Returning Love

Theo headed to Urban Grind Cafe, just like every morning before classes. There was a coffee shop on campus, but he wasn’t too fond of their coffee. He walked in and walked up to the counter to get his usual, an almond milk hazelnut latte with an extra shot of espresso and waited at the end of the counter for it to be called out.

He felt his stomach grumble and he forgot to order his coffee cake. “Damn it…” he whispered under his breath. He got back in line, but the girl that had taken his order flashed a smile.

“It’s on me today, Theo. It’s at the end of the bar.” She mentioned with a giggle and a wink.

“Aren’t you lucky,” another guy sarcastically commented with a glare.

Theo glared right back with his pretty hazel eyes and walked past him back to the counter. He grabbed the brown pastry bag that had his coffee cake in it and looked at it as he snacked on the food. ‘Hope you enjoy your little slice of happiness, Theo.’ He read and smiled to himself as the barista on the bar handed him his coffee. 

“You seem to have someone smitten for you, Theo,” he winked and turned his cup to show him what the cute barista that took his order wrote.

‘A hazelnut latte for my favorite hazel eyed customer.’ He read silently and chuckled. He grabbed a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. He handed it to the guy in front of him with a smile, “Slip this into her apron pocket. I will be working today after classes.”

“Can do, Theo,” he smirked and he slipped it into his own apron pocket until he could get a break to slip it into hers.

Theo left with his coffee and coffee cake and headed for classes with a giant smile on his face. Bea is so adorable! He thought to himself.

He walked into his Latin History class and his best friend waved him over to a seat in the lecture hall. “Hey bud! I see you saw Bea again today at Urban Grind?” He nudged his sandy brown haired bestie.

Theo chuckled and looked to his dark haired friend, “I did, but she writes stuff like this on every customer’s cups and bags, Jake.”

Jake just stared at him, shocked his best friend was so clueless, “Theo, she doesn’t. Only yours. She is totally into you!”

Theo just shook his head, “I highly doubt that, Jake. Who would be into a nerdy Linguistics Major like me?”

“Bea is! You did what I told you to do, right?”

“Yeah, I gave Ryan where I work and told him to give it to Bea. I work at three and she is off around three thirty on weekdays. And before you even say anything, I don’t spy on her. I’ve just noticed she leaves around three thirty on Thursdays.”

“Alright, well, we’ll see today if she comes by. That way, you can give her the book you picked out for her and even stuck a little note in there for her to read.”

“Yeah. Now will you shut up and pay attention,” Theo chuckled, shoving Jake playfully.

Jake rolled his eyes with a smirk and turned to pay attention.

Theo was too distracted with what Bea would do when she saw the note. His mind raced and he began to have a panic attack. He wasn’t sure why he was having them so often, but everything seemed to trigger them. He wiggled his fingers and counted backwards from ten, nothing. He took deep breaths, still nothing. He accidentally slammed his hand down on his desk and Jake glanced over. “Theo?” he raised his brows and noticed what was going on. He slid him a note with a random doodle on it, indicating for him to leave. Theo picked up all of his things and left, taking the doodle with him.

He left towards Urban Grind as he shakily texted Jake to meet him there after class. He walked in the cafe and sat down as he wiggled his fingers and counted to ten. Nothing calmed him down.

He heard his name and saw Bea standing there with a large cup of water. “Theo, you okay?” He nodded, but didn’t say anything. He could hear his heart beat in his ears. Bea set down the cup and sat down next to him. She observed his actions and thought about a class she had taken last semester. “Look at me, and only me, Theo.” She told him. They made eye contact and their hazel and grey-blue eyes never strayed from one another. “What’s the worst book you’ve read?”

Theo struggled to muster the words, so Bea went first. “Mine has to be ‘My Werewolf Badboy Boyfriend’. It is so terrible.” Bea chuckled.

“M–mine is um…’Love Grows on Trees’. It is ridiculous and so stupid. I–I can’t get it out of my mind. I wish I never read it,” Theo snickered.

Bea chuckled and took his hands as she named more books that were horrible.

This went on for a little bit, until Theo finally calmed down. “How did you know what I was going through?”

“I learned it in one of my classes last semester,” she grinned. “I want to be a therapist when I get to college, which is next year. I graduate this year. I am always trying to help others. I care.”

“Thanks, Bea. Um…did Ryan give you the note I gave him?”

“Indeed he did. I will be there after work today around four. I hope to see you,” she smiled.

“You will, promise.” Theo smirked. “I better get back to class, and stop distracting you from doing your job…”

“Alright. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here, always,” she smirked, writing her number on a piece of paper.

“Thanks. I really appreciate that. I will see you at four then.”

“See you then.”

They went their separate ways and he glanced back to see her act all cute and girly. He couldn’t help but smile at her actions and walked back to class. He texted Jake ‘No need to come by, I am heading back to campus. I had the best interaction with Bea and she was adorable when we went our separate ways. I’ll explain when I see you.’ He sent it and had a huge smile on his face the whole way back.