Every morning at 8:00 AM, Aryan went to the same small cafe. He didn't go for the caffeine; he went for the girl behind the counter, Sara.
Sara had a smile that could brighten the gloomiest rainy day. Aryan, however, was too shy to say anything beyond his usual order: "One black coffee, please."
One Tuesday, Aryan decided to be brave. He wrote his phone number on a small piece of paper. But when he reached the counter, his heart raced so fast that he panicked. He took his coffee, paid, and rushed out, leaving the note tucked under his napkin.
He spent the whole day regretting it, thinking she would just throw it away.
The next morning, Aryan walked into the cafe, feeling embarrassed. Before he could speak, Sara handed him a cup of coffee.
"I didn't order yet," Aryan said, surprised.
Sara smiled and pointed to the cup. Written on the sleeve in neat handwriting was:
"Black coffee is boring. How about dinner tonight? — Sara."
Underneath her message, she had pasted his crumpled note from the day before. Aryan looked up, and she gave him a playful wink.
Sometimes, the best stories start with a little bit of silence and a lot of courage.