Sunken ships

9

There are two things I can do right now. Either go sit somewhere in this cafe and wait for him, if he will even show up, or turn around now and forget this even happened in the first place.

I decided on the latter. Better go now than wait for him and leave eventually because he didn't show up.

Now that I've decided on what to do I realized I was still standing at the entrance of this place. So I turn on my heel and pull the door open with my right hand around the door handle.

As I am ready to make my way on the sidewalk my head is already somewhere else, thinking about what to do when I get home. I could read, write, listen to music, maybe try to bake something but maybe that isn't such a good idea considering my lack of cooking skills, play some patience or even dig up my stamp colle-

My thoughts were swept away when I accidentally bumped into a broad and firm chest. Quite hard actually because I was pushed back a few steps.

"I- I am so so sorry!" I try to say while finding my balance.

"I wasn't paying attention. I am so-" I try to add hoping the person I just bumped into wouldn't be too mad.

"Hey yuck,..." The person snaps back. By the low voice, I assume it's a man. Now steady on my feet I slowly look up to the man in front of me whose voice sounds a bit familiar "... look where you're going man!" as he finishes his sentence my eyes meet with the ones of the slightly taller man. The man with those stunning bright green eyes.

"It's you, you showed up," I mutter, unable for him to hear.

"Oh Tommy, hallo! Sorry for reacting that way, if I knew it was you I would have been a bit more kind." I don't know what to say in response since I am flustered all of a sudden.

"I- euhm, it's okay." I am so stupid. Why can't I just talk normally?

"Funny how we keep bumping into each other," Alex says, stepping a bit closer. "I expected we would meet in the cafe but the sidewalk works too I guess."

"Yea..." I try to say while putting up a small smile.

"You do know the cafe is that way right? Or were you bailing on me?" He asks, pointing behind me.

"No no, I wasn't. I- I forgot my wallet that's all." I lie. Why am I lying? Because I did plan to bail on him but only because I thought he wouldn't show up. Guess I was wrong.

"Oh okay good, and don't worry about your wallet, it's my treat."

Alex walks past me, headed to the door of the cafe where I stepped in a few minutes ago. He pushes the door open and looks back at me and I am just standing there like I just saw a ghost.

"Are you coming?"

Come on I need to start acting like a normal human being. Again, he's just a friend, I think.

"Thank you," I say as Alex holds the door open and I walk past him back into the cafe.

I take a seat at one of the tables that has two chairs. Shortly after Alex takes a seat in front of me facing away from the window which gives me a view of the people passing on the sidewalk.

"Would the two handsome lads like to order anything to drink?" A lovely woman asks standing next to our table with a white apron around her waist on top of her light yellow dress and a small notepad with a pencil in her hand to write down the orders.

"I will have a black coffee, please," I say giving the woman a polite smile.

"Sure, anything else to go with that?"

"No that will be it for me, thank you."

"And for you, sir?" She asks, turning her body in Alex's direction.

"A cup of tea with milk and sugar, please," Alex responds looking up at the waitress and I got to say his eyes didn't seem to focus on her face but on the area a bit lower.

"Yes, no problem. Do you want anything else with that?"

"No, I'm good for now."

"Okay perfect, I will be back in a few minutes with your drinks."

"Thank you." Alex and I say in unison.

As the waitress walks away she looks over her shoulder one more time, looking at Alex. I look back at the man in front of me who is looking the woman up and down as she walks away.

Are they flirting? Or am I just imagining things?

"She's a real cookie, and sexy too," Alex says when the waitress is gone, taking another order.

Definitely wasn't imagining it.

I don't say anything in response to his comment on the woman. Instead, my attention goes to the music that is playing in the cafe. I can name the song almost immediately, it's Over the Rainbow by Glenn Miller. I really like this song, it's very calming.

"Here you go, a tea, a black coffee, and some sugar and milk for the tea."

"Thank you so much cookie," Alex says to the same waitress with the same flirty eyes making the lady smile as she places everything on the table and walks away.

"You're so doll dizzy," I comment on Alex making him turn his head to me.

"And what's wrong with that?" He says back with a smirk on his face while putting some milk and sugar in his tea.

"So how have you been?" Alex asks after taking a sip of his tea that I assume is still very hot since his eyes widened a bit.

"Well, actua-"

"Oi mate! Long time no see!"

I was interrupted by no one other than George Barker. I haven't seen him in a very long time. But it seems that I am not the only one who knows George.

"Oh, Barker, Hallo," Alex says back with a bit of disappointment in his voice. George doesn't seem to notice it because he is now sitting with us at the table on a chair he took from the empty table next to us and starts talking.

"And Tommy! Oi mate! What a coincidence to see you here too!"

Just smile and nod. Just smile and nod.

"Anyway, have you heard? Do you know that guy Mike? Well, he apparently has a girlfriend called Grace, a lovely girl. And Vince has been called back into the war. It must be very hard for his wife, poor Iris..."

He just keeps talking and talking and talking and talking. I get why people call him Barker all the time, he just keeps barking like a wild dog.

In the meantime, Alex and I had almost finished our drinks and exchanged glances a few times. With those glances, there was some kind of tension that I couldn't quite put my finger on but I tried not to think anything of it.

Drinking my last sip of coffee I feel Alex giving me a light kick against my leg making me look up at him.

"Let's go." He says very quietly, only for me to hear, and tilting his head to the side, gesturing towards the door.

I nod in response, relieved that Alex wants to leave too.

"I am sorry to interrupt you Barker but we really need to leave." Alex calmly says, already standing up from his chair.

"O- Okay catch you later!"

We didn't really give George time to say goodbye since we were quick to stand up and make our way towards the door but not before Alex left some money on the table of course.