Coffee for 2

6.45am

She reluctantly walks through the street with bleary eyes and a yawn. Her short blonde hair ruffled up with minimal effort due to, yet again, another late start. Her bed was more important than her beauty. Dreams were better than reality. But work equals money and money equals new clothes and shoes. She looks down at the pavement watching the cracks flow slowly by her as she counts them. Also admiring her new Topshop pumps with a gold woven heart by her toes.

Clutching her purse she looks through the shop windows by her side fantasizing what she'd look like in that red dress, or them zip up boots and even with the figure of the mannequin. Tall, long legs, slender neck. What if.
 

6.56am

Looking down at her wristwatch she realises she only really has fifteen minutes to get to her office and get ready to start answering all the stressed client phone calls, making the coffee and filling out paperwork over and over again till 5pm. This thought bores her and makes her wonder about where her life will head. Why was she really working this dead end job? There must be something better than the monthly paycheck? As that is the only reason she walks through the office doors at 10 past 7 every morning for 6 days a week. She shudders. She can't quite believe she's been working there for two years and will she even make it another 2 years more. This thought scares her, so she pauses on the pavement. Why was she suddenly worried about her future and her job? This has never crossed her mind before. Like, what will she do if she were to be fired? Or just didn't want to work there anymore? It's all she's known for 2 years. Thoughts of possibilities cloud her mind, jobless, freedom, a chance, a break, no new clothes, living at her parents again and worst of all no booze money. She becomes overwhelmed and starts moving again heading her way to work.

"No." She huffs out loud. She wants a coffee and she wants to be late for work for the first time in a very long time for an unknown reason. She crosses the busy road and scurries to Costa. Something bubbled up inside of her. She felt, a little bit naughty. A giggle escapes her lips and eventually makes her way into Costa.
 

7.01am

Breeze from the air con hits her body like relief. The aroma of coffee beans fill her nostrils and she inhales deeply.

"Aaah." She sighs. This was definitely a good idea, even if it affects her punctuality. But did she really care now? Is she becoming a new woman? She walks over to the till to meet an overfriendly Barista called Ben.

"Good morning! What would you like today?" He chirps with a rather light voice for his bristle look.

"Morning, um. I'll just have a black coffee please." Saying that, she notices a Yorkie bar below her chin and doesn't think twice about her diet. "And this please." Almost throwing the Yorkie bar at him.

Once she had her morning treat in hand she weaved her way through the early morning risers slumped on chairs and finds a spot with a round table and a newspaper already there for her. She places her steaming mug down and settles her self down taking her jacket off and opening the paper to read about how Kate Middleton is mirroring Princess Diana's fashion sense from the past. She takes a sip of her coffee which fills her with a warm sensation. She is completely satisfied at this moment in time and she closes her eyes to savour this moment. To then be abruptly startled by an intentional cough. Her eyes pop open to find a gentleman standing infront of her with a comically surprised look on his face. Which was extremely handsome she concluded. He had the right kind of stubble with blue/hazel eyes and an amazing pair of eyebrows.
 

7.06am

"Enjoying my newspaper?" He asked with a chuckle. This threw her off guard. She umm'd and aah'd and realised there was a half drunk mug of coffee also on the table and a pen. Shit. She thought. Way to introduce the day. Normally she would apologize and walk off. But, she wanted to turn this around.

She looked up with a surprised expression and giggled.

"Thought it was too good to be true." She started shuffling about collecting her things, keeping the best side of her always in view. "Here." She moved along to the next table. She watched him in the corner of her eye as he sat down slowly.

"Having a slow start are we?" He said looking at her with a smile. His smile could make Gordon Ramsey blush. As she, most certainly was. Keep it cool, she thought.

"More like a revelation. Escaping work this morning, I'm going to be late and not worry about it." She returned with her best smile also. Then panicked whether she had anything between her teeth and closed her lips quite quickly. She takes a sip of coffee to eliminate that chance.

"Ooh, so you're a rebel?" He challenged. "I like a rebel." He also exclaimed leaning closer towards her.

