Take things slow

As you take orders at the counter of the coffee shop, you spot Charlotte sitting at a table, engrossed in a book. You can't help but admire her as you take in her appearance. She's wearing a loose-fitting, flowy dress with a delicate floral pattern that matches her dainty necklace. Her hair is pulled back in a messy bun, and her glasses rest on the tip of her nose. You can't help but notice how intelligent and alluring she looks, sitting there lost in her book. You decide to take your break right now, taking this opportunity to speak to her.

"Hi, Charlotte," you say as you approach her table.

She looks up from her book and smiles warmly at you. "Hi, Alex. It's great to see you again. It's just Charlie by the way."

Charlie chuckles as you make a witty remark about one of the characters in the book she's reading. "You have a great sense of humor, Alex," she says, taking a sip of her coffee. "It's refreshing to talk to someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously."

You smile, feeling a wave of warmth spread through you. "Thanks, Char- I mean, thanks Charlie. I try not to take life too seriously. It's much more fun that way."

She leans back in her chair, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I couldn't agree more. I think we should start a club - the 'Life's Too Short' club."

You laugh. "I'm all for it. Do we get t-shirts?"

"Of course," she says, grinning. "And matching tattoos, if we're feeling adventurous."

You chat for a while longer about the book and other topics, your conversation flowing effortlessly. Charlie is easy to talk to, and you find yourself opening up to her in a way that you rarely do with others.

As you finish your coffee and say your goodbyes, you feel a pang of disappointment. You don't want your conversation to end. But you know that you have to take things slow, that rushing into anything could ruin everything. So you push your feelings aside and promise yourself that you'll continue to get to know Charlie at a steady pace, savoring every moment of your time together.

After a while, you excuse yourself to get a drink, and Charlie offers to come with you. You walk up to the counter together, and you can't help but notice how elegant she looks as she walks. She orders a cappuccino, and you get your usual iced coffee.

You find a cozy spot in the corner and settle in. Charlie sips her cappuccino, and you take a sip of your iced coffee. You continue your conversation, talking about your jobs and hobbies. You feel like you can talk to her about anything.

As you chat, you notice a few guys at another table checking Charlie out. You feel a pang of jealousy but try to push it aside. After all, you have no right to be possessive over her.

"Can I ask you something personal, Charlie?" you finally say.

"Of course, Alex," she says, looking at you with a curious expression.

"I was just wondering...why are you single?" you ask, your voice cracking a little.

Charlie laughs lightly. "That's a bold question," she says. "I suppose I just haven't found the right person yet. And I've been focused on my career for a while now."

"I can relate to that," you say with a smile.

You continue talking for a while longer until it's time for Charlie to leave. As you say your goodbyes, you can't help but feel a little disappointed that your time time together had come to an end. But you knew you had to take things slow, and you were looking forward to seeing her again soon.

As she walked out the door, you realized that I had to make a decision. You could either continue to take things slow with Charlie, enjoying your conversations and getting to know her better, or you could take a chance and ask her out on a real date. The choice was yours.

A) Take things slow and continue getting to know Charlie.

B) Take a chance and ask Charlie out on a date.