Love is for Show

4 - Let me be selfish.

I definitely did not intend to show up a whole ten minutes early to this spontaneous meet up with my former best friend. The person I used to confidently tell almost all my secrets to. The person who I used to sneak off with at odd hours of the night. The person who used to be my safe space.

In all honesty, I thought I was going to show up late. With all of the ruckus I caused this morning just trying to pick a freaking outfit, the last thing on my priorities list was to show up on time, let alone early.

I also did not expect him to choose a rather secluded café tucked away in its own little corner on a rather busy street. Seclusion means privacy and privacy means honesty. In private, we can logically talk about anything really with no repercussion from lurking eyes and eavesdropping ears. But knowing my awkward self, I feel like most of the talking and confessions will be coming from him today.

I sure hope so anyways.

In an attempt to stray my thoughts away from the guy I'm both excited to see and anxious to be face-to-face with, I look around the place. Brick walls similar to my apartment, string lights lining the tops and middle sections of the walls, a small staircase on the farside of the room leading to who knows where and the small bartop where the coffee is brewing; wafting the comforting smell around the room.

When my head turns to inspect the view from the window, I stop in my tracks at the sight of the door cracking open and Aiden walks right through with a small smile already gracing his face as he greets the employees before looking around for me. It doesn't take him long to find me, hiding away in the far corner right by the window. I almost get up as he makes his way over, but ultimately decide to play this the hard way and stay seated.

"Sorry, did I make you wait long?"

I quickly shake my head, not needing him to know how much of a nervous fool I've been all morning. Once he's situated and his bag is placed on the windowsill right next to my own bag I use when I have classes, I finally speak up.

"What did you want to talk about?"

His brow arches, an almost amused smile twitching the corners of his lips as he leans back. "Straight to the point, huh?"

I arch my brow right back at him, only mine doesn't come with a smile. "Aiden..."

He immediately sits back up and starts running his hand through his hair. That's when I finally notice the splatters of paint across his hand, his fingertips all kinds of colors and his wrist is sporting various shades of greens and yellows. "Painting another grassy field?"

I nod toward his hand which is now resting on the table. He smiles down at it before looking back up at me with a nod. Some things never change.

He decides to use the small moment of calm between us to order himself a coffee. I ordered myself a flat white when I arrived and took small sips to make it at least look as if I didn't get here too early. While his order is being prepared, we continue to bask in the silence. I don't even know what I was expecting from this talk. Rekindle a friendship I thought was long lost? Scream at him for how I was seemingly completely forgotten all throughout high school? Listen to his thousands of apologies while I sit in silence the entire time?

I don't know. But what I do know is that if there's one thing my mother has taught me, it's to listen to my heart. Whenever I'm in doubt, toss all logic out the window and go with the flow. And my heart, for some unknown reason, was telling me to meet with him today.

Another mug is placed across from my own and after thanking the barista bringing it over, we turn our attention back to each other. His hazel eyes, as bright as ever, stay glued to my face. They give me a once over and for a split second the look in his eyes leaves me feeling like I'm being transported right back to his room. The two of us lounging around on a random Saturday, enjoying the silence while our eyes just can't seem to get enough of each other. Sometimes it felt like we could spend all day just looking at each other. We would just be together, without doing a thing and still enjoy every moment of it.