Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"HI, UH, can I sit there?"
Houssem waited for the answer, but apparently, the girl in front of him did not hear him.
"Hi?"
Still no answer. He shook his hand in front of her face, and she finally looked up, red.
"Uh, yes? Oh, were you talking to me? I'm so sorry, I was not listening, I--"
"It's okay," he laughed, and she couldn't help but find him cute.
Why is it the first time that I'm seeing that human being? I should leave my house more often.
"I just wanted to know if I can sit here...it's the only available sit but if you need to focus on your thing, I understand."
"No, no, don't worry!"
I can't leave the only attractive person talking to me in my life.
"Thank you," he smiled again and sat down in front of her.
That was perfect. That way, she could pretend to be looking at her computer when in reality, she was looking at his face.
It is bad to stare. But I am not staring if he doesn't catch me doing it, right?
The waiter brought him a cup, and he thanked her before starting to drink and making a small weird noise.
She raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"Sorry. It was hot."
Like you.
"What are you drinking?" she asked, trying to calm down her brain.
"Hot chocolate," he said, shrugging. "You?"
"Coffee."
"Coffee is for adults," he shook his head, and she laughed.
"Aren't you one?"
"I don't want to. Being an adult is not funny."
She shook her head, smiling.
"Coffee helps me to stay awake."
"You know, I read the other time that eating an apple is more helpful than drinking coffee to stay awake."
"Wow, thank you for sharing your knowledge."
"I'll pretend that it did not sound ironic. Why do you need to stay awake anyway?"
"I'm writing a book," she said, and he suddenly looked very interested.
"Really? Like, a novel?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "a mystery novel, to be more precise."
"So cool! I'm bothering you right know because you can't write while I talk," he realized, and she laughed.
"It's okay. You're the first person who seems interested by my project, actually."
"You didn't talk about it to the right people, then."
"Yeah," she nodded sadly, "just my parents and sisters."
"They aren't supportive?" he said, surprised. His family was always behind him, and he couldn't imagine his life with them being against his projects.
"No. They think...that it's just a hobby. That I actually don't know how to write. And that I'll never be published."
"They can't say that without giving it a try."
She smiled.
"I can only agree with you. I don't know if I'll be published and maybe they are right, maybe I won't. But I want to take a chance."
"I don't know either but I hope you will just to prove them wrong," he smiled, and she bit her lips.
"Do you want to read the first chapter?"
"Oh, you don't have to," he said, surprised, and she shook her head.
"No, I think I could use...some advice? If you don't mind, of course."
He nodded and she turned her computer so he could read. She waited patiently, looking at her hands. He was a stranger, but if he didn't like it, she would really feel ashamed.
"I like it, really," he said looking at her. "But I think that in that sentence," he turned the computer so they could both see the screen, "I was a little confused. Who is Ophélie?"
"It's the officer's daughter. You're right, it's not very clear. Thank you."
"There's something else, let me remember what it was..."
They spend the next hour talking about the book. They corrected the first chapter and the next one. She explained the plot to him, and he gave his opinion, which helped her a lot. She did not think that having someone else's point of view could be that helpful. The coffee and the hot chocolate were cold and completely ignored. It was the last of their concern.
🎄
When Houssem entered the store, his foot took him to the mystery novel section without even thinking about it. He smiled when he saw the title of that book that he helped his girlfriend to find. He took the book in his hand. He couldn't be prouder than in that instant.
"She made it," he whispered, looking at her name on the cover. He opened it and frowned when he saw his name on the first page.
"To Houssem, who helped and believed in me. Meeting you in that crowded coffee was the best thing that even happened to me. Because I realized my dream thanks to you. I love you."
