"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. She's really pretty, right?" I said absentmindedly, as I polished the fancy glasses. I slowly turned my head slightly to see the girl's face. She was staring through the window, gazing dreamily at the people commuting outside.
"I think she's ready to order something," my manager informed me while he went into the storage room to restock our coffee bean supply.
Without any hesitation, I walked over to her, a notepad and pen in hand. She turned her head to look at me.
"What would you like, Miss?" I asked with a small smile, even though I already knew the order. She always asked for the same things -
"Two cups of coffee, please." she answered with a smile similar to my earlier one. She handed the drink menu back to me and resumed her study of the people outside.
As I returned to the counter with her order written neatly on my notepad, I wondered why she always ordered two cups. She was always alone, sitting across from no one, sipping her drink and staring straight through the window. Was she waiting for someone? A sibling? A friend? A boyfriend?
The manager strode back out and refilled the coffee maker. I quickly prepared the two cups and placed one in front of her and the other across from her, where someone should have been sitting.
Since the cafe was rather vacant, I decided to make some small talk. Whether it was allowed, I did not know and I did not care. I just wanted to know the girl better, that's all. I sighed a bit, then ruffled my hair a bit.
"Um... pardon my asking this, but since you're one of our regulars, why are you always here alone?" I concentrated on the tiles of the floor I swept so assidiously every morning before opening.
"Hmmm. I'm waiting for someone, you see." she answered steadily, sipping her coffee and looking at me.
Although I felt rather happy that she was looking at me, her gaze began to intrude into me more than I would have liked.
"Uh... Yes, I suppose. I just thought it was strange someone as pretty as you would be here alone..." I mumbled, avoiding her eyes.
"Haha, thank you... But I know that I'm not that pretty." She told me.
I wanted to tell her urgently that she really was. Really. She was the epitome of beauty, of gentleness, of peace. But I knew I didn't have the place to say so. She was probably waiting for her boyfriend, anyways.
Just at this moment, a crowd of people burst into the cozy little cafe. It was the birthday celebration reserved for today. I unwillingly moved away from my favorite customer, and went to seat the party. When I finally had the time to glance at her, she had left, leaving a few rupees at the table. She had finished one cup of coffee, the other remaining untouched.
I sighed as I cleared up the table. I would see her yet again, tommorow, I persuaded myself. I felt slightly joyful that I had gotten closer to her, even in the slightest degree. Tommorow...
I approached the little cafe I always went to for breakfast. It was empty, luckily, so my favorite seat was vacant. I opened the door and heard the charming little bells they hung on the door. I loved the coziness of this place... So different from the outside city lifestyle I was so adapted to.
I stepped towards my table and sat thoughtfully towards the clear window. A window was like a strange two-way mirror - it reflected what was on the one side yet also revealed the outside surroundings on the other side. I concentrated on a particular person, one I looked forward to glancing at every morning.
"What would you like, Miss?"
The words broke through my musings. I smiled lightly at the voice's owner.
"Two cups of coffee, please."
He wrote down my simple orders and left to fulfill them. I was left alone again to ponder over that person. The person who would always make my day, even if I couldn't talk to him.
"Here you go." the waiter told me politely.
I noticed he slid the other cup to the other side of the table, as if he knew that there was someone else sitting there. I sipped the coffee - it really was well brewed. I looked up at him; he was still standing there, immersed in his own thoughts. I waited for him to do something.
"Um... pardon my asking this, but since you're one of our regulars, why are you always here alone?"
I expected this question... I just didn't know how exactly I was to answer it.
"Hmmm. I'm waiting for someone, you see." I said, quite nonchalantly. It was vague, yet it seemed to tell him exactly what he needed to know.
"Uh... Yes, I suppose. I just thought it was strange someone as pretty as you would be here alone..." he said rather softly.
I felt myself blush slightly at his compliment... and I knew I didn't deserve it. Being incredibly shy inside, I was more prone to beat around the bush instead of getting straight to it.
"Haha, thank you... But I know that I'm not that pretty." I told him, my cheeks getting rather pink.
He seemed to think for a bit, and was about to answer but a rather large and loud group of people sauntered through the door with a tad of aggresiveness. He excused himself as he rushed off to help the party. I sipped the rest of my coffee as I turned yet again, focusing on that one person.
As I drank the last few drops and after glancing at a particular reflection of the window, I got up, leaving one of the cups I ordered behind untouched.
I pondered idly if I was being a nuisance. But as I picked up the courage to see him without avoiding his eyes, I noticed that he was occupied, and so turned around with a slight feeling of regret.
I wondered suddenly, what the reaction of the waiter would be if I told him the person I was waiting for... was him.
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