A very short story.
Coffee
He pushed, and the door groaned loudly before hitting a bell screwed into the frame, announcing his presence to everyone in the room. Well, the person in the room. The café was rarely busy at this time of day, and that was one of the main reasons he came at this time.
The main reason he came was her.
Though, this time it seemed as though she wasn’t here.
A voice which was somehow unenthusiastic and cheery at the same time bounced through the room. “Heya, Jo!”
Jo smiled at her, but it wasn’t her. It wasn’t the person he wanted to see. Well, no matter, he did want coffee either way so he ambled towards the counter.
“The usual?”
“Yep, that’s the one.”
While the barista busied herself making the order someone else entered the room from out back. It was her.
“Jo! I was wondering if you were going to be in today, we hadn’t seen you yet.” A bright smile flashed his way, crumbling his insides and fluttering his pulse.
He grinned back, though he was so nervous it was more of a manic smile. He was sure he looked deranged…
Jo had been trying to work up the courage for weeks to ask her out for a drink. They had good chemistry, and on more than one occasion he got the impression that she was interesting. It was in the subtleties, the way she wrote his name on the coffee cup, the way she made time to talk to him regardless of how busy it was. The trouble was that Jo was extraordinarily shy. It was hard for him to talk to anyone, let alone a glowing and attractive person such as her.
Today was to be the day though. He’d been working himself up toward this all morning.
He raised his eyes from his probably-too-long stare at the counter and made eye contact. This was it.
“Kylie, I was-“
“Here you go! One MIT coffee, with extra chocolate powder.” The barista handed him his coffee and smiled, as if making a note on interrupting his rhythm.
“T-thanks… See you next time.”
He rushed from the store.
Next time.