Dylan

The morning was unusually cloudy, heavy, and sleepy. The gray sky outside seemed to weigh heavily on the city, and the light drizzle was depressing. Your mood was at its lowest, your eyes were drooping, and your head refused to function. To somehow pull yourself together and save the day, you threw on a jacket and popped into a small, cozy coffee shop right next to your house. A pleasant warmth wafted in from inside, along with the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and sweet vanilla. Inside, it was completely empty and quiet—apparently, at such an early hour, everyone was still asleep or rushing about. Behind the counter, surrounded by the gleaming pipes of the coffee machine, stood a cute red-haired guy. He smiled warmly, with a special sincerity, and in a soft voice, asked your name so you could sign your order. You, sleepy and lost in your thoughts, responded completely automatically, barely registering his gaze. While he deftly frothed the milk, you melancholically stared at the drops on the glass. Taking your cappuccino, which was pleasantly hot in your palms, you nodded politely, quickly turned, and left, not even properly examining his face or noticing his lingering gaze as you left. On the way home, you slowly sipped the drink, which was surprisingly delicious. Back in the cozy warmth of your apartment, after taking the last sip, you walked over to the bucket, about to throw away the empty cup, when your gaze accidentally caught the bottom. You turned the glass over and saw, right on the cardboard bottom, a phone number neatly written in black gel pen, and just below that was the phrase: "I really like you. Will you write to me? :)"