sunshine, ALEX ALBON

xv

The coffee shop's door swung open, and there he was.

As soon as Alex walked through the doors of the coffee shop, Evelyn felt like she wanted to run. She didn't know what she was going to say, or do, because the last time she'd seen him she hadn't been quite as aware of her feelings as she was now.

He spotted her, that familiar half-smile tugging at his lips. The same smile that had haunted her dreams and disrupted her morning routine. The last time they'd been face-to-face, she'd been blissfully ignorant, unaware that Alex could ever become more than a friend from her past.

Alex reached the table, and the world narrowed down to the two of them. His voice was a low hum, like the distant purr of an engine. "Hey, Evie," he said, and his nickname for her sounded different in his mouth than usual.

She opened her mouth, but no words emerged. Instead, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Why are you so perfect?"

His eyebrows shot up, surprise flickering across his features. "Perfect? Me?"

Evelyn gestured vaguely, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the tabletop as she internally cursed herself for bringing it up. "You know, the racing, the smile, the way you listen. It's infuriating."

He chuckled, the corners of his lips curling up into a smile. "I'm far from perfect, Evie. You of all people should know that."

Evelyn fumbled with her coffee cup, trying to avoid his gaze. She could feel her cheeks heating up, but she couldn't stop herself. "No, really," she insisted, leaning in closer than she intended. "It's like... every time I see you, you're just... better. I guess that's just how it is when someone's perfect. They never realize they're perfect."

Alex tilted his head, clearly confused but amused. "I think I'm still waiting for the day I get a Nobel Prize for not spilling coffee on myself."

Evelyn laughed awkwardly, her cheeks reddening. "Well, you'd definitely win that prize."

His eyes sparkled. "And you, Evie? What's your award for?"

She blinked, her mind racing to come up with a response. "I don't know, maybe 'Most Likely to Make Things Awkward'? I'm pretty good at that."

Alex's laughter was warm and genuine. "I don't think you're awkward. I think you're just... refreshingly honest."

Evelyn glanced up, catching his gaze. For a moment, the air between them felt charged, but then her eyes darted away again, focusing on a particularly interesting stain on the table. 

Alex shifted uncomfortably, clearly not enjoying the awkward tension. "Evelyn, are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his words as he watched his childhood best friend avoid eye contact on purpose.

She laughed, a nervous, high-pitched sound that made her cringe internally. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just—" She paused, searching for a way to backtrack. "I just meant, you know, it's nice to see you. It's been... three days."

Alex nodded slowly, still looking puzzled. "Yeah," he said, "How have you been in the last three days?"

"Good! Great!" she said, far too enthusiastically. "Just busy with writing, wondering if it's gonna be a masterpiece or a huge waste of time. And, uh, doing hobbies. You know, the usual."

"Right," he said, drawing out the word. He glanced around, as if looking for an escape route. "Well, it's good to see you too."

Evelyn nodded vigorously, then realised she was still leaning in and sat back abruptly, nearly knocking over her coffee. She caught it just in time, but not before several drops spilled onto the table, creating a large puddle. "Crap," she muttered, grabbing a napkin and wiping at the spill.

Alex reached out to help, their hands brushing for a moment. Evelyn felt a jolt, like static electricity, and jerked her hand away. "Sorry," she mumbled, focusing intently on the spill as if it were the most important thing in the world.

"No problem," Alex said, his tone gentle. "Really, Evie, you don't have to be so nervous around me."

"I'm not nervous!" she exclaimed, a little too loudly. A few customers of the coffee shop glanced their way, and she felt the heat rise in her cheeks again. "I mean, why would I be nervous? It's just you. Nothing to be nervous about, right?"

Alex gave her a small smile, the kind that made her heart do somersaults. "Right," he agreed, though his eyes seemed to hold a question she couldn't quite decipher.

There was a brief, awkward silence, filled only by the clinking of cups and the murmur of other conversations. Evelyn fiddled with her napkin, her mind racing for something, anything, to say that would make the situation less excruciating.

 "So," Alex started, trying to break the silence, "any big plans for the weekend?"

"Plans?" Evelyn echoed, suddenly finding the sugar packets in the container set in the centre of the table intensely fascinating. "No, not really. Just planning to stay at home and do...things. Maybe reorganise my sock drawer or—"

"Reorganise your sock drawer?" Alex repeated, his voice rising with a mix of confusion and amusement.

"Yes," Evelyn insisted, her face nearly matching the intensity of her response. "It's a big deal for me. I... like my socks organized by color and thickness." She tried not to wince as she spoke, not even sure herself why she was saying what she was.

Alex looked at her in silence for a couple of seconds before speaking, not sure whether to laugh. "Sounds like a productive weekend."