Stay ✔︎

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12
MAKING THE FIRST MOVE

"HEY," LUISA SMILED, sliding in across the booth from Torrey.

"Hey," Torrey's own lips curved up off their own accord.

Luisa passed her her cup, and then held onto her own. Both of them sipped on their cup silently for a few moments. Luisa glanced up at Torrey and just as she did, she realised Torrey had been looking at her as well. They held each other's gazes for a while, before averting them awkwardly.

Luisa was surprisingly the first to speak up, clearing her throat, "So, how are you?" it was better than continuing this silence, as comfortable (with a little ounce of awkwardness maybe) as it was, it was leading them nowhere.

"I'm good," she nodded, tapping her fingers on the side of her cup, "You?"

"Good, good," she nodded, "So, do you come around here a lot?" Luisa told herself that she was asking so that she could be better to be prepared in case she was to run into her again any time soon, but really she knew she was asking so that she could increase her own visits to the shop as well. 

Torrey sucked in her bottom lip, her eyes wandering around the shop before meeting Luisa's, "Well, to be honest, no. Only recently been coming here,"

"Yeah, their coffee are addictive, right?"

Torrey kept her eyes on Luisa for a moment before replying, "That's actually not the reason I've been coming here," she shrugged casually, taking a sip from her cup.

Luisa coughed, having not expected that answer. She fiddled with the tray card on the table, her gaze not meeting Torrey's. She could feel her eyes on her though.

"No?"

"No,"

Luisa wondered if she should ask the reason she had been coming then—she didn't know if she wanted to know the answer though, although if she was completely honest with herself, she was sure she could figure out the reason herself.

But of course, Luisa didn't ask her or even think about it any harder, neatly tucking away the thought in a corner of her mind. "Still can't say their coffee is bad," she raised her cup and took a big gulp out of it.

Torrey nodded, not able to help the chuckle that escaped past her lips. She had been expecting exactly that from her. Luisa gave her a curious glance at that but didn't say anything, intently focusing on taking small sips of her drink.

"Do you work near here?" Torrey asked, wanting to keep the conversation between them going.

Luisa nodded, "Yeah, a few streets down,"

A few moments passed before Torrey addressed her once more, "Luisa,"

"Hmm?" Luisa forced herself to look up at her, eyes meeting once again.

"I-," her lips parted, the words already forming at the tip of her tongue, but right then her phone rang, "Shoot," she cursed when she saw the display of her screen, and then back to Luisa, she grimaced apologetically, "I, um, I have to go,"

"Oh, okay," Luisa nodded although she was desperate to know what it was that she had to say—it sounded important. It probably was important.

"Thanks for the coffee again," she stood up.

"It's fine,"

Torrey stood there for a moment fiddling with her fingers as if contemplating something, but then shook her head slightly, taking a step back, "Okay, then,"