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The man and his wallet

It had taken Daisy longer than anticipated to get up in the afternoon. The duvet was messily draped across the bed with her left leg on top. She rested her wrists on her forehead whilst staring at the ceiling. She stopped when the ceiling started forming dots and stars. Instead, she looked at her phone. She activated the screen which read four forty-six p.m. A sigh escaped her lips. She had to get out of bed and do something instead of pondering over last week's events. Daisy was a mess and was unwilling to admit it to herself. Her hair stood in every possible direction and her face was puffy and sore from drinking and lack of sleep. She felt deflated and her stomach growled in protest. God, when did I last have a proper meal? 

Daisy put on a bra that was on the floor and found a pair of baggy jeans, clean socks, and a sage green cardigan that her aunt had knitted for her two years ago. Her hand automatically shot up to her neck as if she had forgotten something. Her fingers grazed the pendant that fell in between her collarbones, and she puffed a sigh of relief. Lastly, she slipped into a pair of old Converse sneakers. She meandered to the bathroom where she switched on the light and saw her own features in the mirror. Daisy swallowed the lump in her throat away and straightened her back. After washing her face, brushing her fingers through her hair, and putting on some mascara she instantly felt better. She stumbled upon a loaf of bread in the kitchen and stuffed a slice of it with zero sugar lemon curd in her mouth, chewing obnoxiously loud to drown out her own thoughts which were laced with a hint of disgust. It saddened her but she brushed it off.

She eyed her tote bag that was hanging on one of the chairs in the crowded kitchen. Tote bag, check. Books, check. Laptop and charger, check. Phone, check. Money, check. Concealer, check. She slung the bag over her shoulder and left her apartment in a hurry, not thinking of the weather conditions one bit. The wind almost knocked her off her feet when she stepped outside of her apartment building. Daisy hugged her tote bag tight to her chest and rushed to the café on the corner. It had started raining and a few strands of her hair started sticking to her cheek and forehead. Daisy cursed herself mentally for not wearing a decent coat or bringing an umbrella. It is England after all. Even the Queen would be disappointed in her lack of awareness.

Beans was the café that Daisy visited on a weekly basis. She was a regular there and she knew most of the baristas. She shared laughs and their love for coffee with them. The warmth of the café engulfed her when she opened the door, the familiar ringing of the bell making her smile ever so slightly. Victoria was frothing milk and chatted with a customer who was waiting for their order. Daisy then walked to the counter and took out her card, ready to order too. Vic grinned and turned to Daisy, greeting her.

''Dais, I was wondering when you would stop by again,'' Victoria smiled, steaming the milk jug and wiping the steam wand with a cloth. ''I haven't seen you all week, are you alright?''

Daisy drew in a long breath and spoke, ''Absolutely fine, thank you. How are you? How is Ellie?''

''Knackered, but she'll manage. We had a date last night.''

''Oh my god,'' Daisy grinned, leaning forward on the counter. ''That's amazing!''

Vic beamed, grabbing an empty cup from the shelf behind her. ''It truly is. Coffee as per usual?''

''Yes, with oat milk please.'' Daisy's hand shot up to pinch her necklace charm again, casting a glance at the customers inside the café. She adjusted her hair and stepped to the left of the counter, allowing some space for the person behind her to order. After Vic handed her the cup of coffee, Daisy walked to the table right by the window. A favorite of hers. Daisy knew the café lay-out like the back of her hand. Although it was quite roomy inside, the café's atmosphere was cozy and inviting. She rummaged through her tote bag and felt the familiar shape of her teaspoon. It was something silly, yet she always brought it with her. It made coffee more enjoyable. Authentic perhaps.

From her peripheral vision, Daisy's gaze fell upon a man with a shaggy haircut and wire frame glasses. He wore a pastel blue sweater and had both sleeves rolled up, revealing pale arms. He seemed invested in his laptop. She silently admired him as she stirred her drink, coffee mixed with frothy oat milk. The clock behind him told her it was close to five forty-five p.m. When she looked down again, her eyes locked with him. Accidentally. Ugh. Daisy quickly averted her eyes to her coffee again, realizing she had been stirring her drink longer than she had intended. Had she seen him before? Was he in her classes? Maybe he was another tenant in her building? Probably not, he looked put together. Daisy got lost again while staring at him. She noticed that he had a stern expression on his face, his brows deeply furrowed. Had he been lost in his thoughts too?

Daisy had to snap herself out of her daze when she observed the man gathering his laptop and pulling a beanie over his head. The bell rang and the door shut behind him, a gust of wind blowing in her face. She glanced at the chair he previously sat in. She focused her eyes and noticed that he had forgotten his wallet which was still on the wooden table. Daisy shot up, grabbed the wallet, and shot out of the door. Another gust of wind hit Daisy's face as she rushed to find the man. No sign of him around the corner. She jogged back to the café and ran up the street in the direction of her apartment building. She managed to find him in the distance, he was walking to the entrance of the tube. Daisy hurried after him, the rain drenching her with every step she took. When she finally caught up with him, she tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and was surprised to see her. Through gasps of breath, she told him that he had left his wallet at the café.

''Really?'' He patted his jean pockets to make sure it was true and saw that she held out an identical wallet, just like his. Realization crept in and his cheeks turned a crimson color. With his hand, he scratched behind his ear and chuckled. ''Thank you so much, I didn't realize I left it there.''

''You, yeah.'' she mustered, handing him his wallet back. Daisy was still out of breath. She could feel her heart palpitating to the point where it scared her. She clutched her chest and bent forward, trying to compose herself in front of this handsome stranger whilst trying not to freak him out with her slight-panic-attack-slash-awful-physical-condition. 

''Are you okay? Oi. Here, have my water.'' A bottle appeared in front of Daisy, and she gratefully took it, not thinking straight about the situation. She gulped down the water and gasped for breath. Really, Daisy? It was the second time she cursed herself for her behavior. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt as if it would pop out of her chest if she wasn't able to calm herself down. She was surprised to find his hands on her arms as he steadied her.