Their meals were placed neatly before them, the soft clinking of silverware filling the warm, dimly lit atmosphere of the restaurant. Cee took a bite of her food, savoring the taste, when she suddenly noticed Carlos watching her.
She glanced up, catching his gaze. "What?" she asked, her voice slightly amused.
Carlos blinked, as if caught red-handed, then quickly looked down at his plate. "Sorry."
Cee arched a brow, setting down her fork. "Sorry for what?"
He hesitated for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "For staring."
A small, knowing smile played on her lips. "And why were you staring?"
Carlos exhaled, leaning back slightly. "I was just… wondering about you."
Cee gave him a skeptical look. "Wondering about me?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Can I get to know you more?"
She tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What do you want to know?"
Carlos almost blurted out everything. He wanted to know every little detail—what made her laugh, what made her sad, what kept her up at night. But he knew that would probably make him sound like a lunatic, so he settled for something more casual.
"Your hobby," he said first. "Favorite color. Why you work at the café. And why you chose medicine as your major."
Cee let out a small laugh. "That's a lot."
Carlos smirked. "Think of it as a little icebreaker."
She tapped her chin. "Alright, but only if you answer my questions too."
Carlos leaned forward slightly. "Deal."
Cee took a sip of her drink before answering. "Okay. My hobby… I love reading, mostly fiction, sometimes medical-related stuff when I need to. Favorite color—navy blue."
Carlos nodded as if mentally storing the information.
She continued, "I work at the café because I need the money, obviously. And I chose medicine because…" She hesitated for a second. "I want to help people. And I like the idea of making a difference, even in small ways."
Carlos watched her, impressed by the sincerity in her voice. "That's a good reason."
Cee shrugged. "Now it's your turn. Hobby?"
Carlos chuckled. "Painting."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "Really?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like, but when I do, it's relaxing."
"Hmm. Favorite color?"
"Black."
Cee snorted. "So typical."
Carlos grinned. "Hey, black is a color of depth and mystery."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Why art as a major?"
He shrugged, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Because it's what I love. And because the world needs more beauty."
Cee's teasing expression softened slightly. "That's actually a nice answer."
Carlos smirked. "I have my moments."
She took another bite of her food before asking the last question. "So… why do you frequent the café so much?"
Carlos paused, his grip tightening just slightly around his fork.
There it was. The question.
Cee had asked casually, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—like she was searching for an answer. Maybe a certain answer.
His heart hammered against his ribs, but he forced a light smirk. "Because they have good coffee."
Cee's expression didn't change right away. She held his gaze, as if waiting for something more. But when nothing came, she let out a small chuckle, nodding.
"Right," she said, picking up her drink. "Good coffee."
Carlos knew then. She had wanted a different answer. She had wanted the truth.
And for the first time that evening, he regretted holding back.
---They finished their meal in a comfortable silence, but beneath the surface, both of them were deep in thought.
Carlos toyed with his fork, staring at the last remnants of his food, debating with himself. Should he have told her the truth? That the real reason he kept coming to the café wasn't because of the coffee, but because of her? That from the moment he first saw her smile, he had been drawn to her in a way that he couldn't explain?
But he didn't.
And now, watching her across the table as she sipped her drink, completely unaware of the storm in his head, he wondered if he had made a mistake.
Cee, on the other hand, was telling herself she was overthinking things again. Maybe Carlos really did just like the coffee. Maybe she had imagined that flicker of hesitation in his eyes when he answered. And maybe—just maybe—it was time to stop reading too much into things.
She let out a small sigh, pushing back her chair. "I should get going."
Carlos snapped out of his thoughts and immediately stood up as well. "I'll take you home."
Cee pulled out her phone. "No need. I'll just book a ride—"
"Come on," he interrupted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "It's late, and I'd feel better knowing you got home safely."
She hesitated.
"Besides," he added smoothly, a playful smirk on his lips, "if something happens to you, who will serve me my coffee?"
Cee rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You're impossible."
"And you're stubborn," he shot back. "So? Are you going to let me be a gentleman or not?"
She sighed in mock defeat. "Fine."
Carlos grinned in triumph and led the way to his car. As he opened the door for her, Cee paused for a split second before stepping inside. Gentleman, she noted mentally.
Carlos closed the door behind her before making his way to the driver's side. As he slid in and buckled up, he glanced at her. "Where do you stay?"
Cee told him her dorm address, and without another word, he started the car and pulled onto the road.
The drive was mostly quiet, filled only with the low hum of the engine and the faint sound of the radio playing in the background. But it wasn't awkward—it was the kind of silence that felt right.
Carlos stole a few glances at her as she stared out the window. The city lights reflected in her eyes, making them shine in a way that made his heart clench. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, willing himself to focus.
A few minutes later, he pulled up in front of her dorm.
Cee reached for the door handle, about to step out, when his voice stopped her.
"Goodnight."
She froze for a second.
Something about the way he said it—smooth, deep, yet oddly gentle—sent a small, unexpected shiver down her spine.
She turned to him, suddenly feeling shy for reasons she didn't understand. "Goodnight," she murmured before quickly stepping out and shutting the door behind her.
Carlos didn't miss the way her cheeks flushed slightly under the streetlights.
A slow, satisfied smile crept onto his face as he watched her hurry toward the entrance of her dorm.
"Yeah," he murmured to himself before driving off, the warmth of the moment still lingering in his chest.
---