope. I assume its the girls name. I collect my things and take the camera with me. Ill return it tomorrow. It will be a perfect way to introduce myself.

 

[Princess A]

It wasn't until she arrived back at her home later that night that she realized something was missing. Setting her bag on the kitchen counter, Francesca reached inside to retrieve her camera and recharge the battery pack. Unfortunately, her fingertips met nothing but the smooth surface of her laptop. Almost instantly, she felt her stomach drop. She unzipped the backpack further, hurriedly emptying its contents onto the counter. Her laptop, headphones, wallet, chapstick, extra battery pack, and water bottle were all accounted for, but there was not mistaking that her camera was absent.


An faint panic started to set in. Besides being a pricey camera, that memory card held all of her pictures of the past two weeks. Francesca was an artist, a photographer, and while she had numerous other cameras she wouldn't get those shots back. She her fingers through her hair, trying to think logically about the little disaster at hand. She could always retrace her steps, hope that maybe it had been found by someone trustworthy enough to turn it in. It was a long shot, but it was all she could do. She cast a glance out the window at the setting sun and decided she'd redo her entire day tomorrow, starting at the coffee shop.


@Derik Acemitch

 

[Derik Acemitch]

After his discovery in the café there was only one thing on Tyler's mind. This Pope girl from the café she was beautiful and a very gifted photographer. He searched the camera trying to make double sure that the camera belonged to the girl from the cafe and not someone else. To no avail though, searching the camera was the only idea he had to figure out who this girl was. He went to bed that night and stared at the ceiling fir hours it seemed. Girls don't usually catch his attention like this. Most of the time its the guys that hate people like him. His bisexuality leaves many open doors but most of them close before he can reach them.


Next morning Tyler woke up early left his computer at home and headed off to the café. He sat in the booth that the photographer girl sat in the day before and set the camera on the table. He pulled out his phone and checked his Facebook and Twitter. Then put his phone away. He could not risk getting distracted again. If he missed this girl again he would be angry. He waited for about 2 hours until finally she walked through the door he stayed sitting but looked up and ushered her over. She gave him a funny look, hesitated the made her way through the crowd

 

[Princess A]

Francesca hardly slept at all. She knew that it was silly, getting so worked up over one camera, but she couldn't help it. Her entire life was behind a lens; she felt connected to those photographs, to her work. She still couldn't believe she'd left it somewhere without even realizing it, maybe for most of the day. When she finally did fall asleep, it wasn't for long. The moment her alarm went off, she was out of bed and getting dressed, ready to get her camera back.


Arriving at the cafe, she already had a plan. She'd gone over how she'd ask the manager a thousand times in her head on the walk over. She stepped in, thumbs looped loosely in the straps of her backpack, and let her gaze skim the room. Over the shoulder of the stranger in front of her, Francesca made eye contact with a young man who was looking right back at her. This goes without mention that he was seated in her spot. She hesitated, and he motioned her to come over. A few seconds crept past as she tried to place his face, but eventually she complied. She slipped past the group blocking her path and wound through the occupied tables to get to her usual booth. Already, a question lay on her lips, but that fell away as her eyes met the camera perched safely on the tabletop. Francesca stopped just beside the table, and the confusion painted across her features broke into a smile.


"My camera..." She breathed, glancing between the device and the male seated in the booth. Her eyes were wide, flooded with an element of relief. Reaching for the camera, she immediately powered it on and flipped through the first few photos. Everything seemed to be in order, and Francesca felt a weight be lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you..." She murmured softly, pulling her gaze from the screen to meet the stranger's eyes.

 

[Derik Acemitch]

Im tyler." He says with a big smile. "You are a very talented photographer Pope. I looked through your pictures to try to figure out if the camera belonged to you. I saw you in the café yesterday and wanted to introduce myself but you left before i had the chance. When i saw your camera i felt that i had to pick it up to keep it safe. Im glad i did, you are beautiful. Can i buy you a cup of coffee? Or tea?" He stands up and steps out of the booth. Standing next to her he sees that she is just a few inches shorter than he is. Her blonde hair is shiny and straight opposed to his raggedy black "emo" hair.

