The Coffee Shop
remember
She fumbled her fingers across the keyboard, back again, repeating, trying hard to form a cohesive thought as words eluded her. She backspaced again as the bell above the door jingled its welcome to the newcomer. Some people glanced up from their mugs and conversations long enough to take him in, or give a warm smile if he looked at them.
He walked over to the counter, and placed his order, turning to survey a place for him to sit. There were a few people, all clustered in two’s or three’s, laughing and smiling. It was a nice break from the crowded corridors and loud shouts of his dorm. He saw one girl in particular, in the far corner, and he couldn’t help but smile himself.
Grabbing his coffee, he made his way tentatively to where she sat, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him. He stopped a few feet behind her, not sure if she would mind his company or not. “I, uh, may I sit here?” he asked, voice quiet and a bit shaky. She jumped, startled at the new presence, and turned quickly to see a smiling face. He laughed nervously, “I didn’t mean to scare you…” His eyes darted away from her, but she laughed, catching his attention again.
“It’s okay,” she assured, smiling at him now. “I don’t mind. I think I was concentrating so hard that my brain was starting to melt anyways,” she nodded her head toward the laptop and open word document.
He dipped his head in understanding. “Ah, I’ve been there before. Somehow I thought college would be a bit easier,” he laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “My name’s Taeyang.”
“My name’s Tara. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled up at him before swiveling back around to her work. “Do you, uh, want to sit down?” she asked uncertainly, picking a few more keys in an attempt to get focused again.
He obliged, grateful for the warm welcome. “I’ve never been in here before. It’s nice,” he mumbled, looking around the café again.
“Ya,” she agreed, turning again to face him. “I come here a lot, actually,” she laughed nervously, fidgeting with her hands. “It’s nice. Quiet, but not too quiet,” she mused. “It’s like the perfect mix…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes fluttered to anything that wasn’t him. When she looked at him there were butterflies, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted those just yet, wasn’t sure what to do with them. But that smile…
They talked lightly after that, skipping like stones from subject to trivial subject. Laughs were exchanged back and forth, intermingling with each other sometimes. But there was never silence between the two, always having something to say, or something to joke about. Smiles seemed to be carved onto their faces now as the light faded into a hazy dusk outside the windows to their left. Finally her eyes strayed from his to catch the sunset glow.
“It’s late already,” she mumbled, not wanting to say it, but knowing it needed to be voiced.
He nodded, smile drooping just a bit as his eyes peeled off as well to watch the fading light. “I’ll… see you tomorrow then, Tara?” he asked, heart pounding against the cave of his chest, begging for the answer he hoped for.
“Ya,” she told him warmly, the butterflies flying erratically in her own stomach. Somehow, neither minded the feelings now.
He walked over to the counter, and placed his order, turning to survey a place for him to sit. There were a few people, all clustered in two’s or three’s, laughing and smiling. It was a nice break from the crowded corridors and loud shouts of his dorm. He saw one girl in particular, in the far corner, and he couldn’t help but smile himself.
Grabbing his coffee, he made his way tentatively to where she sat, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him. He stopped a few feet behind her, not sure if she would mind his company or not. “I, uh, may I sit here?” he asked, voice quiet and a bit shaky. She jumped, startled at the new presence, and turned quickly to see a smiling face. He laughed nervously, “I didn’t mean to scare you…” His eyes darted away from her, but she laughed, catching his attention again.
“It’s okay,” she assured, smiling at him now. “I don’t mind. I think I was concentrating so hard that my brain was starting to melt anyways,” she nodded her head toward the laptop and open word document.
He dipped his head in understanding. “Ah, I’ve been there before. Somehow I thought college would be a bit easier,” he laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “My name’s Taeyang.”
“My name’s Tara. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled up at him before swiveling back around to her work. “Do you, uh, want to sit down?” she asked uncertainly, picking a few more keys in an attempt to get focused again.
He obliged, grateful for the warm welcome. “I’ve never been in here before. It’s nice,” he mumbled, looking around the café again.
“Ya,” she agreed, turning again to face him. “I come here a lot, actually,” she laughed nervously, fidgeting with her hands. “It’s nice. Quiet, but not too quiet,” she mused. “It’s like the perfect mix…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes fluttered to anything that wasn’t him. When she looked at him there were butterflies, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted those just yet, wasn’t sure what to do with them. But that smile…
They talked lightly after that, skipping like stones from subject to trivial subject. Laughs were exchanged back and forth, intermingling with each other sometimes. But there was never silence between the two, always having something to say, or something to joke about. Smiles seemed to be carved onto their faces now as the light faded into a hazy dusk outside the windows to their left. Finally her eyes strayed from his to catch the sunset glow.
“It’s late already,” she mumbled, not wanting to say it, but knowing it needed to be voiced.
He nodded, smile drooping just a bit as his eyes peeled off as well to watch the fading light. “I’ll… see you tomorrow then, Tara?” he asked, heart pounding against the cave of his chest, begging for the answer he hoped for.
“Ya,” she told him warmly, the butterflies flying erratically in her own stomach. Somehow, neither minded the feelings now.