It had been years since she had last seen Jonas; he had matured quite a bit since- he had grown some, was reasonably built, and while he always been attractive, his boyish charm gave way to sharper definition. He was strikingly handsome. Despite the great change in his physique and countenance, she recognized him immediately, if not by name.<br/><br/>She was just entering her Junior year when he graduated and he had quite a reputation for himself, particularly among the other females in the high-school; Wasilla, Alaska was a small town and men were slim pickings. Jonas’ exotic accent and striking good-looks made him a favorite among her peers. She probably would have fallen in the same fascination had she not been so preoccupied with Nicholas (Cat cringed internally as she thought about him)<br/><br/>Catherine fleetingly wondered if he recognized her as well- she had always been acceptably attractive, but she had truly blossomed over the last few years, mostly due to her exotic features; her long, silky golden-brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and sun-kissed skin that retained its glow even in the dead cold of winter made her a rarity in the small Alaskan town.<br/><br/>She doubted it- though they had friends in similar circles, Cat mostly kept to herself- Nicholas did not like her socializing, and she was decidedly too bookish for the popular crowd had she wanted to. Thinking of school brought unwanted thoughts of Nicholas, eroding violently at the dam she carefully built to keep from flowing into her heart. The pain was excruciating, blinding even… and then nothing.<br/><br/>Cat let out a sigh of contentment when all of a sudden, an intense calm washed over- the pain, all but gone, receding into the depths of soul. To her surprise, Cat smiled- her first genuine smile in longer than she could remember. She felt relieved, elated, at ease- but why?<br/><br/>She had no idea why this non-stranger invoked such feelings of serenity, but she liked it. For the first time in too long, there was no pain.<br/><br/><em> “I’m fine, no need to fuss at all…”</em><br/><br/>Cat could not help returning his grin as Jonas pulled out her chair and helped her into her seat- this was certainly different. She wasn’t used to chivalry from men other than her father. “Thank you,” she said appreciatively.<br/><br/><em> “I think you will like this” </em><br/><br/>Catherine gratefully accepted the new coffee, enticed by its strong aroma. It was so strong, in fact, that the cream had little effect on the steaming pitch-black contents of the mug. The heat of the cup seemed to resonate with her soul, filling her too with warm, comfort, and dare she say it…happiness?<br/><br/>She took her first sip and sighed once again as the bitter concoction brought her taste buds to life. Ambrosia. She was expecting to feel a sharp peak of alertness, but instead felt herself relaxing even more- her shoulders softened, and her entire countenance shifted. She felt completely at ease- as if she had had a few glasses of fine, rather than a mere sip of coffee.<br/><br/>How very odd, indeed.<br/><br/>“This absolutely delicious.” She said, her smile dazzled, lighting up her face and complimenting her beauty. “Joe has absolutely been holding out on me…”<br/><br/><em> “Jonas…Nice to meet you” </em><br/><br/>“Cat…” she replied, taking not of how much larger his hand was, as hers was enveloped by his. His grip was firm, gentle. “The pleasure is all mine…”<br/>To her surprise, she meant it too.<br/>