The Invite

Alex worked his shift the next day. He kept telling himself not to get his hopes up. Mia was just being nice. That was all it was.

She came in around three thirty. Her hair was in a ponytail. She wore a gray t shirt and jeans. She smiled when she saw him at the counter.

"Hey," she said. She walked right up.

"Hey," he said back. "The usual?"

"Yeah. Can I get an extra shot? My head hurts from all the studying."

He made her drink. He remembered the extra shot without her saying it again. When he handed it over their fingers touched. She did not pull her hand away fast. She looked at him for a second.

"Thanks," she said. "You remember things about people. That is really nice."

She went to her table by the window. But she kept looking over at him while she read. Once she gave him a small wave with her fingers.

Later when it was quiet she came back up. She leaned on the counter.

"So about Saturday, "she said. "Do you still want to study? We could do it at my place. My roommate is gone for the weekend. It will be quieter there."

He felt his stomach go tight. "Your place?"

"Yeah. If that is okay with you."

"Okay," he said. His voice sounded weird. He felt awkward but he wanted to say yes.

She smiled. It looked a little nervous. "I like hanging out with you Alex. You are easy to talk to."

Before she left she asked for his number so she could text him her address. He wrote it on a napkin. His hand shook a little. She folded it and put it in her pocket like it was important.

"Text me later when you get home safe," she said. Then she touched his arm for a second. It felt warm.

He watched her walk out. His arm still felt the spot where she touched it.

That night he lay on his bed with his phone. She had texted him her address. He saved her number. He stared at it for a long time.

He thought about going to her place. Just the two of them. It made him nervous. It also made his body react. He got hard just thinking about sitting close to her on a couch. He felt bad about it. She was only asking him over to study. She was being friendly. He was the weird one for thinking more.

He texted her back just to say he got home okay. Nothing else. He did not want to look too eager.

He could not sleep. He kept seeing her face. The way she smiled at him. The way she touched his arm. The way she asked him to come over like she really wanted him there.

God he was in trouble. He wanted to believe it meant something. But the voice in his head said no. She is out of your league. Do not be stupid.