‘I hate feeling like this so much.’ Noah looks at himself in the bathroom mirror and washes his hands thoroughly. ‘I like him don’t I? Oh shit. Maybe that’s the problem. Aah now I have to decide what I wanna do. Proclaim my undying love? Yeah, no. Probably just ask him on another date. Although even that sounds crazy for some reason. Why am I torturing myself?’ Noah asks himself. ‘Let’s go back and not think about it and everything will be fine.’ He inspects his face for signs of panic, but he looks surprisingly calm. ‘Ugh I’m kinda nauseous. Isn’t it a good thing that things are going well? Then why am I feeling this way? I don’t understand.’ Noah dries his hands and makes his way back to the one and only couch of the cafe. The couch where he is sitting.

“Welcome back, cuteness”, André says. “I ordered you more coffee”. He nonchalantly gestures towards the fresh cappuccinos on the coffee table in front of them. 

‘I have to bail’, Noah jokingly thinks. ‘He’s the perfect man.’ Noah sits down next to André and grabs the cup. “Thanks so much.” He takes a sip. ‘Maybe I can put my hand on his hand? Mmm, maybe not. I don’t wanna go too fast. I’ll talk about something instead.’ “You know, I shouldn’t have picked a cafe a block away from my college. I know two of the people here, and vaguely recognized even more.”

“How dreadful. I’m surprised you made it to the restroom and back in one piece.”

“I almost didn’t. I made eye contact with one of them.”  

“Wow, that's bad.”

“I know! If a conversation had broken out, I think the world would have ended.”

“Thank you for saving the world by not talking to people, Noah. You’re a true hero.” André seizes the opportunity by putting his arm around Noah and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Noah doesn’t mind. At all.

“Haha you are welcome.”

‘Maybe this isn’t that bad after all’, Noah thinks. Rain starts pouring down. The people on the street quickly scatter to the sides of the pavement in a desperate effort to stay dry. Rain drops drip down on the outside of the glass. “Shit”, Noah says out loud. 

“I think it’s kind of beautiful.”

‘Just like you’, Noah thinks. ‘Oh whyyy can’t I say that out loud? It would have been perfect, but now the moment has passed.’

“Are you okay?” André asks.

“Yes, yes! I just worry a little about getting home. With the rain and all, haha.”

“I’ll walk you home. I have an umbrella.”

“How are you so good at this? That was so smooth.” Noah laughs and takes some sips of coffee.”

“Years and years of practice”, André says with a melodramatic sigh. “It’s been rough.”

“Yes, it sounds rough, uhum.”

“I honestly don’t think I’m that good at dating though. I mostly just do and say what’s on my mind, which means I don’t actually click with most guys I go on dates with. The last few guys weren’t great.”

“It’s too bad that the guys sucked, but good for me so yay.”

“That’s a good way of looking at it haha. I don’t have regrets. And I think it’s a lot more chill to try and fail than pretending to be someone you’re not.”

“Yes it is. I try not to do that, but trying is already kind of an obstacle.”

“Yeah. You are quite bad at this.”

“What! No I’m not!” Noah playfully punches André on the arm and laughs. “I’m a dating master I’ll have you know.”

“Haha ow, okay I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

“I’m a super mega Casanova.”

“Apologies my all knowing dating master. Please share your wisdom with me.”

“Yeah I massively overcompensated.”

“Whaat?”

“I haven’t actually been on dates with someone I wasn’t friends with beforehand.”

“Really?”

Yep, you’re the first.”

“That honestly sounds really nice. I don’t think I’ve ever dated a friend.”

“Mmm, well it’s nice when you’re dating, but the breakups really really suck. I’ve lost some great friends because of that.”

“I can imagine. Dating friends also seems kind of terrifying.”

“This feels like as good a time as any to tell you that I technically live with an ex. But she is from my straight era so take that as you will.”

“Oeh lala, you had a girlfriend? Spicy.”

“I actually came out in that relationship. She was really nice about it, but we did break up after that.”

“Yeah, coming out will do that.”

“In my defense, I did really like her. She’s great! I think I did have a crush on her. Just more of a friend crush.”

“It’s cute you guys are still friends. You two sound super wholesome.”

“We aaare.” Noah finishes the last of his coffee, “Are you friends with any of your exes?”

“Sort of. There’s this guy who became a part of this friend group I’m in. We’re on good terms, but I haven’t really hung out with him one on one in a long time.”

“That sounds okay, but also a little awkward maybe.”

“It’s fine. Maybe with some more time we can become friends.”

“I hope you do. It’d probably make chillin with your friends more fun.”

“Man, you are nice.”

“Yep.” Noah looks content. “You wanna get outta here?”

“Yeah sure.” Noah and André get up and grab their stuff.

“I’ll pay. It’s my treat.”

“Oh I already did when you went to the bathroom.”

“Meeeeeeh.”

“Hahaha you are very welcome.”

“No, it’s great! Thank you. But I wanna pa next time.”

“I’ll just have to go on a second date with you then.”

“Yeah I think that would be best.” They leave the cafe. “Thanks for taking me home, André.”

“My pleasure.”