Cream and Sugar

01

The morning rush of people in the coffee house always got to Alina. And constantly straining to hear the orders of the sleep deprived costumers in the drive-thru line never helped.
One particular order that day was very peculiar to her. The man had asked to pay for the women behind him as well since he was afraid he'd cut her off.
When the women took out her wallet and Alina told her what the strange man did, her hazel eyes lit up and she tried to hide an ever growing smile.

The next day was the same, except when the strange man came through the drive-thru, he asked if the lady who's drink he paid for the other day had already come through. She had, and she'd asked the same question.
When Alina told him this, his clear blue eyes lit up and he didn't bother to hide the ever growing smile.

Alina's post got changed and she worked at the register in front, instead of at the drive-thru. It must have been a coincidence because that very same day, the man walked inside. The women did too. When they saw each other, the man offered to buy her a drink. He told the lady he wanted to and she stopped persuading him otherwise.
He took his coffee with cream. She, with sugar.

After that, when the man asked the lady if he could buy her drink, she didn't refuse. They even began sitting together and holding long conversations filled with their laughter. Alina watched all this at a distance, transfixed with curiosity and bewilderment.

A few weeks after that, they began holding hands. Even sharing a few kisses.

Two months later, they got engaged and Alina got accepted into college 500 miles away. She never saw the couple again and often found herself wondering what became of them.

On one particular frantic morning at the coffee shop nearest to her school, she got to the window to find out that the man in front of her had paid for her drink because he thought he had cut her off. A feeling took root inside Alina and she felt herself smile. She tried to wipe it off to no avail. It was stuck there. And ever growing.

The next day, she asked the lady at the window if the man who had paid for her drink the other day had come by. She said he hadn't. Disappointment filled Alina but she tried to push it aside.

After that, Alina walked inside the coffee shop the next day. The man had also done the same. And the lady at the drive through was now working the register. When the man offered to buy her drink, Alina knew better than to refuse.
He took his coffee with cream. She, with sugar.