Grooving to Life's Beat

Latte, Sparks and Speculations

I caught the 'Marshall Mathers Fever'!" I exclaimed, half-disbelieving, half-amused, as I peered into Stephan's almond-shaped green eyes. His expression was blank, clearly lost in confusion.

"The what now?" Stephan asked, his signature dramatic flair fully on display as he raised an eyebrow, his curiosity unmistakable. I sighed, struggling to put the mess of thoughts swirling in my head into something that made sense.

"It's this thing where any woman who gets close to Marshall falls for him. Hard. It's like an illness or a curse or something," I explained, waving my hands for emphasis, feeling ridiculous the moment the words left my mouth. Stephan erupted in a hearty laugh, his slightly feminine features lighting up in amusement.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" he declared, his laughter ringing through The Coffee Corner, the charming little cafe where we'd come to escape after class. With its wide, floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the warm June breeze, it felt like the place had been ripped straight from a Pinterest board—cozy, inviting, and bathed in natural light.

"Tell me about it," I sighed, rolling my eyes though I couldn't suppress a smile at his infectious laughter. "And yet, here I am, completely captivated by a guy who probably thinks I'm nothing more than a clumsy disaster," I added, my gaze drifting down to the few crumbs of a chocolate croissant left on Stephan's small plate. The crumbs were scattered like the fragmented pieces of my sanity, reminding me how off-kilter everything had felt since that party.

It was crazy, really. I'd barely seen Marshall since that morning, only catching glimpses of him in passing—just quick nods and brief exchanges that meant nothing. And yet, he was still there, taking up residence in my head like he belonged there. The way he'd looked at me at the party, the mood shifts that left me guessing, and the fact that one minute he was charming and the next he was distant—it was driving me insane.

"I don't get it," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it out loud would make it too real. "Marshall's temper is all over the place, and I know he's probably bad news, but I can't stop thinking about him. It's like... I don't even know who I am anymore. I've turned into one of those girls."

"Marshall...?" Stephan asked, his voice tinged with confusion. "Is he the guy you haven't stopped mentioning recently?" He glanced at me, the warm breeze playing through his hair as if the world outside didn't share in my inner chaos.

"Uhm... Aha!" I exclaimed, trying to appear nonchalant, though my attempt crumbled spectacularly under his knowing gaze.

"The same guy you described as 'just a neighbor,' 'totally not your type,' and 'incredibly moody and annoying?'" Stephan arched an eyebrow in disbelief, a smirk spreading across his face, clearly amused by the contradiction.

"Pfft!" I bit my lip, trying to stifle a grin. "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds like I've got a type after all," I quipped. "The 'moody and annoying' kind. Maybe that's my niche?" My voice dripped with sarcasm as I tried to deflect from my own inconsistency. "Why does this have to happen to me?" I sighed dramatically, leaning back in my chair.

"So, what's the big deal?" Stephan asked, clearly not understanding the depth of my dilemma. "You're into some dude. Big whoop." He took a casual sip of his cappuccino, leaving a small trace of foam on his upper lip.

"What's the big deal?" I repeated, my frustration bubbling over. "Marshall is bad news! He's like a walking disaster for my emotional stability. He's arrogant, unpredictable, moody, and presumptuous. It's exhausting trying to keep up with him!" My words came out in a passionate rush, as if I needed to convince myself of the truth. "Besides," I added with a rueful smile, "he thinks I'm a clumsy disaster!" Half-joking, half-serious, I recalled all the moments I'd proven his point.