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Oh sweet caffeine to start the day
Always loved cafes but yours was not the same
Merlin entered the cozy coffee shop and joined the queue. He had never heard of the place before, let alone been here previously. It was thanks to a last-minute Google search for a place to grab a quick drink before going to his first job as a medical lab technologist. The shop, named Caffè Camelot, was tucked in a busy shoplot area opposite the hospital he would work at. He hoped the cafe’s online reviews were accurate, then he can easily get his daily caffeine fix.
“Next, please.” A cheerful voice called out to Merlin. It was his turn to place an order. His gaze moved from the cafe interior to the till. It was then he noticed the cashier, a stunning woman with raven hair and moonlight skin. Her deep red lips curled into a smile as he stepped towards the counter. “Hi, what can I get you?”
“Hi, yeah, could I have one caramel cream frappe please?” He answered. He felt compelled to stare deeply at her emerald eyes which seemed to shine as bright as the Sun. He could barely state his order just now, feeling like he was in a trance.
“Sure thing.” She put down his order after he confirmed that was all. “And your name?”
“Merlin.”
“A fitting name for a sweet drink.” The young man felt his cheeks flush warm at that remark.
You've got me feeling some kind of way
A kind that won’t just stay & stray away
Ever since that day, Merlin would often visit Caffè Camelot and order a regular Caramel Cream frappe before his shift. He would normally order his drink as a takeaway and head straight to the hospital, but now he found himself coming in much earlier: just to be able to sit in the corner of the bustling cafe and admire the woman he came to know as Morgana.
She started to remember the charmingly cute man and his order for the past few days. She found an odd sense of joy from calling his name when his drink was prepared, watching as Merlin walked up to her and flashed her a brilliant smile. There were times when she tried a bit of light flirting during his orders to test the waters, but he would always deflect it - whether out of politeness or obliviousness, she could not tell.
Even as he sat down to enjoy his drink, she caught several glimpses of his sky blue eyes staring at her. When he did get caught though, he quickly looked away as if nothing had happened. His blushed face said otherwise.
She’s the girl of my dreams
She’s so sweet, my caramel cream
Each time I sip, I rewind
I can’t believe, she’s outta my dreams
Merlin found his shifts to be very tiring, and he would arrive back at his flat in a state of exhaustion. Looking out his window at the night sky was a way for him to calm his mind after a day’s work. For some reason, this time he was reminded of Morgana. To him, she was as beautiful as the Moon surrounded by stars. It was not only her looks that nurtured his feelings for her, but her small quirks and witty personality. She was kind but also bold and playful, one time asking him if he was seeing anybody and then dropping the subject by talking back about his order.
The lovesick lad picked up the lyre harp he bought recently. He mindlessly played a simple tune, and cringed when he struck a note that was higher than it should be. It might need a bit of tuning, he thought.
Stayed up all night to count the stars
Played a wrong chord on this guitar
In another flat, Morgana was slumped on her sofa as she watched a movie on the television. Her cat was curled next to her, sleeping softly and unaware of its butler’s train of thoughts. She could not focus on the movie.
“He’s a handsome guy honestly. Do you think he likes me or am I just imagining things?” Morgana asked her feline friend. It only purred in response.
“Well, he would definitely need to tell me himself.” She enjoyed teasing her favourite customer, but a woman can’t be expected to do everything herself.
And I know you wouldn’t mind if our fingers intertwined
And I hope you work on us like overtime
“Right, so I met this girl at the cafe the other day and I thought she’s pretty cute, but I don’t know what to do about it.” Merlin explained to his friends.
“You just go and get her social, Merls. Life is way too short to be overthinking about this kind of stuff.” Gwaine, the “love expert” of the gang, replied.
“You think so, Gwaine?”
“Yeah, mate, deffo. Why would I ever lie?”
“Yeah but, how will I know if I’m ready though?”
“Well, how will you ever know when you’re really ready?” Lancelot spoke up, patting a supportive hand on Merlin’s shoulder.
“Good point, Lance.”
“Hmm, your input, Percy?” Elyan asked the tallest of the group, who seemed to be deeply engrossed with his phone, no doubt another “cute” frog video.
“Uh, what were you guys talking about again?”
“Percival!” Everyone else yelled in playful frustration.
Today is the day, Merlin thought. With steely resolution, he told himself that he will ask Morgana for a date.
“Hello, Merlin. Caramel cream as usual?”
“Yep.” He responded. As she tapped in his order, he nervously gulped and spoke again. “Um… Morgana?”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out sometime… Or if I could have your social media for a chat… If you want to, that is.” Merlin could feel his ears warm up like fire as he struggled to get the question out. He gave her a nervous smile as his eyes looked around everywhere but hers.
“Hmm.” Morgana considered his proposal with a curious look. Merlin thought he had seen her eyes light up, but like the breeze it was immediately gone. “I’m flattered that you asked.”
“Is that a yes then?” He was not sure why, but the question came out suddenly. He hoped it did not come across as him being desperate.
“Your order will be ready shortly.” Was her cool reply, paired with that heart-grabbing smirk of hers. She turned around and started making the drink, and Merlin felt his soul fall flat across the floor. Her answer was puzzling to him, considering that she shot him so many hints previously. Perhaps she was finally tired of his lack of reciprocation?
After a while, Merlin heard his name being called. He got up from his seat and headed to the collection area, where a tall cup filled with a smooth beige-coloured drink and drizzled brown syrup awaited him. As he picked up his order, he noticed a piece of paper stuck to it. A message was scribbled on the paper in blue cursive ink:
Took you long enough, Merlin.
@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With his heart beating fast, Merlin looked up to where Morgana was standing. Although she was busy preparing other orders, she glanced at him and gave him a wink.
Because I’m wondering
If I’m living in a fantasy,
‘Cause now it seems to be
You’re the only one I see