Unexpected

The shyest

Al

The sun was still shining on the cold streets of London even if summer was nearly over.

The Londoners were running around frantically to arrive to their jobs. There were so many people and some of them were pushing hard to get free of the crowd, as they were probably running late.

I was right in the crowd: the skinniest and shyest person in the whole London. I was the kind of man who doesn't get noticed by ladies, but that was fine. I was used to it. And, frankly, I was happy that way.

I was wearing a simple white shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a wool light overcoat. A simple outfit for a simple meeting I had at my interview job.

But since I was almost there already, I decided to stop at a café which was right across the street.

"One cappuccino, please" I asked politely to the girl on the other side of the counter.

She smiled at me and nodded, walked to the café machine and placed my cup down its handle. She poured the hot drink, added a sprinkle of cocoa and gave it to me.

"Thank you so much" I said as I grabbed the cup from her hands.

"You're welcome" she answered smiling at me.

She had a tired look on her face, but that didn't affect her beauty. She was very beautiful.

When I got my seat in the café, I noticed some numbers written on my cup. I saw them and immediately shifted my gaze to the girl who was serving some other client.

I looked at the number again, then again at her.

It can't be her. She's too beautiful for me. She wouldn't notice me.

I shrugged and drank absentmindedly my coffee, while looking through my phone's notifications. I saw a missed call from my brother and I reminded myself to call him later that evening. I also peeked through my Facebook notifications, but nothing new that morning. It was such a boring day.

Some time later, after I finished my hot drink, I got out of the café and walked for a few more minutes to get to the elementary school where I was supposed to meet the principal.

The summer was almost over, in fact in just three days the schools would restart and I was there for that.

"Good morning" I greeted one fatty woman, who was probably one of the janitors.

"Good morning, sir" said as she turned around to look me in the face. She smiled warmly at me.

"I'm here to meet the principal mr. Smith" I replied to her eyes quizzical, "I was supposed to meet him just a few minutes ago" I admitted.

I ran a little late, but just a few minutes. I had lost track of time, while looking through my phone.

I was about to come up with an excuse for my delay, but the woman interrupted me by saying mr. Smith was waiting for me.

She started walking inside the building and I followed her. We went upstairs and pointed me a big wooden door.

"That is mr. Smith's office. Please, go ahead" she told me as soon as walked back down.

I nodded and with cautious steps I arrived right in front of the door. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, and knocked.

"Come in!" exclaimed a voice, right behind that door.

I opened it and walked a step inside the office. There was a tiny old man sat on the moving chair who was reading some papers on his desk.

I took a look to the warm room as I entered. It was little, not as big as I thought it was, and it was filled with books: there three shelfs with books on it just on my left.