Meeting Again

It was hard for Aria to not think that the night before wasn't some hallucination but her mundane life drew her back in. She tried to forget it but sometimes, that memory that seemed like a lucid dream, came back, making her blush again… and sometimes, it came as a reminder of how lonely she was when laying in bed on her own. Some nights she fantasised about it trying to recall the sensations of Alessandro's touch. But her touch could never compare to the warmth and softness of his skin.

Aria lost all the hope of ever experiencing something alike or seeing Alessandro again. 

This changed one evening when Aria was working a late shift all on her own. Jess left earlier for another waitressing job that popped up and Aria was left to close the shop and tidy up. She already cleaned the counters, tables and the coffee machines, took rubbish out, and placed all the chairs on the tables, and now she was mopping the floor. She liked working those evenings alone. The cafe gained a new mystifying veil in the dim light with a music playing in the background. Aria hummed as she wiped the grim off the floor, making sure that the morning shift next day went as smoothly as possible.

The door chime rang quietly. She was used to it. Sometimes an eager customer missed the 'Closed' sign on the door and walked in because they still saw some light or her through the big window.

"I'm sorry, we're closed." Aria said automatically, very slowly looking up. Her eyes and mouth opened wide. Alessandro stood in front of her, smiling at her with his charm, reaffirming her that he truly existed and her mind didn't make up his perfection. He was relaxed, hands in pockets, his lips curving upwards. Two endearing dents graced his cheeks - his dimples. His hair and stubble grew longer since their last interaction. Aria hesitated, wondering if he recognised her. She didn't wear a dress or stilettos but rather a coffee stained apron and a t-shirt, jeans, and white canvas shoes. She had no make up on and her hair was in disarray. But his smile certainly must've meant that he recognised her. Or maybe not. Maybe he was charming and flirting with anyone he came across. A playboy that Aria was sure that he was. Who wouldn't be with those looks? "I am afraid that we are closed." She repeated with her smile vanishing and a much quieter tone. Her confidence plummeted.

"I saw the sign." Alessandro pointed back at the door. "But I didn't come here for coffee."

"Why are you here?" Aria clenched her hands on the mop handle. This was the most awkward encounter she ever had with anyone that she was so intimate with before.

"Well…" he scratched his nose in what seemed to be nervousness. "Turns out that no one heard of Aria in the service company that catered for the party some weeks ago." Alessandro walked closer, his eyes were wandering around the room, taking its decor fully in. Aria was frozen, mesmerised by him but also terrified. He might have found her to pay for his shirt or to destroy her for ever even coming near him. He had all the cards up his sleeve now and she had none. "I saw you in here this morning when passing by with a few of my colleagues." He pointed at a window. "I thought I'd pop by after work." He explained but it still didn't give Aria any answers. "I finished later than expected and I was worried that I have missed you but you're still here."

"I see." Aria furrowed her brows, trying to decipher what felt like a coded message.

"So, how have you been, Not-Aria?"

"I-…" Aria blushed and looked down. "I am Aria."

"Hmm… really?" He tilted his head as he looked at her. His eyes were piercing but somehow still reassuring.

"I can think of a few reasons why they didn't give you my contact details. One is that there are GDPR rules for a reason. Two is that I was covering the shift for a friend so they might not have had my name on record for that night but hers. And three, even if they did have my name, they wouldn't have used my nickname." Aria pointed at embroidered 'Ariadne' on her apron. "I tend to go by Aria though."

"That explains it." Alessandro nodded, satisfied with an explanation. "Do you have much left to do until you can close for the night?"

"I'm pretty much done." Aria admitted picking up the bucket and mop. Alessandro stride forward like some antelope and grabbed the bucket out of her hand at which she froze. She still didn't understand why he was there and she definitely didn't see it fit that a man in a perfectly tailored suit should be carrying a bucket of dirty water. 

"I think my God-like body can handle it better." He winked at Aria rendering her speechless. Aria didn't know how to protest or what to say, instead, she let Alessandro empty the bucket as she tidied the last of the clutter from the back room. She took the apron off and picked up the keys, going outside the building with Alessandro beside her. There was a cumbersome silence.

She locked up the shop and looked at the man. They came from the two very different worlds that didn't have the right to co-exist. She was a waitress and he definitely was someone fancy.

"Do you live far?" He asked, his smug smile did not leave his lips.

"Not far." Aria shook her head. "It's only about a five minute walk away."

"May I walk you back?"

Aria hesitated not knowing Alessandro's intentions. She was wary of him. Feeling embarrassed and ashamed of what they did and she only did it knowing that she would never see him again. The fate obviously played a cruel joke on her.

She nodded, looking him up and down. He looked mostly harmless. Aside of the fact that his looks made her feel like she would agree to anything he ever said. It was dangerous if he ever realised it. But she didn't get the creeps. Her gut feeling was mostly that it was awkward to be so alien with someone she shared her first time with.

