It was a tiring day at work. He missed his friends, and it wasn't easy for him to make new ones. He longed to talk to someone, but there wasn't anyone. So he went to the coffee shop.
It was crowded even though it was quite late. As he was led to a table, he glanced around, hoping to find a familiar face. He knew it was unlikely, he didn't know anybody in the city, and yet, he hoped. His coffee arrived in a while and he found solace and distraction in a book he started reading.
It was a while before he could trace the source of the high-pitched giggle. She was in the corner seat, with a bunch of guys, very visibly basking in the glow of their attentions. They seemed to be working, with their laptop computers out, and graphs and charts on display, but he could see it wasn't really the gadgets that held the attention of the men around her. They were serious for a while and then someone would make a joke, just for her, and she would giggle, and admonish him for getting distracted from his work.
He had been in the shop for more than a couple of hours now. Three coffees, and more brownies later, the book no longer interested him. He peeked at her over the top of the book, and he envied the men around her. He knew enough to believe that love never happened at first sight, or second sight; he had had long arguments with his friends differentiating between love and lust. But now, 'if there is something called love,' he thought, 'this must be it.'
It wasn't long before love turned to frustration, and then to anger. He knew he wasn't handsome; he wasn't very rich. He was just a regular guy with a great sense of humor and good manners. He was quite sure this didn't count for much with a girl. 'And,' he thought, 'she wouldn't notice my virtues if she never talks to me.' He wished he was good-looking, so she would possibly find him attractive enough to find excuses to get to know him.
He felt he had destroyed the purpose of his visit - he wanted to unwind after a long, hard day, and had ended up falling in love with an unknown woman and feeling miserable about not being able to do anything about it. He beckoned for the check, and got up to leave. As he turned around, she ran to him and jumped up to hug him. "Didn't you recognize me? Shameless, forgetful fellow. You really forgot me, didn't you? You never forgot to steal my lunch during lunch break at school, did you? Now I shall have my revenge. You have to take me to dinner tomorrow, and perhaps a movie. But have to say you're sorry first."