Her heart went bang and her legs wobbled for a second. Inside she was gushing like a teenage girl watching Busted on the television. But she remembered she was 23 and was old enough to handle flirting, kind of. She raised her recently styled eyebrow and smiled.

"What can I say? I break the rules." She said jokingly as she held up her 'NOT FOR GIRLS' Yorkie bar and he laughed. Well if he can laugh at her awful jokes he must be a keeper. Every now and then she noticed how he would watch her laugh or smile or even speak.
 

7.11am

"Why are you escaping work today?" He asked thoughtfully whilst holding his mug of coffee.

That was a good question though. She still didn't know what came over her. Fear? Did she get a back bone? Is she having some sort of time of the month moment? All she could really say was.

"I don't actually know." She buried her eyebrows. "Maybe I had an epiphany." She questioned herself.

"And what would that be?" He asked, seemingly interested in what she had to say, looking into her eyes.

She looked back at him and she got butterflies in her stomach. All she could do was notice his lips and the colour of them, also the way they curve. She wanted to know what they felt like. And by the looks of him, it felt like he wanted to as well. His eyes were focused on her lips, his lips even parted slightly. She knew he could feel a magnet sensation between the two of them. Even only when they've just met. Not knowing each other's names. She ducked her head as it was so intense and obvious. At that moment she realised that is why nothing has happened to her or the reason nothing will happen to her if she continues that way. All her time she avoids situations that would change her place. She was comfortable, despite being unhappy. It felt nice to have a routine. It was unfamiliar to her to look into his eyes, it made her feel almost uncomfortable, but she liked it. She felt excited. Looking at her coffee. She thought about everything that's happened up to this moment and thought maybe it was planned. Maybe she was meant to panic and retreat here. To meet him. Or was she being stupid. She thought about what she wanted to say. She wanted to surprise him. She wanted to surprise herself. She looked back up at him and he looked puzzled but amused at the same time, this time he had his hand under his chin.

"Do you believe in fate or coincidence?" She asked gently.

"That all depends where you're going with this." He whispered back and smiled.

She leaned in swiftly but slowly and placed her lips on his and just held herself there for a few seconds closing her eyes. Tingles spread through her lips and cheeks and also in her stomach. She moved away opening her eyes and saw he had his eyes still shut then she felt his hand touch her cheek and slightly around her neck and he pulled her back towards him and continued the unexpected kiss.
 

7.17am

He broke away rather breathless and leaned back, as did she. They both looked at each other for a second and laughed.

"I'm thinking fate." He said smiling down on her. "Think I was meant to meet a rebel of a stranger and kiss her at 7.18am on a Monday morning." He laughed.

"Nah, just coincidence." She smirked and giggled. But she believed him. "My name is Marie." She said just before she takes a sip of her coffee.

"Josh." He replied. "Pleasure to meet you Marie." Jokingly holding out his hand formally for a handshake.

"Quite." She replied in a posh accent, holding out her dainty hand. And they shook on it. Josh looked at his wristwatch and made an annoyed expression. Downed his coffee and looked at her.

"Marie, I wouldn't mind meeting you here again tomorrow morning and every morning after for that matter. How does that sound?" He asked quietly looking at her with tenderness and amusement.

She could feel her heart melt into a puddle. How odd.

"I like the sound of that arrangement." She half squeaked. Then shortly clearing her throat to save herself from that moment.

"Stay out of trouble till then rebel." He stood up and put his coat on smiling, appearing to be moving away. She still couldn't get over his smile. Marie shuffled into a more comfortable position about to snack on her Yorkie. And before her, he appeared again and held both hands on both tables and leaned down to her again and taking her by surprise by another short but sweet kiss.

"Just checking to see if it was still fate." And began walking away again looking back at her. She rested her elbow on the table with her head in her hand and giggled to herself. She was definitely not going into work today. What just happened will keep her on a high all day. She wasn't going to waste it in an office with the world's most boring people. With her other hand she picks up her coffee and looks at the ripples. What a lucky mug of coffee, she thought. And began to take a sip, but at the same time her elbow slipped off the table causing her to jolt and coffee to splash up her nose.

E.T.