They walked slowly, not talking much, the same veil of awkwardness engrossing them both.

"What's your favourite coffee order?" Alessandro asked after the silence felt suffocating. He must've felt the dense atmosphere between them and he tried to remedy it.

"To make or to drink? Because those two are completely different." Aria smiled. "My favourite to drink is iced vanilla latte with some sugar. That's probably a reason for all those extra kilograms." She tried to poke a joke at herself. "But I love making cappuccinos. It's satisfying to make a good espresso and I love frothing the milk. It's kind of therapeutic. To an extend. It is not very therapeutic when you have twenty of cappuccinos on order. That's when it becomes over-stimulating and I want to throw the coffee machine across the room."

"Understandable." Alessandro nodded.

"What do you do for a living?" Aria asked genuinely curious whether he was one of the business men working in the poshest side of the city. He certainly looked it. Alessandro furrowed his brows in moment of silence as if he tried to remember his own job. He hesitated. For some reason he didn't like answering Aria's question.

"Ehhh… I work in the financial district." He paused, observing her reaction.

"Okay. But what do you do?" Aria repeated. Alessandro seemed increasingly uncomfortable.

"I am a director of one of the companies." He mumbled and his body tensed up.

"Do you enjoy it?" Her question surprised him. His body relaxed. He must've expected a very different line of questioning. Frankly, Zaria didn't care much for titles and she wasn't ever treating anyone better or worse because of their rank. There was a reason for that, of course. She might have been a waitress and a small business owner now but a few years earlier she was on top of her field, known well in a research community. It was her choice to leave that behind her. But she never judged a waitress because of their job. It didn't make her any less. Not a single job title defined a person and their experience fully. 

"I like it quite a bit." He smiled but his smugness was replaced with something alike shyness. But shyness wasn't quite right. He was too confident and handsome to be shy.

"What do you like the most about it?"

"Knowing that I make decisions that no one else can't. Not because of my power. It's more about the fact that I genuinely make some hard decisions that not many are brave enough to make."

"Did you ever regret a decision you made?"

"No, not at work." Alessandro's smile brightened again. His answer intrigued Aria but she decided not to ask about his personal life. Not yet. She didn't know him well enough for it. "Do you enjoy working in a cafe?"

"Quite a bit. I've opened it with my friend after both of our lives turned into a shit show. It was a good change for both of us. Although, money is a bit tighter, and that's why we both tend to do some odd jobs on the side. Sometimes it's things like waitressing which is how I ended up covering my friend's shift as a posh waitress in a too small dress." Aria smiled and stopped. "Well… we're here." She fidgeted uncomfortably. Alessandro looked at the apartment block with curiosity which also seemed to have a hint of judgment. "It was nice seeing you." Aria lied. She would have never slept with him if she knew that there was a chance that they would see each other again. And she didn't want to be seen under those circumstances. She didn't want him to see her without make up and in a T-shirt and jeans combo.

"Same." Alessandro sounded much more authentic in his response. His eyes glimmered as he looked back at her. "May I kiss you goodnight?" The question was unexpected. Aria stared at him with her doe-like eyes before she nodded with uncertainty. She wondered if the kids would fill the void that she felt ever since they were intimate.

Alessandro took a step closer and pecked her cheek. It was a sweet kind of kiss, nothing like the ones they shared before. But for a split second, Aria's heart filled with joy and goosebumps went down her neck. 

He briefly stopped and looked down at her face. He was so incredibly close and real. His eyes were so warm and comforting. 

Alessandro placed his large and warm hand on her jawline, before he leaned in again and planted another soft kiss on her lips. Aria fluttered her eyelashes at Alessandro as he broke off the kiss, feeling light headed at a reminder of their previous encounter. She battled herself on the inside. "Goodnight, Aria." 

Alessandro was about to step away when Aria at last spoke. It was surely a mistake but… 

"Would you like to come in for a coffee?" She spat out as she placed her hand on his forearm. His hand barely detached from her face and it already left her skin feeling cold. In retrospective, it was stupid to offer someone a coffee at almost 23:00. Alessandro looked at his watch and back at Aria. "Decaf. I have decaf coffee." She added as if it was going to save her. She closed her eyes briefly thinking how stupid she must've sounded. It was obvious where her mind has just gone and the subtext of that invitation. But yet, Alessandro didn't move away. He stood frozen as he contemplated the answer. Aria realised that she held his arm for a very awkward length of time and she should move, but she didn't dare to.

"Sounds good." Alessandro agreed. Aria let go off him and led the way inside the apartment block, opening several doors in the hallway, leading Alessandro to her flat, very aware of how tall he was when he walked behind her. He must've been very tall. Aria herself was nearly 6ft tall and he was still taller than her when she wore the stilettos. He must've been at least 6ft5in.