Coffee and Cigarettes and Everything in Between

Nine

Winter

What the hell just happened? That kid will be the death of me. Now how am I gonna ask Karina on a date at this point?

"Winter is it your regular?" Was the question that pulled me out of my thoughts.

How can someone be this beautiful without even trying? I mean she's just literally standing there. Kim Winter you're in too deep with this one.

"Your regular Winter?" And that's when I realized that I was staring at her. I mentally kicked myself for being too obvious this time.

I tried to compose myself before answering her.

"Uhm yes please and these are for you." I said to her as I handed her the daisies.

"Flowers from my girlfriend, it's a great day huh?" she said with the emphasis on the word GIRLFRIEND. She's teasing me again and I know for sure the blush on my cheeks are way too obvious. That Ningning is out to give me heart attacks I fear.

"Be right back with your order girlfriend." And with that she turned around to prepare my order but not after leaving me with a smile and a wink. Damn this fair skin for giving my blushes away too easily and she's obviously teasing me for it. She's unbelievable.

As I was waiting for my order suddenly the culprit of this mess appeared with a look that I can only describe as "you better thank me".
Since there's not a lot of people in the café at this time, I'm the only one at the counter.

"So you booked another date with Unnie already?" She asked me as she wiped the counter top with a rag.

"What do you mean exactly?" Another date? What is she even talking about? I'm too embarrassed at this point to even order.

"You're too slow Winter. Winter right? Keep up with your name for God's sake. Move as swiftly as the snowflakes on a winter morning."

What kind of comparison was that? Snowflakes? Seriously? This kid is unexpectedly funny. We'll get along if she stops putting me on situations that I'm just gonna obviously embarass myself.

Just as I was about to respond to her, Karina returned with my order.

"An Americano and Cappuccino for my girlfriend." And again with the emphasis on GIRLFRIEND.  When will the teasing stop? I can feel the tip of my ears heating up already.

I just handed her my card for the payment because I don't know what to say anymore at the moment. I'm not great with words when it comes to this thing and I'm afraid that I might say something that's not funny or something that won't impress her at all.

"You're letting your girlfriend pay Unnie?" Ningning who was obviously joking asked Karina. She's on the teasing train too, as expected. She's not gonna let me live if she keeps this up.

"Business is business Ning and my girlfriend knows that." She replied with her casual laid back self. She's not stopping with the teasing huh? Come on Winter think. Swift as a snowflake, swift as a snowflake, swift as a snowflake.

After a few minutes of thinking of a reply nothing came to mind. I can't believe I'm on a  block with words too. This is hopeless. I am hopeless.

Karina handed me my card back with my order. And I can see Ningning at the corner of my eyes looking at me like she's gonna kill me if I let this moment pass without making a move.

What do I do? She keeps teasing me with the girlfriend thing and my mind just keeps on breaking down as if the sight of her isn't enough.

I had a plan before I came here: walk cool, give her the flowers, order and ask her out. But that plan went out the window together with my sanity when I heard her call me "girlfriend".

Come on Winter think.
Swift as a snowflake.
Swift as a snowflake.
Swift as a snowflake.
Swift as a snowflake.

The Ningning mantra in my head suddenly stopped when Karina turned to Ningning and said, "Ning I'll have my break, take the post okay."

"Umh is my girlfriend free after her shift later?" I blurted out of panic that I might not get this chance again or maybe out of fear that Ningning might really kill me. But all I can think of right now is how will she respond? Will she take it as a joke? Will she be mad? Will she play along? I don't know anymore.

"Her out is at five. You know the rules no coffee date." Was her simple answer before she walked to a room where I suppose is their lounge.

Karina

As expected she's waiting for me outside the coffee shop. She's really not that hard to miss with that blonde hair of hers. Plus she looks extra cute today with that beret on, she really looks like a painter.

I simply greeted her with a "hey" because she obviously was deep in her thoughts that she didn't noticed me coming.

"Hi, uhm didn't see you there" She replied awkwardly.

"Should I be offended that my girlfriend literally didn't notice me?" I jokingly said to her with the emphasis on GIRLFRIEND. As expected she's blushing again. I wonder if she blushes everytime someone compliments or teases her or is it just with me?

"Please stop teasing me already, Karina"

"Why don't you wanna be my girlfriend anymore?" And with that the tips of her ears started going red. Oh lord she must be so embarrassed right now so I decided to stop it already.

Just as I was about to tell her sorry she beat me to it and said, "It's not like that, I like you. I mean I like you Karina and I'd like to take you on dates and give you flowers every time I see you." She then took a second to catch her breath or to maybe organize her words so I didn't say anything and just let her finish what she was about to say.

She then looked at me again with what I can only tell was her sincere look because that was the same look that she gave me on our first date at the park.

"I would like to hold your hand every time I get the chance but my hands are too rough for that soft hand of yours, I'd like to be the one to drive you home every night to make sure you made it home safely. I guess what I'm trying to say is...uhm...." Again here she was with her incomplete thoughts.

Maybe that's her habit I don't know but I do know that she looks so cute right now with that blush on her cheeks, the faint sunlight hitting her hair making it shine brighter and top it off with that pretty beret. She's beautiful and I don't think she knows it.

So with the sunlight fading accompanied by the noises of the vehicles passing by the street and a number of people walking by, I kissed her. Life is too short to not kiss the person you like. A plain peck that lasted for less than five seconds. As expected her lips are soft.

I looked at her as I pulled away and her cheeks have never been these red before. She then looked at me as if to ask "what just happened?"

"I kiss on the second date remember? And I just wanted to kiss you"  I simply shrugged and replied with a smile on my face.

"Oh okay." Was her only response. She looked like she haven't grasped that I just kissed her. She looks confuse and happy at the same time and that made her a hundred times cuter than before. Yes she's a puppy indeed.

"And for the record I like your huge ass rough hands, they fit perfectly with my tiny soft  hands. So where are we going today, Winter?"