Soul Mate

Sunday

Today is Sunday and I decided to chill out in the park nearby and read. I settled myself under the shade of a huge tree. It is what I think just fifteen minutes after I sat down and I am not able to tolerate the heat already. So I shut my book, get up, and walk to my favorite coffee shop.

This coffee shop makes the best Chocó Crinkles I’ve ever tasted in my entire life! They brew marvelous coffee, too!

I am lining up to have my order taken. I don’t really need to think about what I’m going to have because I order the same things when I come here all the time; a tall Caramel Frappe and three of their famous Chocó Crinkles.

I roam my eyes around the perimeter of the café and noticed a man sitting next to my favorite spot and is hunched over a book I have already finished reading. His face looks so serious and his brows almost formed a ‘V’. I smiled at the sight of him and thought he looks cute looking that way.

I realized I shouldn’t be feeling this way because if the time doesn’t hit zero, we’re not meant for each other. That’s what my mother said and there is no harm in believing it. I’d rather believe it than risking my life with a relationship that will never work out. I look at my wrist, five more minutes before zero. This is it. So I made a mental note saying ‘stop!’ I start reading my book again while waiting for my turn in the line.

When it’s already my turn, I shut my book and lifted my head to face the cashier. The cashier smiled a warm smile, “The usual?” she asked.

“Yes, but, this time can you make my Frappe coffee based?”

“Of course!” she punched the register “one tall coffee based Caramel Frappe” she shouted over her shoulders to the baristas. “That will be 3.99” she say this while writing the name on my cup and forwarded it to another counter behind her.

I gave her 4, got the cookies and walked to my favorite spot. My eyes passed the cute looking serious guy again and now, he looks more serious than few minutes ago and he looked even cuter. I shook my head lightly and walks pass him. I put down my cookies and my book on the table and settled myself in.

As I am waiting for my order, I rested my head on my right palm and thought of what my soul mate would look like. Is he going to be skinny? Buff? Bald? White? Tan? Or is he the Tall, dark, and handsome kind of guy? There are just so much possibilities.

I did not realize I was staring at the direction where Mr. Serious-looking-cute-guy was seated. I saw him staring back at me with a curious look and my face felt hot. I cupped my face with both of my hands and feel it heat up more. I think I am blushing. Oh my gosh! I am blushing! I am really blushing! When I saw him looking at me I blushed! I never blushed before, and this is bad! I’m supposed to meet my soul mate not less than five minutes from now and I am blushing because Mr. Serious-looking-cute-guy looked at me!

What was he thinking when he caught me staring at him?! Well, I know I was not really staring at HIM because I was thinking about my soon to be soul mate and I was basically staring through him. But, he doesn’t know that! Maybe he thinks I dig him! Oh my God! Please let him not think that.

I composed myself, took a deep breath, and talked to myself. “Calm down that was just nothing. It was a reflex to blush when someone looks at you. That was nothing.” Another deep breath and I shake the thought away. I switched my attention to my book, opened it, and started reading where I left off.

I looked at my watch and thought why is my order taking so long to be finished and I have been rereading this sentence over and over again and it just won’t sink in my head. I read it again; “… when my fingers brushed with his, I felt electricity running down my system…” and I read it again but it just won’t come in. I give up and put down my book. There’s something bothering me and I just can’t think of what it is.

“One tall Caramel Frappe for Elmo!” the barista called out.

I snap back to reality and stand up to get my drink. But as I am making my way to the counter, my eyes caught a sight of Mr. Serious-looking-cute-guy looking at the counter all curious and startled at the same time. As I am walking I watch him put down his book and stand, he is walking to the counter, too! What am I going to do, what am I going to say?

What am I thinking? I shouldn’t do anything or say anything to him. Why would I? So I make my way to the counter. I felt my hands turn cold with no clue why.

I grab my drink but Mr. Serious-looking-cute-guy takes a hold to it, too! My fingers lightly touch his and I feel electricity. Was that static? In an instant, I retrieve my hand and my head shoot up to him. He was smiling! At me!

“Is your name Elmo?” he asks.

“Yes” I answered immediately “I mean, uhh, no.” My mind was like my math test paper, clean and blank.

He stifles a laugh. “Is this yours?” he holds the cup up. And I just nod; my brain can’t compose something sensible to say.

The cashier comes up to us and I look at her. I see her lips move but I did not quite catch what she is saying. I look at Mr. Serious-looking-cute-guy again and he smiled that genuine smile making his eyes smile as well. Is that even possible? He faces the cashier and the sound around me comes back.

He is saying “I came here because I heard a barista call my name. I was a little confused because I didn’t order anything after I ordered my brewed coffee.”

“Oh.” The cashier said, “Ms. Julie, it is just a little confusion, here’s your drink.”

“Oh, okay.” I take my drink with my left hand and turned around as fast as I can. All these feelings I feel is like the feeling I read in those books. This can’t be. If the time doesn’t reach zero, we’re not meant for each other. But as I am stepping away from the counter, he got hold of my arm and I have no choice but turn around and face him. There is that electric current again, and now, my heart is pounding really heard against my chest.

“I’m sorry. I thought he was calling out my name” he is smiling as he says these things. “I mean, he really did call my name but...” he trails off as he run his fingers through his hair.

I look at my arm he is holding and he follows my gaze. “oh” he let go of my hand. I looked back at him and he was still smiling! Why is he so smiling?! He looks even cuter!

“Its fine, mistakes happen.” I smiled what I think is a sheepish smile.

He holds out his right arm “I’m Elmo, you are?”

As much as I want to just turn around and walk away, I don’t want to be rude so I take his hand with my free hand which is my right hand because the left one is holding my Frappe and we shake hands. “I’m Julie.”

“Julie. Beautiful name.”

I got a glimpse of the time on his wrist and it says ‘00.00.00.00’. As I see this I take in a sharp breath and quickly look at my wrist. It also reads ‘00.00.00.00’

He is my soul mate! The things I’ve been feeling is not wrong! He is the one! I’m so glad I didn’t want to be rude and took his hand.

“Everything alright?” He asks.

“Yeah, everything is just right.” I answer.

“Cool. So, uhm, do you want to share a table with me or something?”

“Yeah, that’s cool.”

I think I see his eyes sparkle. “Great! I mean,” he avoids my gaze and says “yeah, okay, cool.”