Mia caught the woman staring at her, but she more than paid her back in kind. She watched her gazing up at the menu, seemingly lost, before making a snap order of an espresso. This woman wasn't one of those corporate types getting their usual before rushing out. Nor was she one of the regular. In fact, this was the first time Mia had seen this woman and it seemed like her first time in the cafe altogether.

The woman settled down at a table in the corner, giving Mia full view to keep an eye on her. Since Mia noticed her staring the other woman hadn't given her another glance. She had fully engrossed herself in ordering and settling down with her espresso. Now was the moment she'd been waiting for, the moment of truth.

The woman lifted the cup, blowing gentle on the surface, before taking a sip. A grimace. Mia smiled at the cute reaction to the bitter coffee. The woman placed the cup back down on the table, looking at it with sad eyes. She looked back up to the menu but an air of hopelessness had surrounded the woman. She looked lost and Mia felt draw towards her. She wanted to get to know her rather than simply watching her from across room.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

Mia ran a finger around the rim of her cup, thinking, debating if it was worth the risk of rebuttal. She stood up, walking across the cafe, and slid into the seat across from the woman. “You don't like your coffee?” Mia asked.

The woman laughed casually, running a hand through her short blonde hair, but the blush on her cheeks told Mia she was a little embarrassed. “It's much more bitter than I thought it would be,” she admitted.

“What do you like in a drink then?”

The woman glanced away, fiddling with the silver stud in her ear lobe. “I enjoy sweet drinks. I was hoping they would have a hot chocolate or maybe even tea. I've never been a massive fan of coffee.” Mia rested her chin in her hand, relaxing in the other woman's company.

“An espresso was definitely a bad choice then,” Mia said, nodding to the discarded beverage. “How about I buy you a drink? My treat.”