Another Chance To Say... [ON HOLD]

The Bright Side

Before she was even near the coffee shop's front entrance, Sabine already spotted Gael waiting for her. He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, his hair carefully disheveled, and sunglasses perched over his nose. He smiled when he spotted her, wearing jeans and a t-shirt herself, her hair up in a bun and away from her face. She adjusted the cross body bag over her shoulders and walked up to him.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hello...I didn't think you'd keep your word."

"Of course I would, I'm a gentleman. What would you like for breakfast?" he asked.

"A latte, like the one I didn't get to enjoy yesterday, is fine."

"Do you want Filipino breakfast or American breakfast?"

Her eyes widened.

"What? No! Really, no need. I'm not much of a breakfast person anyway. Being full doesn't allow me to get to sleep right away," she explained.

"Something light at least? Oatmeal? Or yogurt with fruit and granola? Please? I won't take no for an answer. I know a good breakfast place that serves organic food not too far from here. Their omelets are really good, and the coffee is way better than they have here," he smiled at her.

"I guess you get points for persistence. Let me just tell my mom I'm not going home yet."

After Sabine made a quick phone call to her mother, she turned back to Gael and smiled at him.

"Is it near here? I just commuted, so if it's just walking distance, that'd be great."

"It's near here, but not within walking distance. Don't worry, I have my car. You ready?" he brightly asked her.

She followed him as he walked to a sleek, black sports car by a famous German auto maker. He turned the alarm off and unlocked the door using a clicker and then opened the door for her. She tried not to look too amazed, but that's what she was: really amazed. This was a car that she had only seen in movies before, something a suave British spy would drive around in. She thanked him before going in, settling into the rich leather seat. He noticed her silently taking it all in, amused that she was trying to look nonchalant, but her eyes betraying what she really felt. She fidgeted in her seat, and he had to ask her about it.

"Anything wrong?"

"I just don't want to dirty your seats. I know I dusted myself off of flour and sugar before leaving the bakery, but I just want to make sure I don't need to pay for your car detailing bill or anything," she joked.

"Sab," he stopped, "Can I call you Sab?"

"Sure," Sabine conceded.

"Sab, you don't need to worry about getting my car dirty. I invited you for breakfast, and I think you look clean and beautiful, so don't worry about anything except for what kind of omelet you would like to have," he laughed.

She relaxed after that. Here she was, riding in a car she could never afford in this lifetime, being driven around by the most handsome man she had ever met, taking her on a breakfast date. Or did she just assume it was a date? Anyway, things like this didn't just happen to someone like her. Her life was monotonous; set in stone, it felt like. She worked at the bakery 10 pm until 6 am, she would sleep for a couple of hours before heading to school from 1 PM to 7 PM. She would take another short nap before getting ready for work. It was a neverending cycle, and even though she was tired of it, there was nothing she could do about it until she finished school.

They arrived at a quaint café. From the outside it didn't look like a restaurant, more like a house with a beautiful rose garden in the front. The front garden had several ornate metal tables and chairs painted white where a few people were already eating what looked like very delicious waffles and strawberries. Gael guided her into the front door of the restaurant by putting his hand on the small of her back. He asked the hostess for a table for two, preferably in the garden, and they were quickly seated.