Jess and Sandi Pt1: The Coffee Date

Even though it was her day off, Jessica Valentine was back in the independent coffee shop that she occupied every other day between 9 and 6pm, working as a Master Barista.

But today was a Tuesday, and instead of serving commuters, shoppers, or whoever else was milling around in the city centre, Jessica was nursing a small Mocha and sat at a table in the corner of the recently renovated store. She sat with butterflies in her stomach, fidgeting nervously and alternating between staring at her phone and glancing at the front door, looking in anticipation at every shadow crossing the door as she awaited the arrival of her date.

As she waited for her first date in over a year with a nervous excitement that she had never experienced before, Jessica was lost in her own little world, completely oblivious to the numerous double takes and stares the was receiving from other customers, every one of them lustful, envious, or even a mixture of both.

Jessica's phone suddenly pinged loudly and she scrabbled so quickly to pick it up from the tablethat she nearly knocked over her drink. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she swiped the screen and saw it was from her.

'Sorry that I'm a little late. Parking is an absolute nightmare in town isn't it?! I'll be there in a couple of mins.

Can't believe that we're finally about to meet! See you soon, babes xxx'.

Jessica's heart rate increased further as she read the reading the message a second time, before her fingers practically flew over her phone's screen as she typed a reply.

'Cool. See you in a minute x'.

It as a simple attempt to sound friendly and relaxed, while not conveying just the nervously excited near-wreck that she was.

With her date now confirmed to be a mere handful of minutes away, Jessica decided to take the time to go to the toilets with the intention to make one last check of her appearance, ensuring that she was looking her very best for her date when she finally arrived.