4. Nostalgia

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The sound of the door opening brings me back to the present. The coffee is still warm in my hands. The rain has stopped since an hour.

The place is empty today. But I still feel something. If I try to come with the most precise word, it'll be nostalgia

But I'm not allowed to be nostalgic. So I just keep reminiscing what happened here last winter.

FLASHBACK

I stay on a table and take the warm cup of coffee in my hands. The winter coat is still behind me and the music in the cafe has turned to a slow one.

I look up to see a man approaching me.

"Do you mind me sitting here ?" He asks politely.

I look around and see that the cafe is fully packed. This is the only table available at the moment. I feel kinda guilty of reserving one table completely for me.

"Yeah, sure." I smile and he returns the gesture. He takes out the chair opposite to me and puts his coat over it. Then he looks at the menu and orders something.

"Thank you ---" He pauses waiting for me to complete.

"Adira." I say.

"Caleb Ledger." He offers his hand. I take it and shake them.

"So, you enjoy ristretto?" He tries to start a conversation.

"Oh yeah. Its a sweet and richer flavour of espresso. I like the intense taste." I reply.

"And its more bitter." He comments.

"Well, truth is bitter too but we prefer it over lies." I try to joke around it but he doesn't respond for a while, analyzing my statement.

"What do you prefer, sir?" I try to go towards a formal approach to lighten the mood and it helps.

"Cortado. I started drinking it when I was doing a research on coffees and this one took my interest." He speaks as if this field is his territory and he is inviting me in.

"What does it say about cortado drinkers?" I raise my brows.

"Strong, efficient and precise – these are the characteristics of a Cortado drinker. This is the drink of a person who likes rules, likes structure and is not keen on change." His coffee comes just in time and we both laugh instantly.

"What does it say about a ristretto drinker?" I ask amidst the smiles.

"The term ristretto means 'restrict' and the drink is given that name because as you brew, you'd have to reduce the amount of water used during extraction. So the drinker is someone who restricts themselves to their full potential and are way too humble when they achieve something. " He finishes achieving an applause from me.

I have to admit it, this guy is impressive.

"Adira, what do you do for living?" He asks between his sips.

"I work at cyber security. " I reply. There IS some truth in it. "What do you do for livelihood?" I ask back.

"I'm a secretary under practice." He smiles.

We remain in silence for a while before we talk about the weather, the current affairs, sports and our country.

"So, are we friends now?" He asks smiling.

"I guess so."

"Do I get the privilege of exchanging numbers with your highness?: " He bows before me as if greeting a princess.

"Oh you do, dear prince." I play along.

"I'm just a mere peasant in front of your beauty."

Is this guy......flirting?

"Peasant is not a term for someone as handsome as you." I smile at him.

"Your beauty overshadows mine." He places a small gentle kiss on my knuckles and I let go the pretense as we both laugh.

It's been a while since I've laughed so hard.

We exchange our numbers and bid goodbye.

END OF FLASHBACK

I smile at the memory of him.

Caleb Ledger

It doesn't seem like I killed a guy today.

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A/N
Song: Night Changes (One direction)

PEOPLE !!! YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY MET MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER !!!

Future me : CALM DOWN BRO. No screaming !!

HE IS MY FAVOURIT-

Future me: *hangs up*

*sighs* fine..... so guys, as always, STAY TUNED

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