The Text

Alex woke up thinking about her. Same as every morning lately. He stared at the ceiling for a while. Mia’s hand on his yesterday. The way she said he was easy to be around. He rubbed his face. Why did one little touch stay with him all night?

He got ready and went to the cafe. The morning was slow. He kept glancing at the door every time it opened. Part of him hoped she would walk in. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t so he could stop feeling like this.

She came in just after noon. Hair a little windblown. She spotted him right away and smiled that small warm smile she gave only sometimes.

“Hi Alex.”

“Hey.” He tried to sound normal. “Usual?”

She nodded. “Yes please. And a cookie if there’s any left.”

He made her coffee the way she liked it. Extra sugar. Handed it over with the cookie. Their fingers touched again. She didn’t move away fast. Just let it happen for a second longer than needed.

“Thanks,” she said. “You always remember now.”

He shrugged. His ears felt hot. “I try.”

She paid but didn’t leave right away. She stood near the counter. “We have that psych test coming up. I was thinking we could study again. If you’re free.”

He nodded before his brain could talk him out of it. “Yeah. Sure.”

She smiled bigger. “Good. Text me when you know what works.”

Then she went to her usual table by the window. She pulled out her laptop but kept looking up at him. Every time their eyes met she gave him that same soft smile. It made his stomach do weird flips.

The rest of his shift moved slow. He kept replaying her words. The touch. The way she said text me. When she finally left she came back to the counter.

“See you soon,” she said. She reached out and squeezed his arm again. Light but it felt like it burned through his sleeve. “Don’t forget.”

He watched her walk out. Heart beating too fast for no reason.

After work he went home. Ate cold pizza standing at the counter. Then he sat on his bed with his phone in his hands. He stared at it for ten minutes.

He wanted to text her. Just something small. But every message he typed looked stupid. What if she was only being nice? What if she got the text and thought he was weird for reading into things?

He typed anyway.

“Hey Mia. Hope the rest of your day was okay. Thanks for stopping by. And for the study idea.”

He hit send before he could delete it. Then he put the phone down and walked around his room once. Stupid. It was just a text.

It buzzed a few minutes later.

Mia: “Hey :) Day was fine. Thanks for the coffee and cookie again. You spoil me.”

He read it three times. Spoil me. With the smiley. Was that flirting? Or just how she talked? He couldn’t tell. His chest felt tight either way.

He typed back. “No problem. You make it easy. When do you want to study?”

She answered fast.

Mia: “Whenever works for you. My roommate is still gone so my place is quiet. Or we can do the library again if you want.”

His place. Her place. Alone. Again. He thought about last time. Sitting close on the couch. Her knee touching his. The way she smelled when she leaned over to point something out in his notes. Warm and sweet.

He felt it low in his stomach. That familiar warmth. His body reacting even though nothing happened. He shifted on the bed. Felt guilty right away. She just wanted to study. Stop being weird about it.

But the feeling stayed. He wanted to be close to her again. Maybe hold her hand this time. Maybe more. The thought made him hard. He hated how fast it happened. Hated that he couldn’t control it. She probably didn’t think about him like that at all.

He typed anyway. “Your place sounds good. Friday after my shift?”

Mia: “Perfect. Friday it is. Can’t wait :)”

Can’t wait. He stared at the screen. Read it again. She wanted to see him. Said it like she meant it. But his brain still whispered maybe she said that to everyone. Maybe he was just convenient.

He sent one more message. “Night Mia. See you then.”

Her reply came quick.

Mia: “Night Alex. Sweet dreams. Text if you need the notes or anything before Friday.”

He put the phone on his chest and lay back. Room dark except for the little glow from the screen. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her smile when she left. Her hand on his arm. What she might be wearing right now in her apartment. Something comfy probably. Soft shirt. Maybe shorts. The thought made his heart beat harder.

He got hard again. Just from imagining sitting next to her. Her leg against his. Maybe her hair brushing his shoulder if she leaned in close. His hand moved lower without thinking. He stopped. Felt like a creep. She was just being nice. Don’t turn it into something dirty in your head.

But the want was still there. Stronger now. He wanted to kiss her. Slow. See if she would kiss him back. He wanted to believe the touches meant something. But every time he got close to that thought the doubt came crashing in. She was cute. Sweet. Probably had guys lining up. Why would she pick the awkward barista who couldn’t even talk right?

He groaned and turned on his side. Phone dark now. Eyes open in the dark.

Sleep came slow. Full of her face. Her voice. The ghost of her hand on his skin. And the quiet frustration that he still couldn’t just ask her. Still couldn’t believe she might actually like him back.

Friday felt far away and too close at the same time. He didn’t know which scared him more.