He did come back but he didn't come inside. Rohan leant against the wall of the building across the road, his hands behind his back shaking his leg. He could see Annie moving from table to table so he closed his eyes and envisage her smiling at him; her cheeky smile as she caught him looking at her backside. The feel of her hand pressing gently down on his leg and the touch of her fingers on his lips.

'Annie...'

Rohan had two choices. He walked away and never came back, or he crossed the street and took a chance at life like everybody else. Today he chose to walk away. He knew deep in his heart he was going to cross that street and when he did his life would follow. The rest would be up to Annie.

*

She saw him standing there and was relieved. As she moved from table-to-table Annie kept an eye on him. She so wanted to go out onto the footpath and wave him across but Annie knew he had to do this on his own. She stood watching him walk away and felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Ruby looking sincerely at her.

"Told you that one was gonna be hard work. But don't you worry yourself because he'll be back."

Annie sighed and smiled serenely. "I hope so, Ruby. I really hope so."

*

To her surprise Rohan was leaning on the same stretch of wall as she stepped out of the café to make her way home. Annie stopped and looked across at him. She took a deep breath, held her hand up in a wave and stilled it mid-air. Annie held back the urge to go to him and waited. It was up to him, if he wanted this it was up to him. Shy or not she had to find the strength to let him fight against his demons on his own. For now. Because once he let her in there would be no turning back. Not for Annie Mitchell.

As he stepped forward, she held her breath. He had done this before, stepped forward, and then stepped back. She waited and as if in slow motion his other leg lifted and he moved forward again.

Annie whimpered so softly no one else would have heard even if they had been standing next to her. She whimpered at the sight of him coming towards her because with each step he took a new foundation was being laid and this foundation would become the bases of her life.

She let her hand drop and looked up at him as he stood before her in his too short pants, thread bare jumper and ugly glasses. Annie thought him a beautiful man. She exhaled in awe and smiled affectionately. "Hello, Rohan," she murmured and watched him swallow.

"Hello, Annie."

"Did you have a good day?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Oh... and why not?"

"Because I've been worried. Anxious all day."

Annie guessed because he was standing, he couldn't shake his leg so his fingers were clawing at each other instead. She was afraid he was going to break the skin on the back of his hand. She put one of hers on top of his to still their movement. "What are you worried about? Are you having trouble at work?"

Chuckling, Rohan shook his head and looked at her from under his brows. "It's not work, it's you." He saw her frown and watched as her hand drew away from his. God... she was withdrawing already. This was a bad idea. He had to continue, had to know the truth, so he came right out with it. "I want to take you out... to a movie... to ask you to come with me... you don't have to... but I'm asking you if you'd want to... want to come with me."

Annie exhaled slowly in relief. She hadn't expected that and thought how amazing he was because she knew how hard it must have been for him to ask. She smiled. This was the beginning of the next step. She would remember it vividly and perhaps tell her grandchildren the story of it one day. A gentle laugh escaped her lips because that was going too far and she had to tell herself to, "Woo up, Annie".

"I would love to go to the movies, Rohan. I haven't been for a long time." She watched him sigh in relief and the colour come back to his face. "When did you want to go?"

Rohan reached up and scratched the back of his head as he gave her a crooked smile. He wondered if tonight was too soon but he didn't want to give her time to change her mind after she had a chance to think about it. "Tonight."

"Tonight?"

He watched her shocked expression and thought for sure she'd say no, but she turned and peered through the window of Ruby's, and then looked back at him.

"It's five o'clock now. It takes me forty minutes on the bus. I'll have to shower and forty minutes back so you'd need to give me two hours. What time does the movie start?"

Rohan grinned so much his face hurt. He lifted his hands up and put them behind his head as he looked to the heavens. Thank you, God, thank you for letting her say yes because that's what she was saying even though she hadn't verbally said the word. She was saying yes to dorky weird Rohan Wayland. He dropped his head and looked at her curious face. "There's one on at seven-thirty at the Regent."

She wasn't sure what his reaction had been all about but looking into his eyes now she saw relief and happiness. "Okay I'll meet you outside the movie theatre around seven-fifteen."

All Rohan could do was nod and grin. He thought he must have looked stupid because she gave him a funny expression, and then said, "I have to go or I'll miss my bus."

He nodded again and watched her hurry away. She stopped half way up the street and called back, "What are we going to see? What's the name of the movie?"

Rohan chuckled. "Me Before You."

She waved and skipped away.

Wow. Who thought Rohan would have the courage to ask Annie out?

Photo - Dreamtime.com