no, maybe we need space

They say, "when in doubt, don't." The fact that she was hiding things from me meant that I was not that much of a priority in her life. So, why should I **** myself on her.

I continue walking aimlessly and spot a mall up ahead. Maybe I could use the bathroom and freshen up. I finally emerge feeling fresh with my hair still dripping, but the dampness has made me realize that I needed something warm. I spy the coffee shop across the street and head for it.

As I enter, the woman at the counter mentions that they will be closing in 30 minutes. I order a hot mocha and find an empty spot near the rear door. In less than 10 minutes, the woman brings me my mocha. She is dressed in a chocolate-brown long-sleeved bodycon dress that had long slits on both sides. Her name tag says "Kate".

"Do you have openings?" I ask after taking my first sip. The confused look on her face made me rephrase my question. "I'm looking for a job. Are you still accepting applicants?"

"I'm not really sure," Kate replies with amusement. "You could come back tomorrow when we open at 6 and talk to the manager."

"Thanks," I nod.

"Enjoy your drink," she says, as she heads back to the counter.

I could not help but stare at her swaying ass as a little diversion from my current dilemma. I never expected my time with Doe to be so abruptly cut like this. I try to mentally enumerate the options I had left. Who, among the people I know, would be willing to take me in, even for just one night?

I am lost in thought when I feel a gentle tap on my arm. I am slightly startled and glance up.

Kate is smiling at me. "We are closing now, mister."

"Aw sorry," I say, as I immediately rise from my chair-- tilting the small table sideways. My half-empty drink topples towards the edge of the table and spills onto the floor.

"Oh no," says Kate in an impatient tone.

"Let me clean that up," I volunteer. "That was my fault."

"You don't have to mister, that's part of my job."

Before she finished talking I had already reached the mop on the corner of the room and was bringing it towards the spill on the tiled floor.

Kate bends to pick up the disposable container and I couldn't help but stare at her cleavage. After mopping the spill, I return the mop and head out. Kate is waiting at the exit. "Thank you, mister ..."

"Oh, my name's John. You don't have to thank me. I was merely rectifying my mistake."

She smiles at me. "See you tomorrow," she waves.

I wave back and head in the opposite direction. Then I stop and watch Kate disappear around the corner. I glance back at the coffee shop. It said "Kate's Coffee". She was the owner!

I jog towards the direction Kate had disappeared after realizing that she was walking alone and it was late in the evening. I call her name when she was within hearing distance. She stops and waits for my approach.

"What is it John?"

"Well," I say, trying to catch my breath. "I assumed you had a car, but seeing that you're still walking, I guess I should accompany you to where you live. It's late at night and ..."

"Thanks," she says. "It's actually just three more blocks away, then you could get going. Where do you live?"

"I live with a friend ... I forgot the street name, but it's some distance beyond the mall."

"So, you've been looking for a job the entire day?"

"Sort of." I didn't want to tell her that I had just lost a job.

"And you were rejected the entire time?"

"Not really. I was accepted in a part-time job, but I feel it's not enough, that's why I'm still searching."

"I was observing you, you know, as you were the only customer left. You seem to be grieving. Do you have a bigger problem?"

I stare at her, unable to say anything. It felt like she could see right through me.

"Forget I said that," she says as we cross the street to the next block.

"No, no. It's okay. I know it's unhealthy to keep this inside me."

She looks at me kindly and nods.

"Well, we broke up with my girlfriend."

"And that's the friend you're living with."

"Yeah ... ah, no. Oh, you really can read minds."

"That's what my friends also tell me, but I try to use it to help others."

"And I'm really sorry for my evil thoughts."

"Which ones?"

"Back there in the coffee shop ... I was oggling you, and wishing I could squeeze your ass cheeks and run my tongue between your boobs."

Kate blushes slightly. "You don't have to be sorry. I get that all the time."

"Your boyfriend must be proud of you. I mean, I get a hard-on every time my girlfriend, my ex-girlfriend, would talk to me about some guy who oggled her."

"So maybe that's why she left you?"

"Why? Is it that bad? Being oggled?"

"Personally, I don't make a big deal out of it, by many of my friends say that they feel like they're walking naked in front of everyone."

"From a guy's perspective, a woman is oggled if she has a strong 'attraction factor' and that should make her boyfriend proud."

"So you see us as just sex objects?"

"No, but being a sex object is part of the package. And no, that's not the reason why we broke up. She accused me of cheating on her, and when I told her that a friend showed me a video clip of her fucking another guy inside the elevator, everything was suddenly over."

"Oh," Kate says in surprise. "And all of that happened today?"

I nod. We finally stop in front of a brick building. "Is that where you live?" I ask.

"Yes," she says. "I'm at the third floor."

"Well then, see you tomorrow. And speak nice words to you boss about me."

"Thanks for the company," she says. "Hadn't had a conversation like that in quite a while."

I wave at her and turn to retrace our steps.

"John, wait." I hear Kate shout.

I glance at her. She was motioning at me to come closer. I quickly move to her side of the street and approach her.

"I know you have nowhere to go tonight, knowing that you just broke up with the friend you're living with, so I'm offering you a place to stay-- just for tonight."

"You shouldn't. You just met me. What if I murdered you in your sleep?"

She moves closer and gives me a light peck on the lips. "I know you won't be murdering the woman you just oggled."