Pumpkin Spice Day Dreams

We are sitting in a café on a crisp Fall Saturday morning. The smell of pumpkin spice and cinnamon infiltrate my nostrils as the waitress brings over your pumpkin spice coffee. You always laugh and correct me that it is indeed a pumpkin spice latte, not a coffee. I usually roll my eyes and keep calling every caffeinated beverage you order a coffee. You would usually roll your eyes right back at me and let out the smallest grin that you're trying to hold back. Today, it felt different. I didn't make my usual comments about the coffee. I just simply, took everything in about you. I noticed you were wearing a bright orange scarf with a sweater today. Your brunette hair falls in curls perfectly right above your shoulders. Your bubbly personality was infectious, as usual. You notice I'm being abnormally quiet today. You put down your coffee after taking a few sips and asked, "Are you okay today? You're being quieter than usual. Normally, I've told you to shut up ten times by now." You let out a small giggle that just makes the burning feeling in my chest ignite into a giant flame. I laugh to myself and that seemed to have caught your attention. You tilt your head to the side slightly trying to figure me out. I looked at you and said, "Well, I guess I anticipated you telling me to shut up that many times. So, I thought I would get a head start on things." You let out a loud belly laugh and your laugh became so contagious that I couldn't help but let out my own laugh. The few other individuals that were in the café glanced over at us during our laughing fit. Once the laughs subsided, I couldn't help but stare at you and just take this moment completely in. The way you played with your hands when you were nervous, the one piece of curly hair that just has to always fall in your face no matter how many times you tuck it behind your ear, the way you half smile when you're trying to be serious and I crack a joke, and most importantly the way you look at me. Oh my gosh. That look just about brings me to my knees. I would slay the biggest monster and cross oceans just so I could see that look on your face. I'm going to say it. I need to say it. I've felt this way for a while now and I think this is the right moment. I take your hand in mine. Your hand is warm, like summer during this cold autumn day. You keep looking at me when finally I say, "You May drive me crazy, like ninety eight percent of the time, but I'll always love you with one hundred percent of my heart." Your face lit up quicker than anything I've ever seen. I can't believe I just said that I loved you. That was the first time I've ever said that. Your lips start to move like you're trying to tell me something, but I don't hear anything. Instead I hear, "Here's your coffee sweetheart." I come crashing back to reality hard. I jumped a little when the waitress placed the cup of coffee in front of me. "You okay sweetheart? I didn't mean to scare you." I say to the waitress in the most convincing voice I could muster, "It's okay. I'm fine! Never been better." The waitress walks away and begins to tend to the other customers. I glance around to make sure no one saw my embarrassing conversation with the waitress. Once I saw that I was in the clear, I turned my attention to the second booth directly in front of me. There you were, like a dream. Your glasses were all the way to the end of your nose, a small stack of books laying around your table, pens and pencils strewn about with a note pad, wads of paper laying carelessly on the table, and lastly your signature item, a pumpkin spice latte. I've been coming to this café for about a year now. I first noticed you 7 months ago when we started coming into the café on the same day. You come in every Saturday morning at ten. Usually you come alone, but on occasion you've brought friends with you. My guess is you like the alone time and the atmosphere of the café. You always order something caffeinated, but your favorite time of the year is Fall, because you can get your pumpkin spice latte. I have noticed you love wearing sweaters and you're always so nice to the waiters and waitresses that serve you. I'm in love with you and you don't even know I exist. My cold hands reach for my warm cup of regular coffee and the hot cup quickly warms my hands. As I take a few sips of my coffee, I glance out the window on this cold rainy autumn day and can't help but smile as I drink my 'coffee' and you drink your pumpkin spice 'coffee'. One day, I hope I get enough courage to invite you over to my booth. That day is not today.