A date it seems-

Today I am supposed to meet with Julien. I look at myself in the mirror and still can't get used to this new look that Clara gave me. -African Braids- they look nice but my head is a bit numb. She said I needed to look fresh but I only think that they suit her better.

It's 8.00 Am, Julien texted me the location where we are going to meet and I have to be there by 10.00 Am. He thought that it's the weekend and there is no need to meet early, if only he knew I wake up when the sun rises! Now, what am I gonna do with the next 2 hours?

I should have slept more, after Clara decided to do this to my hair, we only slept at 3 Am. I look at her now and she is deep in her sleep "Lucky bastard!" I shout in her ear but she doesn't react. Of course she wouldn't, nothing would wake her up when she is sleeping in this position. Laying on her belly, head under her pillow, legs each throw a different side. Like someone jumped in the air except she is in her bed! I throw a cover on her and get dressed. A long walk is all I am thinking about right now that the place isn't that far away and I have much time to go there and come back for at least 4 times.

As I walk humming the lyrics of my favorite songs, I receive a call. It's Ann!

"Hey sweetie--" Ann says as soon as I pick up.

"God! I have missed your voice!" I exclaim.

"Liar! You never call!" she is right.

"You know how I am. Sorry---" I beg.

"It's alright. How are you?"

"I am doing great! Guess what?"

"What? Another problem at the dormitory??" she asks worried.

"Noo! I had a new hair style!"

"Don't tell me you cut your hair."

"Not yet but not that."

"What is it? Dyed some crazy color?"

"Nope!"

"Damn you! Just tell me already!"

"Fiiiine. I had African Braids!"

"No way!! Who helped you with those? I heard they are hard to get done and only a specialist would make them look perfect!"

"My roommate."

"You have a roommate now?"

I remember that I haven't told her a lot of what happened in these couple of days we haven't met "Yeah. Well not really a roommate but yeah."

"Girl, I only left you alone for two days and there is already a lot that happened. Luke told me about the club event and your argument with this guy named Julien!" she tells me waiting for details.

"That big mouthed elephant!" I comment "You are not missing anything of much importance, no worries. Plus I was going to tell you when we meet anyways!"

"Hmmm, alright honey just remember to take deep breaths. Speaking of which, are you outside?"

"Yes! I am outside walking and I have a meeting in an hour or so."

"A meeting on a weekend?... girl be honest, you got a boyfriend?" she asks suspiciously.

"Shut up already! Would I have a boyfriend and you don't know about it?"

"Just saying!"

"I am meeting Julien. Somehow we ended up working together on the event thing."

"Wait, are you telling me that you are meeting a guy whom you argued with on your first meeting?"

"Yes, so?"

"I smell something being cooked!" she jokes "If this isn't faith, I don't know what it is?" she laughs.

"Ha-ha very funny, veryyyy funny. I am hanging up. See you tomorrow."

"Have fun on your date--"

"Date my Ass! Just go! byeee".

I hang up and suddenly I find myself in front of the coffee shop Julien asked me to meet him at. I look at the time on my phone screen and it's 9:15. 45 minutes to wait and I hate waiting. Should I go for a walk again or read something.

"Welcome!" the waitress tells me holding the door open. I must have been standing there for a while.

"Good morning." I reply with a smile.

"Coming in?" she asks gently.

"Yes, sure, yes" I get in which was not my plan but who can say no to that beautiful face. "Here, this is the best place for you to do some thinking." She walks me to this table in the corner next to a giant tree and huge decorated with pictures window facing the cafe garden.

"Oh, I love this spot. Thanks a lot!" I say out of surprise because the view is mesmerizing.

"Anything in mind to order? Or should I get you what I think would suit your mood?" she asks again with that gentle smile.

"Are you always this nice?" I say moments before I realize that that was supposed to be said inside my head and not out loud. "Sorry! I just think that you are too kind. I would take what you suggest, you already got me this place so I have no doubts in your taste!" I rush because I was blushing.

"That's fine! Your order will here in few minutes." She says after a cute laugh. "Also, there is a book shelf on the corner there…" she points at the opposite corner of where I am seated "help yourself while waiting." She leaves me.

