Growing in love

Dreaming with my eyes wide open

I sat at the Haefelis cafe, sipping on my humongous glass of peppermint milkshake and enjoying a brain freeze each time I took a hard suck with my straw.
It was during one of these brain freezes that he walked in.
And boy was he divine.
The epitome of male perfection
Well of course perfection is subjective, but this is my story.

It was first his eyes that drew me to him. They were dark almost black, narrow, like he was an African Asian or something.
He walked into the cafe, and he stood in the middle of the room, seemingly searching for something, someone.
I inwardly raised my hands and said over here man candy!
Yet outwardly, I gripped my phone with both hands as l tried to text my sister Issa that the hottest thing in Bulawayo had just touched down.

I didn't get to hit the send button immediately after drafting that message on my phone because the next thing, I felt something hot, hard and wearing a delicious woodsy scent, brush against my shoulder.

"Excuse me miss" the something said.
I turned to look at it and had l been drinking any milkshake at that point l would have surely chocked.

"Hie" he said again, and my eyes widened as l realized he truly was addressing me.

Man candy had harkened to my mental beckoning and he was standing right next to my chair. 

"Hie" l responded breathily, trying to gulp down my excitement.

"Is the rest of your table taken?"

"No, it's not, you can have a seat if you want" l offered.

He smiled as he drew out the chair next to mine, "Thanks"

I died and went to heaven!

*

"So l don't mean to pry but you really are here alone or?"

I smiled, "orrrrr?"

He shrugged, "l don't know, it's just unusual to see a beautiful girl seated alone"

"My date is here," l said.

"Oh?" His eyes widened slightly and he was just about to get up from his seat "l guess l should find a new tab-"

I instinctively held his hand down and made him stop, the moment our skin made contact, l felt some electricity spark from our point of contact. I froze. He froze too.
Had he felt what l felt?

I quickly gathered myself and chuckled, pointing at my milkshake, "this is my date"

"Oh!" This time his eyes were filled with laughter, "definitely didn't see that one coming"

"Are you waiting for someone?" I asked, it was now his turn to be on the hot seat, "a date perhaps?"

"No, hahaha, actually waiting for my friend, he's late, l hope you don't mind if he joins us"

It was my turn to shrug, "public place this, no pressure"

"You  are a really cool person" he said.

I blushed as l shamelessly gazed upon his handsome face, chiseling his features into my memory and sipped through my straw.

Just then, another guy breathlessly rushed over to us and threw himself onto the empty,
"I'm sorry I'm late boy," he said handing over Man Candy some car keys, "traffic"

"Cool," Man Candy nodded, "l just got here myself"

Breathless guy turned over as if just noticing me, and looked back at his pal. "Hie, I'm Kevin," he said

I smiled, "hie Kevin, l know you. I'm Kaitlin"

"You know me" he said sitting up and trying to tone down his surprise, "where from?"

" You wouldn't know me, I'm 2 years your junior. we go to the same school - or used to - are you coming back for lower 6?"

"Okayyyyy, Yeah l am, but if we learnt at the same school, what are you doing here, isn't this like a school day or something?" Kevin asked.

"Fractured my ankle" l said casually, pointing at the cast on my foot.

"Ouch! Sorry, that must hurt" Man Candy said quickly, looking down the table to see my foot.

"Yeah, sorry man" Kevin said, "so how do you two know each other anyway ?"

"We don't, " Man Candy responded, "l met her here"

"Oh okayyyyy" Kevin said slowly, as if thinking of something. "Lets order boy, I'm famished, Kaitlin can we order for you too please?"

"No I'm good thanks" l said as l finished my drink "should probably get going too"

I picked up my crutch from the floor, "nice to meet you guys", l smiled as l got up and left.

I'd just stepped outside the cafe, when l heard " Hey Kaitlin, wait"

Man Candy had followed me outside! Whaaaaaaaat!

"I err- my name is Justin" he said nervously scratching his head. He had a brush cut but his hair looked soft and curly, l was convinced he's colored. And my goodness, what I'd give to just touch his hair...

Err.... earth to Kaitlin? Knock knock?

"Justin" l repeated smiling at the awkwardness of my prolonged silence before responding, "it suits you"

"Thanks, so err - l was wondering if l could have your number , please?" He said in one breath.

My insides were dancing, l couldn't believe it! "Sure" l said trying to sound very casual about it, or was l over doing it and sounding uninterested?
I didn't want to come off as uninterested though.

He gave me his phone and l added my phone number. " l don't know how you want to save it" l said handing it back .

His eyes twinkled as he smiled and my bones just turned into mush, thank God l had my crutch bearing my weight!

"I think Kaitlin will do for now, but l hope later, we can upgrade it to something more personal?" He said, more as a question.

If l had blushed before, now l was really blushing. Full steam ahead blushing, there had to be some smoke coming out of my ears by now!

"I should go, bye Justin, don't keep Kevin waiting"

"Sure" he grinned, displaying a fine set of teeth, "thank you for the number"

"Cool" l said, and l turned and walked away from him, smiling alone in town like an idiot or something. I could barely wait to get home and tell Issa all about it!

Author's note: hie there! Hope you're enjoying the story! Updates will be regular as long as l don't get writer's block 🙈 Please click the star ⭐️  button to vote! Thank you!