 

[Princess A]

"Francesca." She smiled a bit wider at the fact that he had called her by her last name, the name sewn into her camera strap. "Francesca Pope. My friends usually call me Frankie." Momentarily glancing back down to the camera in hands, Francesca thought for a second about the offer for coffee. His compliments had brought a light dusting of pink to her cheeks, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Nodding softly, she reached to push a stray section of hair behind her ear as she looked back up to Tyler. Her grey gaze skimmed his face as she answered with her smile still in place. "A coffee would be nice, thank you."

 

[Derik Acemitch]

Francesca? Thats a unique name. Well what kind of coffee would you like Francesca?" He asked. Gleaming. Had he actually hit it off with this girl? She had started to blush after his comment about her beauty.

 

[Princess A]

"It's a little different, I suppose. Um, just an iced latte." As she spoke, she shifted her backpack off of one shoulder to unzip the main compartment and set her camera inside before zipping it back up. She wouldn't be leaving it behind again.

 

[Derik Acemitch]

He walked over ti the counter. A black coffee and an iced latte please" he said to the barista. The barista got to work quickly. Tyler turned around and leaned against the counter, watching Frankie. She seemed to be deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about. Probably how glad she is to have her camera back.

 

[Princess A]

Frankie took a seat in the booth, setting her bag by her side and propping her chin up in the palm of her hand. Her gaze followed the cars that passed on the opposite side of the window. She could hardly believe she'd gotten her camera back so easily. All night she'd pictured going from place to place, everywhere she'd stopped the day before, and repeatedly being told that no one had mentioned finding a camera. Here she was, her first stop and it had already been returned. Not to mention, she got a coffee and a conversation out of it as well. This must be her lucky day.

 

[Derik Acemitch]

Tyler returned with the coffee offering Frankie her coffee before sitting down. "So Frankie how long have you been doing photography?" He asked remembering how talented she was. She must have been at it for a long time. "Your artwork is beautiful. Ive never seen anything as good as your photos." He smiles.

 

[Princess A]

She looked up at the sound of footsteps and leaned back from the table to take her coffee from Tyler. "I think you may be giving me a little more credit than I'm due." Frankie laughed softly as she continued. "But, thank you. I guess I got my first real deal camera six or seven years ago? Something like that."

 

[Derik Acemitch]

Im just giving credit where credit is due." He smirks. "So you have had a lot of time to perfect your techniques? Id kill for that kind of talent. My talents consist of computer programing and gaming." He makes a sideways smile and looks out the window at the pedestrians.

 

[Princess A]

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "Computer programming and gaming." She echoed with a small smile. "I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't that." Taking a sip of her coffee, she too glanced out the window, following his gaze.

 

[Derik Acemitch]

He turns his gaze towards Frankie the profile of her face illuminated by the sun. "You expected me to be a goth band singer didnt you?" Smiles slyly. Its okay i get it alot. "Ive actually got a masters degree in computer science and a bachelors degree in software engineering."

 

[Princess A]

"Maybe not a singer." She flashed a smile and glanced back towards Tyler. Her voice held a sort of playful tone. "But I can see it. Computer whiz. I guess I lose that round. I only have one degree." Frankie paused, her fingers relaxed around the side of her coffee. "I bet you can't guess what kind." She added jokingly. "I obviously didn't guess yours."

 

[Derik Acemitch]

In my field you don't get taken seriously without at least one degree."Guess your degree? Hmmm. Im gonna guess"- he pauses to think. Taps his chin. "Is it art history?" He looks into her eyes and sees a twinkle of mischief. He sets his coffee cup down laying his hands in the middle of the table

 

[Princess A]

Frankie shook her head. "Not quite." She thought he'd answer something along those lines. "Journalism, actually. Photography didn't always pay off." She smiled and gave a small lighthearted shrug.

 

[Derik Acemitch]

Both seem very lucrative to me." He smiles. "So your not only beautiful but your smart." He ponders this for a moment. "What kind of music do you like?"

 

[Princess A]

She laughed softly, leaning back against the seat."I don't know if I have a certain kind." Frankie hesitated, thinking about the question. Finally, she shook her head once more. "Just... If I like it, I like it I guess. I don't have a specific artist I particularly enjoy or anything."

 

[Derik Acemitch]

I don't have a specific kind either. But if someone put a gun to my head and told me to answer it would probably be Rock or Punk" He gave her an endearing look.