HE WAS LEFT ALONE  in the park with his hand stretched out as his eyes trailed after the silhouette of Beau running away from him, speechlessly. Mylo pulled his hand back, sighing in frustration. It’s been a long month for him.

Mylo thought back to the day he first found the notes.

He was on the way home from a long day of lectures and projects. He passed by many small shops and cafes but something always keeps drawing him back to the same place. LoveStruck coffee shop the place he frequented so much he became a regular customer there. The manager always greeted him with a smile even when the place was packed with people. Another reason would be the sweet hunk of a guy that made his drinks occasionally. Brown curly hair that always seemed messy, it made him want to run his finger through them and when he picks up his drink, hazel green eyes would meet his.

At first Mylo didn’t know his name, he was always curious but didn’t want to overstep by flirting with him so he secretly called him Puppy barista. The guy’s taller than him yet he was like a cute puppy. Whenever Mylo was there the guy was all over the place working. It was interesting to watch him as he did his job sometimes, when he thinks no one is looking he would take a break or he be rushing to help his manager. Mylo was always amused by his antics and would catch himself staring or his eyes would linger on him.

Then one day he found it, the note. It was hidden in his bag along with his blueberry muffin. At first he was confused it didn’t really register what it actually was until he saw the drawing and a few words. It wasn’t a corny pick up line or cheesy quote. It was: You look exhausted. I hope you have a better day!

Mylo had sat there staring at the note. Was he flattered? Maybe. Was it creepy? Definitely but it was also slightly cute.

He was also a bit anxious. If it was a girl, he’ll have to turn them down as gently as he could. And if it’s a guy, well he didn’t know what to do.

He had to be attracted to the person to even think of starting something and currently he wasn’t sure if he was ready for a relationship and he would feel guilty to start one when clearly, he wasn’t ready. So, he made up his mind to find out who it was, first.

 He was suspicious about who the secret admirer was so Mylo had spent a lot of time watching the staff discreetly, but he actually had trouble figuring out who it was at first. It always looked like there wasn’t even an opening for them to sneak them in the bags.

At first, he thought it was the manager.

He’s tall, a bit lanky bit not skinny and sweet smile.  Older than him but he wasn’t Mylo’s type. He’s the one handing him his bags at first, sometimes the girl did but it was hard to tell who it is.

Then a few days ago Mylo saw Beau at his part time job. The guy was looking for a gift and he was kind of disappointed thinking the Puppy barista had a girlfriend. He was surprised by his own sigh of relief when Beau denied it.

Maybe it was the Puppy.

“So, who was he?” His coworker asked him when the puppy guy left. Mylo smile slipped off his face, turning his attention to him. “No one that should interest you.” Mylo rolled his eyes and walked away. “Okay then. He’s hot though.” He said, Mylo could tell he was smirking. That slimy coworker of his was always eyeing the guys who occasionally would enter the too girly shop. He had to keep puppy barista away from him.

Mylo had spent the rest of his shift working with his mind filled with the possibility of Beau being his secret admirer. He has to admit he has been wishing deep down for it to be true. That’s when he realized he had a deeper interest in the guy than he thought. He almost hopeful for it to be the puppy.

Now here he was alone at the park, after the surprising discovery.

Mylo was on his way home and he saw B heading into the nearby park so he followed him on impulse. A bit too stalkerish part of him but he knew he might find out something.

Bad idea, but does he ever listen.

He followed from a distance and when he got the chance, Beau was silently walking looking around he realized that B probably just got off work. He stood still at a distance watching as B sat down and pulled out a book, no a sketchbook out of his bag.

Mylo stared; the concentration an B face made him wonder what he was drawing. So, he got closer slowly his eyes intently focused on B. His eyes slowly traced the guy’s face. The slightly pursed lips, and the sun kissed freckles of his nose barely noticeable. Mylo took the chance to stare at him without being caught.

Mylo found the silence relaxing, the stress he had been feeling the past couple of weeks slowly melted away that he closed his eyes for a moment to take in the fresh air. He had forgotten about the park. He was too busy with his own life to take a break and just sit somewhere like this. He was glad that he followed Beau even if it was a bad thing.

Beau sketched a lot of people walking by or sitting near him. The brunet had talent and Mylo almost asked him for a chance to look in his sketchbook. He didn’t want to distract Beau from his art. He knew better.

Then he noticed the more passionate yet gentle movement in the new sketch, like a sudden inspiration. He knew the feeling well as like when he would sudden draw a new sketch for designing.

At first, he watched curiously but slowly as the sketch formed a person a very familiar person he froze. His face heated up and looked away shyly. He groaned internally, is heartbeat speeds up, his eyes went from the sketch to Beau’s face.