That was one of a service, the owner must be lucky to have her here! I go to the book shelf and I just keep on checking the titles and covers. I am a person who gets attracted to covers, not gonna lie and pretend to 'not judge the book by its cover'. Covers are everything in our time, who are we kidding?

I go back to my seat and start analyzing the pictures hanged on the window. Pictures of couples, group of friends, family and others alone. I think as I see these picture about how life is so unpredictable. We are all humans, we are made of the same components, yet we look very different! We are all the same and we are all lacking somehow.

"Here is your breakfast!" the waitress serves me.

"Oh! This looks yummy. Thank you!" I say looking at this colored plate she put in front of me. Chocolate pancakes decorated with maple syrup with ice cream topping and a cherry to break the colors combination. Then this huge glass of strawberry and blueberry milkshake. I know the flavors are many in this plate but I am sure the mixture is going to be magnificent!

"Hope you enjoy it. Now, I will be here if you need anything just call me, okay?" she says leaving.

"Wait, what should I call you?" I ask desperately as if I am waving goodbye to a soldier I met on a war ground and he is leaving to fight.

"Angela!" she smiles.

Again, names suiting perfectly their holders. Angela just like an Angel! I let myself get immersed with the plate she served me. I am actually enjoying it and I lost sense of time and place.

"Those braid are sick!"

I hear that and without bothering to check who said it, it's Julien!

"Good morning to you too." I greet him coldly.

"Were you that excited to meet me that you are here this early? You even had enough time to order and be served!" he says teasing me, grabbing a chair.

"You know that you look like the moon?" I say.

"Oh, are you flirting with me?" he continues with that tone that gets me on my nerves.

"You are only beautiful when seen from a distance, once you come closer, you are just a grey rock." I tell him taking a long sip of that mind blowing milkshake.

"That was harsh!" he exclaims.

"You asked for it!"

Angela comes to our table to take his order "So you are the one she has been waiting for. You look good together!" she comments with her soft voice.

"Okay dear let me correct something for you, WE are not a thing!" I affirm.

"Oh, sorry then. It's just because you are matching clothes. I apologize!" she says feeling bad.

"Matching?" I say then turn to Julien. We are both wearing black jeans, black sweater, timbers and a Denim Jacket. How come I didn't notice? And how come he didn't comment on that? After checking his outfit, I look at him and there he is looking at me smiling. Shit!

"I would like to have the same thing she ordered please." He says to Angela.

"Okay, anything else miss…?" Angela asks me.

"It's Jeana, sorry I forgot to tell you earlier. And nothing else, if I need anything I will call you. Thank you!" I reply making sure I smile as much as possible for this situation to not sound awkward.

"Alright! And you really look cool together. He didn't deny it!" She adds.

"Why would I? I don't mind what people think." He tells her.

"Ha! Let's end this here please. He won't deny anything, that's just how he is." I confirm my point.

"Okay, have fun you two! Your order will be here in couple of minutes."

I grab a note book and a pen while he grabs his laptop. From a distance, you would describe this view as the old and new collision. I just feel better when I scrabble my ideas rather than writing them in actual words. Most of my notes are drawings, no one would understand them but me. We start discussing the idea about the club. He is now explaining to me how it all started. It seems that the club was Dan's idea for his graduation project. Since he is majoring in psychology, he had to come with a creative idea that allows him to study people in different environments and situations. I never thought that he is this brilliant. I mean, he gathered fun and work together and nobody seems to feel that. They are all doing the work thinking it is just some kind of an activity and he is over there doing the work of his life.

The club is two years of age. The majority of members are there ever since it was created. And very few change every year. That's expected because not everyone is committed. Afterwards, we tackled the sub-clubs it contains and who's responsible for each one. The art corner where all kinds of art are included, music, drawing, active and even creative writing. The media corner for advertisements. The public speaking corner for debates, influencers, speeches and even they take care of presenting the club publically. Finally, the book or readers corner where the members read some literary work and meet to discuss the writer, the main idea, the characters and end this meeting with a report about that piece.

I check the time and we have been discussing things for three hours now. I am really tired and hungry. I look at him and he is into his laptop screen.

*Fake coughing*

He looks at me and rises his eyebrow "Sleepy or Hungry?"

"Both, he-he" I say

"Want to stop here for today?"

"Yes please—let's finish tomorrow after classes."

