there she goes - jschlatt

unexpected encounter

the coffee shop wasn't anything special—just a little hole-in-the-wall spot i stumbled upon after wandering around the city longer than i'd planned. i wasn't lost, exactly. more like... directionless.

today was supposed to be productive. the kind of day where i'd brainstorm for my podcast, write some notes, maybe even finish an outline for the next episode. but, like always, procrastination won out, and now here i was, nursing a lukewarm latte with no intention of leaving this overstuffed armchair by the window anytime soon.

i sighed and scrolled aimlessly through my phone, checking socials. same accounts, same posts. everyone's content seemed so polished, so perfectly curated. meanwhile, i was just trying to figure out what i was even doing.

suddenly, the bell above the door jingled, snapping me out of my thoughts. i glanced up just as a tall guy with a slightly disheveled look strolled in. he didn't really fit in with the vibe of the place—his messy hair poking out from under a baseball cap, hoodie thrown on like he'd just rolled out of bed. there was something about him though, something oddly confident in the way he carried himself.

i went back to my phone, not giving him much more thought. but then i heard his voice at the counter. deep, a little gruff, and definitely not in the mood for pleasantries.

"yeah, just a black coffee. biggest size you got."

something about his voice tugged at the back of my mind, like i'd heard it before, but i brushed it off. i wasn't in the mood to overthink. i had enough on my plate without getting distracted by random strangers.

after he got his coffee, he scanned the room, and much to my dismay, headed straight for the armchair across from me. he didn't even ask if it was taken—just plopped down like he owned the place.

"mind if i sit here?" he asked, already sinking into the chair.i raised an eyebrow but shrugged. "go ahead."

we sat there in awkward silence for a while, sipping our drinks. i went back to pretending to work, but i could feel his eyes darting between his coffee and me. the whole situation was weirdly uncomfortable, but also... kind of funny.

"you always sit around like that, or are you just pretending to be productive?" his voice cut through the quiet, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth as he glanced at my mostly empty laptop screen.

"your laptop's open, but you've been staring at your phone for the last ten minutes," he pointed out, taking a sip of his coffee. "just saying, doesn't look like you're doing much."i felt my face heat up. who was this guy, calling me out like that? "maybe i'm taking a break. ever think of that?"

"sure," he said, leaning back in his chair, amusement dancing in his eyes. "that's what they all say. 'taking a break,' but really just avoiding work."

i rolled my eyes, trying not to let him get under my skin. "and what about you? looks like you've got plenty of time to judge strangers. must be nice."

he chuckled, the sound low and unbothered. "i'm just here for the caffeine. you're the one trying to look busy."

despite myself, a small laugh escaped. "okay, fine. maybe i'm a little distracted. what, are you my productivity coach now?"he raised an eyebrow, grinning. "schlatt.""schlatt?" i repeated, tilting my head. "like... the animal?"

his grin faltered for a split second before he laughed, shaking his head. "sure. like the animal."something flickered in his expression—surprise, maybe? but i didn't give it much thought. the name sounded familiar, but i couldn't quite place it.

"well, schlatt, since you're so invested in my productivity, what exactly do you suggest i do to get my act together?""easy. stop pretending to work in coffee shops. it's all a scam. go home, put on some music, and actually focus."i tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. "oh, so you're a productivity expert now?"he shrugged, sipping his coffee with a knowing smirk. "nah, just a guy who knows when someone's wasting time."i laughed despite myself. "alright, maybe i'll take that advice."

the conversation dwindled after that, but the strange awkwardness lingered. he seemed content to sit there, sipping his coffee and people-watching, while i half-heartedly scrolled through my phone. there was something familiar about him, but i couldn't quite put my finger on it.eventually, he stood up, stretching his arms over his head. before he left, he glanced back at me with a quick nod. "good luck, podcast-person."

my heart dropped. how did he know? i hadn't mentioned anything about my podcast. but then i remembered the logo on my laptop case—a small design i'd created for my show that might have caught his eye.

"wait, how do you know about that?" i asked, my curiosity piqued.

he shrugged, a playful smile on his face. "just a guess. i figured anyone staring at a laptop in a coffee shop has to be working on something creative, right?"

and just like that, he was gone, leaving me sitting there with a weird sense of curiosity about the sarcastic stranger i'd probably never see again.

or so i thought.