The Latte and the Lit Lover
The aroma of roasted coffee beans hung heavy in the air, a comforting blanket on a chilly autumn morning. Kyle Jones, nursing his lukewarm latte, glanced up from his laptop, a familiar flutter stirring in his chest. Across the bustling coffee shop, Emily Roberts sat bathed in the soft glow of the window, a book open in her lap, her brow furrowed in concentration.
He'd been seeing her here for weeks, the same time, the same table, always lost in a different world contained within the pages of her book.
He desperately wanted to talk to her. Her light, wavy hair, the way she tucked a stray strand behind her ear, the faint smile that played on her lips when she read something amusing - it all captivated him. But the fear, a paralyzing wave of self-doubt, held him back. What if she wasn't interested? What if he fumbled his words, made a fool of himself? So he continued to admire her from afar, a silent observer in their non-verbal dance.
He’d even started to invent scenarios in his head, witty conversations they could have, shared jokes he could make. He was a writer after all; crafting fantasies was second nature. But putting them into action? That was a different story.
He told himself it was the perfect studying process, observing people in their natural habitat. After all, his novel needed realistic characters and believable interactions. But deep down, he knew it was all just an excuse. He was simply too afraid to approach her.
He watched her turn a page, the soft rustle of the paper a small, intimate sound in the cacophony of the coffee shop. What was she reading? He tried to decipher the title from the distance, but the print was too small. Some classic, probably. She had that air about her, a quiet intelligence that drew him in like a moth to a flame.
Special Thanks
To Canva for the help of creating my story cover.
To ToolBaz for helping me in writing this story.
Clothes designed and knitted by me.
Diorama made by me.