All sort of emotions went through him at that moment but he wasn’t put off.

The need to speak to Beau rushed through him and a shiver ran down his spine. The realization settled in.

It was him.

Beau’s the secret admirer. The one who always wrote something nice that he couldn’t help but smile at even when he tried not to.

Beau is the one whose green hues would linger on him, making him heat up at times. Making him feel appreciated even when he wasn’t trying to impress anyone. It wasn’t like he never noticed he just was in denial.

The barista who would smile Mylo’s way as soon as he enters the coffee shop. Who would give him extra cinnamon and remembers his drink of choice. The one who made him smile even when he was so stressed with school work or noisy people around him.

It was him.

The words left his lips before he could stop himself.

“I knew it.” The glee and excitement in his own voice startled himself, yet when he actually looked at B, the smile that was on his face slowly faltered.

He messed up.

That thought coursed through his mind as his eyes followed B running away from him. The terrified expression didn’t leave his mind since that day.

“I messed up.”

Mylo spoke up; his friends peered his way confused. It’s been almost a week since it happened. Mylo went to the coffee shop only to find out Mylo took a few days off.

He sighed just thinking about it. The manager gave him apologetic smile.

“What did you do now?” Anissa his classmate and roommate asked him. They were having lunch together with their other friends and it was the first time he spoke since they sat down. The others moved a little away, knowing that it was a conversation between the two friends. Mylo always appreciated them for doing so.

“I messed up, Ann.” He sighed again slumping down in his seat. Maybe he should have waited before he spoke up at the park or he could ‘ve said something but he honestly doesn’t know him well in enough to know how Beau will react to anything he said. All he could remember is his sweet shy smile and green eyes.

“So, what happened?” Anissa tilted her head watching her friend having a meltdown. “Did you mess up a design or something?”

“No,” He sighed, sitting up, leaning his chin on his palm. “So, remember when I told you about the notes?” His eyes mostly stayed on the uneaten sandwich in front of him. Anissa hummed nodding her head. “Well, I found out who it is and I… might have… scared them off…?”

“What? Already?” Anissa burst out laughing in amusement. Mylo dropped his on the table in embarrassment. “Stop laughing… It’s not funny.” He mumbled glaring at the laughing woman. He watched her hold her stomach as she laughed loudly.

She laughed for a few more seconds before she stopped. By then Mylo was just staring at her annoyed. It was a usual thing between them, laughing at each other’s misery, although not the serious ones. “So, weren’t you going to reject them anyway? What the matter now?” Anissa asked him.

Mylo paused his glaring, his eyes moving away from his friend. She was right, he did plan to refuse the stranger but now it was different. It was Beau. He was in denial for a long time but now he knew he’s interested in Beau.

He’s interested in Beau since the day he saw the sweet smile on his face but it wasn’t like he was going to act on his fleeting attraction it’ll only end up with one of them hurting. So, he just appreciated the male. Now, he didn’t know what to do not after knowing Beau feels something for him.

“I… didn’t know it was him… now I’m not so sure anymore. I don’t’ want to start something half-assed and end up hurting him. I can’t — won’t — do something like that to him.” Mylo squeezed his eyes shut.

Anissa slapped his hand. “Snap out of it. Are you into him or not?” He flinched and rubbed the now slightly red hand. He made eye contact with hers and shrugged.

“Well, maybe… I mean he’s my type and… he’s nice, like really nice but I don’t know him besides him being a barista and younger than me.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Anissa rolled her eyes; she groaned in frustration. “Look, here kitty. Why not go to him and talk things out,” She shushed him when he opened his mouth to refute. “I don’t mean to start dating immediately. Just get to know each other and see where it goes.” She shrugged. “If it doesn’t work out, end things on a good note no hard feeling. It won’t be easy but love isn’t easy now, is it?”

“Give it a try. Listen to Ann for once.” Both of them turned the usually quiet bespectacled friend of theirs.

Anissa raised an eyebrow surprised. “I thought you weren’t listening.” The man shrugged turning back to his book. “Well, there you have it, Eli also agrees with me and he rarely does.”

Mylo pondered about his friend advice for the rest of the day.

That night he decided to give it a try.

So, there he was standing in front of the big glass doors of his favorite coffee shop, peering inside. Mylo spotted the man he was looking for cleaning the counter and talking to someone. Same sweet smile on his face although it didn’t really reach his eyes. What was bothering Mylo, was bothering him as well.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the doors open, the satisfying noise of the bell ring notifying those inside of a new costumer. Beau immediately noticed him, his face paled and he nervously eyed for a way to escape before he realized he was the only one worked at the cashier.

Mylo approached him. Tilting his head up, he made eye contact with Beau’s.

“Can we talk?”