Cold Coffee

He always sat in Katie's section at the cafe. Katie was a total bitch, but a totally hot one. She would bat her fake eyelashes and he would smile, and I would shoot daggers out of my eyes from across the restaurant. I probably asked her about him a thousand times, and she would always just shrug and be like "I don't know. He's hot but he doesn't really say much." And eventually, "Why are you so obsessed with him? You're creeping me out."

I was changing into my uniform when he first made eye contact with me. I was in my car behind the cafe, and he came strolling around the corner with a cigarette, all James Dean meets Tyler Durden when he saw me with my shirt over my head. He just stopped and leaned against the brick of the building, and I wanted to die. I was frozen and we were staring at each other for what seemed like eternity until he pushed himself off the wall and walked away.

After I finally figured out how to move again, I put on the rest of my uniform and hyperventilated for a good two minutes before going in. It was a Tuesday, he wasn't supposed to be here. I clocked in and tied on an apron, trying my best not to look over at his usual spot. "Try not to pass out or let on that you stalk him in your spare time. I don't want you to scare him away," Katie glared, suddenly all up in my face. I scoffed, which is usually all I do when Katie speaks. Then I saw that he was sitting in my section.

"Hi," I squeaked after shuffling over to his booth. I sounded like a little girl. I wanted to turn and walk away and never come back to this cafe.

"Hey," he smiled back. A smirky smile that said I just saw you in your bra. Your black lacy bra. I cleared my throat.

"Coffee? Pie?" I asked trying to sound more confident. He looked amused, and I realized that I basically just let him know that I like to watch him eat. I looked down at my notepad.

"How observant of you. You're cute," he chuckled like he was talking to a fifth grader. He was making fun of me. He thought I was pathetic. "And yes. Coffee, black. And an apple pie." I brought him his coffee and hid behind the counter until his pie was ready.

"But you like blackberry better," I said when I sat the plate in front of him. Oh my god. I did it again.

"Actually no. Apple's my favorite," he replied as he dug into the pie. "You need to improve your stalking skills," he managed to add with his mouth full. I got a good look of the chewed up pie in his mouth. I walked away. This was getting worse and worse by the minute. I was usually counting down the seconds until he showed up, but this time I was counting down the seconds until he left. I had the check in his face by the time he took his last sip of coffee.

"Here's your check. You can leave whenever you want," I said politely.

"Yeah, here ya go. Keep the change," he said as he handed me a five. Twenty cents more than the amount on his bill. Yeah fuck you too, dude. "Oh and can I borrow your pen real quick?" he added. I glared at him and dropped it on the table. He slid a napkin over and started to write something down. It was a phone number. Oh my god times two. I mentally scolded myself for being excited about it after how big of a douche he'd been. "Can you give this to that Katie chick for me? I've been trying to ask her out, but she's so intimidating."

WHAT. THE. FUCK. NO.

"Um," I said as I grabbed the corner of the napkin he held out to me. "Sure," I lied as I stuck it in my apron pocket next to the straws. "So why didn't you sit in her section today?"

"It was full," he shrugged as he slid out of the booth and grabbed his jacket. I stared at him as he walked out the door. Why was I such an idiot? Why didn't I notice her section was full? Why did I let him look at me like I was a love-struck toddler? I ran out the door.

"No," I called after him. He stopped and looked at me like I was crazy. Or maybe he was shocked that I could get any crazier than he already thought I was. "I'm not doing shit for you. You've been here every week this summer. Twice a week. If you seriously can't develop the balls to ask her out yourself, I suggest you go to a doctor because it's way past time you did." I grabbed his arm and smashed the balled up napkin in his hand. He just stared at me. "And seriously man, you'll be fine. She's easier to get into than online college." I turned and walked back into the cafe. Take that, asshole.