Love Bytes: Swap, Snoop, Swoon

Carlise

I had to, I wanted to, I needed to. So, I did.
I got up out of my bed and I picked up the phone and swiped across the screen, half expecting it to have a screen lock. When it opened straight onto his home screen, it surprised me. I glanced across the screen, seeing the few social apps that he had, other than those he had for work. Was he not on social media? I decided I had to find him somehow, so I clicked on the WhatsApp icon.
When the screen had loaded, I had a quick view of some of his contacts.

Sahrina Work 13:04
Have you completed the surv...

Sophie 13:00
Talk to you when I get there xx

Kiel 12:47
Yeah- I don't get a break ...

Carter 10:12
K see you later then bro, Ju...

I knew I was not with him. I was not even his friend. I did not know him. But I still wondered, who Sophie was to him. I shook myself from my thoughts. I think I might just have to go to his work? Or maybe get Sarah to call my phone? See if he realizes and picks up?
I made a decision, the average school day ends at about 3:00, to we will call him after that when Sarah gets here after work.

I had to get my mind off this, so I headed to my bedroom and got changed. I pulled my usual cream trousers up, weaved my brown belt through the loopholes and tightened it to my usual fixture. Then I took my red polo shirt out of the wardrobe and removed it from the coat hanger, put it back in the wardrobe and pulled the shirt over my head. I grabbed my hairbrush from my nightstand and headed to the bathroom. I ran the brush through my shoulder-length brown hair and untangled the few knots that were there from my hair being wet earlier due to the rain. My hair was dry now, but no longer straight, so I brushed it back into a ponytail at the back of my head, pulling the hair bobble that was always on my wrist around my hair a few times to secure it. I put down the hairbrush and walked back into the main lounge room of my apartment, grabbed my coat, and slipped on my shoes. I sat down on the sofa to tie the laces, picked up my handbag, unplugged my headphones, grabbed the phone, and put it in the bag. I routed around in my bag for my Mp3 player, it was not there. Then I remembered- I borrowed it to Sarah. I pulled out Nathan's phone curiously, what music does he listen to?
I swiped up and clicked on the Deezer icon and looked through his playlists. He listened to some of the artists that I did! I was not going to listen to his personal playlists though, so I quickly typed up 'The Click' and connected my headphones. I pressed play, shoved the phone into my bag and left my apartment, locking the door.

When I got out of the apartment block, the bus was just down the street, perfect! I walked to the bus stop and the bus arrived no later than 2 minutes of me being at the stop. I got on and sat down.
The bus turned the corner, and I stood up, pressed the button that tells the driver to stop at the next designated bus stop and slowly walked to the front of the bus as it slowed down to stop.
As I get off the bus, I pull the phone out of my bag and look down at the screen.

11:49
14/5/24

I'm Not Famous
AJR
|< || >|
1:14---------|------------------- 3:40

I turned the song off and closed the Deezer app as I removed my headphones from in my ears and placed them back into their charging case. Whilst I was putting the case and phone into my bag, I walked through the doors of Nectar's Nook Cafe, carefully studying each face sat at the tables, to see if I could recognize any of the regulars. I knew a few people; Daryn was sat on one of the tables closest to the counter, he always sat there, his reasoning was that he wanted to have a chat with me when I had a spare few minutes, I enjoyed that. Chloe and Adam were sat in the back corner enjoying their cappuccinos, Silo was sat in the middle with his iced americano, with Jill and Rose, who both had Cookies & Cream Frappuccino's, and then, Kass, sat by the window calmly sipping at their regular peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream. There were a few other people, but they were not the regulars. I walked over to the counter to remove my coat, but before I could, Daryn was already stood up behind me, removing my coat for me. I turn around and meet him with a happy smile and a joyful "Hello! How are you?"
He chuckles a response "I am great thank you! Although, I am always happy when I know you are here."
"Aw, I am glad to know that my presence makes you happy!"
"Of course, it does! Speaking of, are you free tonight?"
That question caught me off guard, my face flushed a bright shade of red. The only response I could just about utter was "Uh- yeah, I believe so, why?" Why would I respond like that? That was high-school response, why was I feeling like a child talking to him?
"I was hoping you would like to go out to dinner with me?"
"Oh, wow, uh-" I hesitated, but what did I have to lose? Daryn was attractive, he was chivalrous, he was really kind and such a nice person. "Yeah, sure. That sounds nice."
"Oh, Ok then! I will pick you up from your place at 5? If that is, ok?"
"Yes, that sounds good, when you get to the main apartment block on Tinari Street, ring the bell for apartment 10/C"
"Ok then, it is a date! Here is my phone number." He quickly scribbles some numbers down on a scrap piece of paper and passes it to me.
"Thank you, I will look forward to seeing you then! You need a refill on your drink?"
"Yes please, that would be wonderful, although, I would like this one to go, I have a meeting with a customer in twenty minutes and my house is a 10-minute walk and I decided I would walk today, so that is fun."
"That's fine, I will have that out to you in just a minute!" I grabbed a takeaway cardboard cup and placed it under the coffee machine and pressed the espresso button twice before taking the cup out and spinning around to the syrups. I pumped about a teaspoon of caramel and a teaspoon of vanilla into the cup before mixing it with a spoon and heating the milk. Once the milk was heated, I then frothed it and poured it into the cup before I sprinkled powdered sugar on top of the froth and placed the lid over the cup. I then took the finished drink to the counter and locked eyes with Daryn, "Your drink".
"Thank you!" He pulled me in for a hug, which I happily reciprocated. He then handed me a five-pound note, to which I declined "I'll cover this one, Daryn."
"I insist" He looked hopefully into my eyes before placing the note on the counter, realizing that I was not going to take it, and leaving. Before he walked out of the door, he met my gaze with a friendly smile.
The rest of my workday was the same as usual, service with a smile and many of the usual customers, with many nice chats along the way.