Strange Love Story ( Part 1)

Perhaps it was the way she looked at him or just the way she smiled that attracted him to her, there was definitely something going on between them. They had never spoken, only met twice and that was in the café opposite work.

He had ordered a black coffee and she was next in the queue, while he was waiting she ordered a Latte. He’d always been afraid to order one of those because he had no idea what it was! He always ordered a black coffee and when it came up he would simply say “Oh can I have some milk with that”

They both got their coffees and sat on opposite sides of the café, her near the window and him by the wall near the counter. She looked over and smiled, he smiled back, that was it.

It happened again two days later, exactly the same, they even sat in the same places, once again she smiled and he smiled back.

Then there was now, he noticed her as she walked in, her hair was different, normally she wore it long but today she had it up in some kind of ponytail. He was sitting in his usual place and this time when she paid for the coffee he smiled at her and offered her a chair on the same table as him.

“Hi ya, thought that was you, Latte as usual?”

God he was nervous, he felt a right twat, surely he could come up with something better than coffee talk!

She smiled and sat down opposite him.

“Thank you, yes I need a coffee fix at least twice a day, keeps me going!”

She was also nervous and suddenly realised what she had said.

“I don’t mean keeps me going as in going to the toilet, I mean keeps me going as in getting through the day!”

Suddenly they both burst out laughing; the ice was broken there and then in just a few words.

They started chatting about nothing and everything, there was obviously a chemistry going on that neither of them had any control over.

For some strange unknown reason he touched her hand across the table, it was instinctive, she responded by gripping his hand tight and smiling at him, looking at him with those deep brown teddy bear eyes.

“I’ve got to get back to work, I’m late already”

He said this in an almost apologetic way.

“I know, me too”

She was saddened that they both had to leave, the hour’s lunch had disappeared into the void of the day and she was scared that they would be unable to get this magical moment back.

He could tell she was disappointed.

“See you again, sometime after work, maybe a drink or cinema?”

“I’d love that”

They swapped mobile numbers and left the café.

Each heading into a different direction but both with a skip in their step, both of them for the first time in their young lives in love.

He called her at exactly seven thirty that night.

“Hi ya, it’s me, we met in the café today do you remember?”

There was a relief in her voice.

“Of course I remember silly, we swapped numbers, your number came up so I knew it was you!”

“I was just wondering, if you were free tonight, I know it’s short notice but…”

She stopped him in mid flow.

“Yep, where?”

“Oh really? Great news, how about the Pig and Whistle in the square, do you know it?”

“Yep, see you in an hour”

That was it, done and dusted, for the first time ever he’d actually asked a girl out, not just any girl either, the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, and she’d said yes!

She walked into the pub five minutes late and saw him sitting there in the corner, already half way through a pint of what looked like lager. He saw her and immediately stood up, smiled and instinctively kissed her on the cheek.

The kiss took her by complete surprise, no one had ever done that to her before on a first date, how cute!

He went to the bar and got her what she had asked for, Southern Comfort and Cranberry Juice, a strange mixture he thought but hey what did he know about what women drink. He returned and gave her the drink. She drunk half of it in one go. He was impressed!

“Sorry to give you such short notice but I wasn’t doing anything tonight and wondered if you were doing anything, so thought I’d give you a call”

“No nothing, just boring soaps on the tele”

He wanted to ask her something but was a bit hesitant, she picked up on it straightaway.

“What is it, what’s on your mind?”

“Look, I don’t want to be rude but I need to know how old you are, is that ok?”

She laughed out loud.

“I’m nineteen, twenty in two months’ time, and what about you then how old are you?”

There was a look of pure relief on his face.

“Thank god for that, I thought you were going to say sixteen or something and I’d have felt like a bloody cradle snatcher. I’m twenty, well just, last week in fact!”

They laughed and talked all evening, before they knew it the barmen had called last orders. They were about to leave when she looked at him and spoke softly.

“Will you walk me home?”

“Yes of course I will, I was always going to”

“Thanks, I want to show you something, something very precious to me”

Once again she realised what she had just said.

“No no, not anything like that, I feel I can trust you, there’s something I want you to see!”