I had begun to regret mentioning my little secret on Match.com. At least before I'd been getting a fair amount of dating proposals from fairly good-looking women looking for a fairly good-looking man. But now my inbox was completely empty. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuiQHHMByt
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡA47WR2uLU4
A little shakily, I reached for the disgracingly small cup of tea sitting on the brown tray next to my laptop. I stared at the Costa Coffee symbol printed on it for a few minutes, almost entranced. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUWwOas6LT
I often went to Costa's for the occasional treat, or in the mornings when the coffee ran out at home. I would usually get a milky latte or, like today, just a plain tea. Not wishing to break my little age old tradition, I'd also purchased a small slice of carrot cake to nibble on alongside my drink. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHQUAdZsbk
I'd taken one of the seats closest round the window, as usual, and decided to plant myself there for a little bit of quality thinking time. I stared out of the window, not really focusing on anything particular, but just admiring the fantastic view of the street. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkxVB9a5F3
It was a surprisingly sunny November morning and, despite the wonderful weather, I was stressed, mainly for two reasons, a) because of the little Match.com incident and b) because I didn't have the foggiest idea what to write for my very important news article. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFkepI5CfH
I had plenty of time - three weeks, in fact - to find a special story for our special Christmas edition of The Inferno. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡXb68NwkyC2
In case you haven't already worked it out, I am a journalist for the weekly newspaper (The Inferno - all the hottest stories, right here for you) and I will probably lose my job sometime in the next three months. I've already missed two deadlines and got forgiven for both of them due to some miracle or another; but my boss warned me that the third time I wouldn't be so lucky. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIIYEkVtzs
I sighed again and hit my head on the laptop keyboard, quietly, so as to not get strange stares from the people around me. I picked up the teacup again, staring down at the translucent brown liquid a little sleepily, and carefully took a sip. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAbuCArtlN
I drank a little, coughed, and forced myself to swallow, realising that I'd forgotten to add the milk. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡSE7zKq425y
Hastily I closed the laptop, picked up the tray and headed towards the trolley in the far end of the café, where the cutlery trolley and the little pots of milk were situated. I hardly felt awake, and I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, and as a result, I collided into another man heading towards the bin. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0r69mfJeD
I looked up him and my face turned red. He was a fine specimen of a human male, with glossy brown hair and a handsome face. In his right hand he held a brown tray with a plate and some rubbish on it, and in his left he held a trademark Costa Coffee cup. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C0K0tsrN5
"Oh! I'm sorry, my friend, I wasn't looking where I was going...!"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2IrIwfQze
He spoke with a tinge of an accent, put I couldn't put my finger on which. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfwkGVLlH2
"Ah... Um, no, it was my fault... I wasn't fully awake..." I stuttered, swiftly turning away to hide my rapidly reddening face. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44uM8CC2So
"Uh... Excuse me, but you forgot your... Leche," he called. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡchgSS9eMKj
I turned again, red as a tomato, and looked at him, trying to work out what he had just said. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡrA6IWxeKtt
"Um... Milk! I meant milk!" he corrected himself quickly. He passed over three pots of milk and grinned sheepishly. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OmZgPChd2
"That's... Spanish, isn't it?" I said slowly. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpaznxOCbR
"Yes, yes, I, uh, grew up in Spain," he answered. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡebJrfWINPO
So that was what his accent was. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ARkkOUts2
"You speak good English," I smiled. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRjvOQ5CDu
"Um, thank you..."copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEYr0zEFEZ
He disposed of his rubbish and suddenly I felt a strange pang in my stomach. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡag8LUUp2b0
"Uh... Are you going anywhere in a rush?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90FTjkvXX9
He looked at me, full of astonishment. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMrfCGKXcC
"No, no. I just came here today because I felt like it. I don't have anywhere to go after this..."copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡLT2oZ4Cflm
"In that case, would you... Like to sit down with me?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKq4uJ1WqT
I hesitated, already guessing the answer to my in question. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcVdoEtzf1
"Of course!"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lS9ewDvIf
It was my turn to be surprised. I hadn't expected him to be so friendly towards me. I had more expected him to politely decline and run from the café. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpndkmFd9l
He gestured to the table I was sitting at and I nodded; he sat down, staring at my laptop like a curious child. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBlUhqDSLN
"I... Haha... Needed some help with my newspaper article..."copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUNbDieTSf
"News?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTjT0NK2L2
There was that grin again, like a little boy who had eaten all the chocolate. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5N9O5Rutwk
"Have you written about the church Christmas fair yet?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡJC6Z653bbD
I shook my head. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkghmtKEG0
"I'm not that much of a religious man, but that church on Abbeywell Road is having a Christmas fair to raise money for British Red Cross," he explained. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQOfZO0Ibp
He stopped. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMKgsmmsMG
"But I suppose... That's not much of a story, is it?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cRlHbDBWx
"Right now, I'm desperate," I told him, "and I'll take anything I can get."copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoSNv4PR5N
He smiled once more, and I felt that pang again.copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIKZqg0aDj
It felt like... Longing. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvZJCYNrC6
"By the way, what's your name?" he asked, suddenly. copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNcdt7RhP5
"Darren. Yours?"copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzE8iwSEOQ
"Antonio. Nice to meet you."copyright protection445ＰＥＮＡＮＡMM22h1Welz
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