Shy Boy

Epilogue

FIVE MONTHS LATER

Who said that he would be trying delicious sweets with the cute girl across the table from him? Joshua would've never guessed that. Ever. Coral took a soft bite of her cheesecake piece, a hand resting on her cheek, and she looked pleased from the taste.

It was a casual afternoon, and he sat there in his chair, observing her beyond belief. New people walked in the bakery cafe as the sounds swirled around them with chatters and the freshly roasted coffee beans in the air.

He improved over time, chatting with her with less stutter and from reasoning himself to not vanish randomly; when she was near. While the two were now friends, and it made him feel like he accomplished somewhere, he still didn't understand the mystery behind her beautiful facade. 

"Which flavor did you like better? The chocolate cake or this cheesecake?" Coral asked.

Joshua gazed in awe for her. The way she looked at him still got to him every time. "This cheesecake. Definitely."

"I like it too." 

He watched as she helped herself for another bite. It almost didn't look natural watching her up this close. On weekdays, they saw each other through passing, texted each other, or on some occasions, they studied together in the library. 

Only a few times did he ever worked his nerve to ask her to do something on a weekend. The first time, they studied together in a public library outside of school. The second time, an orchestra concert was playing, and he knew she liked Beethoven's inspired pieces. The third time was now. 

"Life is so simple when we're not too focused on our studies, right?" 

In the way that she asked, it didn't sound like she wanted an answer; more like comment and observation being made. Maybe she was right. There was more to life than just shoving his nose onto heavy textbooks of mathematical formulas or scientific theories. The years before he spent his junior year was forgetting other people existed and thinking more about what he should with himself to become useful.

While he may actually like doing those types of things, he never thought differently, like being a normal teenager. Youth was an important stage in his life, and he never thought about it. His mother wanted him to find a future for himself, and his father said if anything interests him, take that chance and feel young. Even his best friend told him all along to do something good for him.

The chance he never took? He learned he could've, but he chose to let fear become the best of him. His past influenced his present, but his present influenced his future.

"Yeah, there are lots of things to look at," Joshua said.  

"Have you been up to anything lately? You know, like looking at the word of the day," she mused.

Oh no. That day was a total bust, and he didn't think Coral would remember something like that. A slight sweat exuded on his neck. 

"You remembered... Uh, just the usual. Word of the day is Quiescent..." he said, his words distinctly quiet near the end.

Coral stared at him, surprised. "So, you still look at them." She looked off to the side, propping an elbow to the table just so she could rest her chin on her palm.

Joshua thought he had imagined it when she secretly smiled.

To hide his embarrassment, he sipped a glass of cold water. Why did he have to mention the word of the day for her? 

They spent the next half an hour chatting, and after that moment, they went out of the cafe to the sidewalk. The streets had minimal traffic as cars waited for the light to turn green. 

Through one of the windshields, Joshua saw someone at the driver's seat, a woman, and he thought she looked so familiar. He glanced back at Coral, and the similarities were noticeable. 

"You mentioned your family before, didn't you?" Joshua asked. 

"Oh yeah. I live with my parents and my older sister," Coral answered.

"What's your sister's name?"

"Huh? Oh, her name's Isabel."

Isabel. Now that's why she looked so similar and alike to Coral.

"Why do you ask?" she said.

Joshua looked back at Isabel, just as she spotted him and smiled. She clearly saw him with Coral before she drove off straight.

"No reason," he said, careful to not act differently. 

It was her sister all along.

"Okay, do you want to go straight ahead? I think there's a new store that opened up," Coral motioned. 

"Sure," Joshua said, and he watched her begin her steps. 

Following along with her, he grew anxious. Though he'd gotten used to being this kind of close to her, he'd find a way to try to steady his heart. He still looked at her with the same feeling.

His gaze wandered to her hand. It had appeared dainty, and her fingernails were painted a baby blue. He began to look at his hands and began to be self-conscious about it. A butterfly started to flutter in his stomach, and his whole chest weighed down; the intruding thought about wanting to hold her hand was unsettling. He possibly couldn't do that, but he wanted to.

As Joshua slightly moved his hand for hers, he hesitated. What if he shouldn't be doing it? What if this was too soon? What if this was selfish? All the negativity rounded his mind, and he didn't know what he was doing.

Yes, he didn't know, but there were a lot of uncertainties to life as well. He clumsily bumped his hand with hers, causing her startled, and then he took it. He made an awkward eye contact with Coral.

She glanced down at their hands like it was something unknown. After a few seconds, Coral turned her gaze back forward without saying anything and as they continued their stroll.

He couldn't believe how he just did that.