5ft1 / 155A Brooke

You stop into the same coffee shop every day before work. It’s the last piece of total freedom before you have to clock in and pretend to like the loudmouth in the cubicle next to yours. It’s a nice diversion – the morning customers are sleepy but upbeat, the store is humming with activity, and today, a new barista is working. College-aged, flowing brown hair tucked in a bun, intriguing mix of Eurasian features. She hands you your usual with a shy smile. You go on to work, but Brooke’s face lingers in the back of your mind all day. She is working the next day, and her face brightens, ever so slightly, in recognition when she spots you. You manage some dumb “dad joke” while waiting for her to make your drink, and she laughs, which was nice of her. It was a terrible joke. When she hands you your drink, your fingers briefly touch hers, and maybe you just imagined it, but it seemed like there was some kind of spark.

You get coffee before work every day for the next two weeks. Some days Brooke is working, and some she isn’t. Every time you see her, Brooke has a sweet smile for you. She laughs at your jokes, she asks you what you do and when she finds out, pretends to be interested. Each time you see her, you feel like you’re really getting close to her. But she’s probably just being nice for the tips, right? You could be as old as her dad. Well maybe not dad, let’s say older, cooler cousin. Could she actually be into you?

Maybe you’ll never find out. A week passes, and Brooke hasn’t been at the coffee shop. You feel weird asking her co-workers about her, so you keep your curiosity to yourself. “I should have made a move!” you think. Yet another regret. The day drags on. After work, you pass by the coffee shop on the way to your car. As you pass, you glance inside the window, and there she is! Brooke, out of uniform, wearing tight, casual clothes that confirm what you’ve been imagining about her body. You see her handing her uniform to the manager, and they shake hands. It dawns on you – she’s quitting! You are never going to see her again. You don’t know for sure if she wants you, but this is going to be the last chance you have to find out! So what are you going to do? Are you going to hang your head and walk away? Or are you going to go in there and make your move? Brooke turns her head and spots you outside. She smiles at you and waves.