"Tomorrow it is then!" he packs his laptop as if he was waiting for me to say let's stop. I gather my colored pens, ruler and notebook. Then I hear him giggling.

"What? What's wrong?" I ask not understanding what is so funny.

"You look like a kindergartener. Ha-ha" he bursts into laughter.

I check the items I am holding in my hands and I couldn't agree more so I laugh along.

"Fine, stop it now! Give me your notebook I need to check the ideas you have written." He is all serious now.

"That was quick!" I say handing him the notebook.

"I am a drama queen baby!" he says throwing his imaginary hair on the air.

"Were you trying to sound funny?"

"I can see you forcing a serious face, so just let it out or you face muscles will get paralyzed!" he tells me putting my notebook in his bag.

"Wait! Where are you taking that?"

"Home, obviously!"

"You won't be able to understand it!" I tell him snatching my notebook from his hand.

He moves to the sit next to me and snatches it back "Then explain it to me know and when I go home, I will try to make a better plan combining the things you written with mine."

He is too damn close. I move my chair away so I can have some space to breathe. Then I open it and start explaining the drawings for him. Along my explanation, he is drawing some symbols like keys to read these sketches. Smart move!

Now it's exactly 14.00 pm. I am waiting outside the cafe shop for him to come out. He insisted on paying for the breakfast and the snacks we had since he is the one who asked me out and this means, tomorrow, I am paying! I look at him and Angela, she is waving me goodbye and I do the same. He is taking too long for just a payment so I entertain myself mocking him through the glass. There was a mirror next to the door so I am miming his actions. Then I turn and figure that he is right behind me. In comparison to his tall body, he makes no sounds when he moves. You can't feel a thing when he approaches you, just like a ghost!

"Take!" he hands me a photograph.

"What is this?" I say before checking it.

"A gift from Angela. She told me to ask you to pass by sometimes. She seems to like you!" he says walking away.

I look at it and it is just like the ones hanged on the window. It's a photograph of me and Julien when we were sitting side by side so it was her who took all of these pictures after all I look at it and a huge smile is on my face!

"You like it that much?!" he shouts far away.

"Yes!" I say running to catch up with his fast steps.

He walks me to the dormitory. At the gate we say our goodbyes and he apologizes for not taking me for lunch saying I caused him to pay for something he didn't plan to pay for. I don't know how am I going to work with such teasing human being but it is not going to last longer anyways. Few months and we will be apart. Now that I think about it while he is leaving me behind at the dormitory. Seeing his back and the distance growing longer feels kind of sad.

I go straight to my room. I find lunch on the table ready for me to consume. Clara must be here since it is warm. I change and start eating.

"How did the date go? Did you hold hands? Did you hug? Kiss?" she starts her dramatic questions.

Was I just saying that I am going to miss a person teasing me when Julien is gone? That was a lie!

"Come on! I told you we will be meeting just for work. Don't hope for anything else!" I say blocking my mouth with food so I just choke and she changes the subject.

"It all starts somehow!" she continues.

"Oh, he loved you work on my hair. He said once his hair is longer he will come for something similar!" trying to change the subject.

"Of course he can!" she exclaims "If he takes good care of you!" she adds.

"Anything I can do to get you to change the subject?" I beg.

"Hmmmm.." she is organizing my clothes "take me for din… oh-oh, what we have here?" she is holding the photograph from earlier.

"Shit!!" I shout. "It's not what it looks like, we were discussing the event ideas and the café shop owner took a picture and there so many other pictures hanged on the window. Really, it is…"

"Shuuuush" she says blocking my mouth with her hand "This will be hanged in this wall!" she sticks it on the wall opposing me. "There! So you can see how lovely this feeling is whenever you wake up!" she laughs.

"God please save me!"

"You look cute together. Plus, you are matching outfits!!"

"I swear it was a coincidence! I didn't even notice that until the waitress mentioned it!" I cry "Pleaaaase let's cut this!"

"Okay fine. Teasing you is not fun anymore. It turned into reality!" she continues laughing.

"Clara!!!"

"FINE! But hey, if that's how it goes, should I start teasing you on how rich you are? You will become rich and we will share the profits!" she jokes.

"You dummy!" I hug her. Then go back to finish my lunch and take a deep nap because I haven't slept well due to some people!