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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJiS4EF8rS
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡAish7H297H
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2h6oc0vOhp
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡpg8I9cmOlO
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW79deQgoX
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrf4Pr5lgm
I had plenty of time - three weeks, in fact - to find a special story for our special Christmas edition of The Inferno. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFDTnM5KBr
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjnFsBUjSi
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQJwUzYZVe
I drank a little, coughed, and forced myself to swallow, realising that I'd forgotten to add the milk. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFTZygME0o
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zHtf959tX
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKNcgHLfHG
"Oh! I'm sorry, my friend, I wasn't looking where I was going...!"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3mm3VDPAE
He spoke with a tinge of an accent, put I couldn't put my finger on which. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGeUat4fDy
"Ah... Um, no, it was my fault... I wasn't fully awake..." I stuttered, swiftly turning away to hide my rapidly reddening face. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5i0hzH3Op
"Uh... Excuse me, but you forgot your... Leche," he called. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡKis7Fv2jlC
I turned again, red as a tomato, and looked at him, trying to work out what he had just said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyictsFyIi
"Um... Milk! I meant milk!" he corrected himself quickly. He passed over three pots of milk and grinned sheepishly. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UopVGZDKO
"That's... Spanish, isn't it?" I said slowly. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v6uCL0E4l
"Yes, yes, I, uh, grew up in Spain," he answered. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2TAen3UVL
So that was what his accent was. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2GCsBire3
"You speak good English," I smiled. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhymLa7LPc
"Um, thank you..."copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66f0GuoKok
He disposed of his rubbish and suddenly I felt a strange pang in my stomach. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBncdPOwg3
"Uh... Are you going anywhere in a rush?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwk7S6iZR7
He looked at me, full of astonishment. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYdsZUWoFk
"No, no. I just came here today because I felt like it. I don't have anywhere to go after this..."copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbW5naUcHb
"In that case, would you... Like to sit down with me?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡghHAozGGzy
I hesitated, already guessing the answer to my in question. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMx1ewWaUB
"Of course!"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDMsIaDDmk
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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCCwd06UHF
He gestured to the table I was sitting at and I nodded; he sat down, staring at my laptop like a curious child. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvsZxGwtRr
"I... Haha... Needed some help with my newspaper article..."copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n4RPN2tqp
"News?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡOf2qMfrSa9
There was that grin again, like a little boy who had eaten all the chocolate. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCE0CcH8Gz
"Have you written about the church Christmas fair yet?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLWEDMrFgR
I shook my head. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5477uTnVMx
"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 protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kaJlMW3VC
He stopped. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvoy91lAHB
"But I suppose... That's not much of a story, is it?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMFAUauh6g
"Right now, I'm desperate," I told him, "and I'll take anything I can get."copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡObBYVWLRZG
He smiled once more, and I felt that pang again.copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCbRblTwVA
It felt like... Longing. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8onNZhYty4
"By the way, what's your name?" he asked, suddenly. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡJngkmbh72h
"Darren. Yours?"copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwTZo4khBg
"Antonio. Nice to meet you."copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJEfxDwv65
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