Rico was nervous as he waited outside the coffee shop. He checked his phone for the fifth time, hoping to see a message from his date. He had met him on a dating app, and they had been chatting for a few weeks. His name was Miguel, and he was a lawyer at a prestigious firm. He had a handsome face, a charming smile, and a witty sense of humor. Rico was smitten by him, and he couldn't believe that he had agreed to meet him in person.
He looked at the time. It was 7:15 pm, and Miguel was supposed to be there at 7:00 pm. Rico wondered if he had been stood up, or if something had happened to him. He felt a pang of disappointment and anxiety. He decided to give him another five minutes before leaving.
He scanned the crowd of people passing by, hoping to spot Miguel among them. He saw a familiar face, but it wasn't Miguel. It was his co-worker, Paolo, who worked in the same IT company as him. Paolo was walking towards the coffee shop, holding a bouquet of roses. He had a bright smile on his face, and he looked excited.
Rico felt a surge of jealousy and resentment. He knew that Paolo was gay, and he had a crush on him for a long time. But Paolo never seemed to notice him, or show any interest in him. He always treated him as a friend, or worse, as a colleague. Rico had tried to flirt with him, but Paolo always brushed him off or changed the topic. Rico had given up on him, and moved on to Miguel.
But now, seeing Paolo with flowers in his hand, Rico wondered if he had a date too. And if so, who was it? Was it someone from their office? Or someone from the app? Rico felt curious and annoyed at the same time. He wanted to know who Paolo was meeting, and why he had never told him about it.
He watched as Paolo approached the coffee shop door, and opened it. He expected him to go inside, but instead, he stopped and looked around. He seemed to be looking for someone too.Rico felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He had a horrible suspicion that he hoped was wrong.
He saw Paolo's eyes widen as he spotted him. He saw him walk towards him, with the roses in his hand.
He heard him say his name.
"Rico?"
Rico felt his heart sink as he realized the truth.
Paolo was his date.
Miguel was Paolo.
YOU ARE READING
Fake Match
Short StoryA story about two co-workers who fall in love online using fake names and photos, only to discover the truth when they meet in person. Will they overcome their lies and accept each other for who they are? Or will they lose their chance at happines...
