065. In which I sound like a 15 y/o gushing over a crush.
The universe has handed me a multitude of encounters with strangers over the course of a year. If I'd tally them all, you'd all be jealous at how many opportunities fate has thrown at me for a chance at romance. I suck at flirting and connecting with people so nothing long-term came out of any of these encounters. Well, except one.
One person stood out because he was the only one I got a chance to see again. Well, actually, stalk from afar but it did get me to this friendship (that I really hope is a genuine one).
I met Mike the barista a little over a year ago when I accompanied my then-13 y/o cousin to swap his gift cards for a choco chip frappe. I ordered for him since he had no idea what to get and Mike took my order. He was extra nice to me, asked for my name when I insisted he put in my cousin's name (it was his drink after all) and added caramel syrup when I didn't ask for it. I remembered him really well because he was cute and our first meeting was just a super nice way to start my 2013.
I returned to the same coffee shop in the hopes that I'd see him again, and much to my delight, I did. Our conversations started with the usual -- did I come from work, how did I spend the holidays, what's my major -- things like that, which eventually provided basic things about him. I found out he's just a village away from where I was living, and he's studying in a school in our neighborhood. He told me he was taking up Marketing and that he's single (that time, I'm not really sure now).
I think in a span of a month, I forced myself to drink overpriced coffee thrice just to see him. It paid off though because he remembered me even after I failed to return after 9 months or so (I was too busy at work). And when I did come back, first thing he asked me was what took me so long to get coffee again. You know those cliche things at the movies where everything seems to slow down when the lead actor talks to the person he loves/likes/has feelings for? And that there are no other people around them? Yup, that's how it felt like when we were catching up with each other. There was a long queue for orders but neither of us were in a hurry to cut the talk short.
He said a lot of things that sounded flirtatious to me, here are some of them:
after asking what took me so long, he then asked if I missed him
"Did you look for me when you came here before?"
"If I know better, you're just waiting for me." upon seeing I returned because I can't get home.
"I could accompany you home next time if you don't mind."
"I would sit beside you if only there aren't any customers." upon finding out I was alone doing my lab report
"I'll watch over you, too." when asked if he could watch over my stuff because I had to go to the washroom
"Is that your boyfriend? No? I don't have a girlfriend, too." when he saw my bestfriend's photo in my wallet
"Where did you go? Say goodbye next time you leave." when I returned (again because I can't get home)
"Text me!" when I told him he should attend the university fair on February
"Where are you seated? I'd give you my number."
"Just text me, okay? I just had to look for you before I eat dinner."
And there are many countless others I'd rather not disclose haha. He makes it a point to go to my table and catch up with me even for just a few minutes. And I love/hate that he's holding my hand the entire time we're talking like gah stop it you don't like me I know it, it must be a joke if he does. He does this every time I'm there and asjadskjajfkasf I try to hide it but I really want to scream ugh T______T I even caught him looking at me while he was taking someone's order (I should explain, I don't believe what I cannot see so unless I'm absolutely sure, there are 0 signs that a guy likes me until they're REALLY there).
I was there yesterday with a guy friend and he asked him who my friend was in my life, as if asking validation if we're dating or not.
I think this is just more than a crush.
