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Working as a barista kept Kaveh on his toes for most of his shift. There were very few times where the number of customers would slow down, since nearly every person needed a caffeine fix at some point in their daily routine. It was a job that kept the man very busy, and it helped to pay the bills while his other pursuits hadn’t quite taken off yet. After attending college and racking up far too much debt in loans, Kaveh ended up dropping out once he realized he had only gone to university because it was the "logical" next step after taking a few gap years off.
Nowadays, he was finishing up an online course on interior design and attempting to find a way to get his name out into the world. It was more of a passion project for Kaveh, and he knew it was a gamble. Yet, it was worth it to follow his dreams. If it meant working double shifts at a local coffee shop in order to afford his bills and chase after his ideal future, Kaveh was willing to make that sacrifice.
During his time at the café, Kaveh had met his fair share of regulars. It was common practice to learn some of the orders of folks who visited the shop on a frequent basis. While there were plenty of unique people that passed in and out of their doors, one man stuck out in particular every time he stopped inside. The gentleman had left a funny first impression on Kaveh, which he still reflected upon every time he came up to the counter.
This customer had silver hair that was neatly combed with a few strands sticking out from the wind. His expression read stern or serious, and his green eyes often were frequently hidden behind the hardcover of a book. His wardrobe was incredibly fancy for a small café, too. He was overdressed in full suits or at least buttoned collared blouses with ties every time he came. Carrying a briefcase or leather satchel, he spoke very few words besides a muffled greeting with his order.
The first time that Kaveh met the stranger, he had been slightly irritated by his aloof disposition. Begrudgingly, he had given his name—Alhaitham—for the order. He was far from friendly during their exchange at the counter, and he didn’t even leave a tip. Plus, Kaveh noticed a pair of headphones wrapped around his neck that stuck out like a sore thumb. As soon as Alhaitham walked down the counter to retrieve his finished cappuccino, the man slid the headphones onto his ears to block out any sound. It was rather rude since the barista still had to call out his order, but the odd man managed to hear him and fetch his drink with a silent nod before retreating to a table in the corner of the shop.
Afterwards, Kaveh was sidetracked with completing a line of orders that came in shortly after Alhaitham. He was not positive how much time passed, but when the rush ended he noticed the other gentleman leaving his table. Alhaitham tossed out his empty cup, then went towards the counter where Kaveh had been wiping down the machines. Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out a few bills and folded them into Kaveh’s tip jar.
Accidentally making eye contact, Kaveh blushed and mumbled. “Oh! Thank you, sir. H-Have a good rest of your day.”
Raising a brow, Alhaitham shrugged and put his wallet away. “It was a good cup today. Farewell.”
The goodbye was a little rushed and standoffish, but Kaveh appreciated the gesture. He watched as Alhaitham left the café, then glanced at the tip jar. His eyes widened when he noticed the larger bills he had been left were worth more than the drink’s price on its own. The distant behavior and speech did not match with the generosity of his tip. Thus, Kaveh was confused and intrigued by this customer that would soon come to be one of his regulars.
Ever since their first meeting, Kaveh grew excited when he saw Alhaitham pop into the shop. He tried to keep their conversations strictly professional, which wasn’t difficult since the other man was not much of a talker at the counter. Instead, the barista would ogle him from afar while preparing other drinks. He stole glances in Alhaitham’s direction whenever he stayed inside the café, sipping on his typical cappuccino order. He never changed his drink choice, so Kaveh began ringing him up and preparing the drink early so it would be ready by the time he arrived at the register when there was not a huge line.
While Alhaitham never offered many words in return to Kaveh, he did leave a generous tip after finishing his cup every single time. He never did it beforehand, which had seemed odd at first. However, Kaveh came to realize that the handsome customer preferred to tip only after he was satisfied with his coffee. Kaveh did find that to be a pinch ridiculous and selfish, but Alhaitham never forgot to leave him cash in the tip jar. He did not have much room for complaint at that point.
At a certain point, Kaveh grew more brave. He tried to flirt with the gentleman in a subtle manner. He would always offer a pretty smile, flutter his lashes, or even twirl a strand of his hair while giving an order. Unfortunately, Alhaitham did not seem to understand any of his gestures, and he did not stick around the counter long enough for a chance to have a meaningful conversation. It was always short and abrupt, usually pertaining to small talk like the weather.
Some of Kaveh’s coworkers suggested that he simply place his number on a receipt or the bottom of the coffee cup, but the barista refused. It felt weird to force his number onto the other gentleman. He wanted their relationship to spark naturally, or else it wasn’t meant to be. He would try his best to catch Alhaitham’s attention without seeming desperate.
One trick that Kaveh did utilize that went unnoticed was his skill with foam art. He had been practicing for months, and he was getting relatively good at making small little pictures at the tops of lattes or cappuccinos. Most of the time they went unnoticed since he had to cap them off for the majority of his customers, but the few souls who decided to lounge inside the café would praise his handiwork. Eventually, Kaveh was bold enough to begin creating little hearts on the top of Alhaitham’s coffee. He knew the man never saw it as he drank from one of their to-go disposable cups, but it was a way to express his crush on Alhaitham.
* * * * *
On an inconsequential Monday afternoon, Alhaitham arrived at the coffee shop as per usual for his lunch break. He was relieved to find it moderately busy but not fully packed. He slipped into the line with ease, pulling out his phone to respond to texts he had ignored while at the office. He only glanced up once, but he caught sight of the same employee who always worked during his visits. The blonde had his hair up in a ponytail, and he was currently ringing up another customer. He seemed rather tired, but he still had his usual cheerful disposition that forced its way out while greeting customers.
When he turned around to prepare the order, Alhaitham shamefully admired him from behind. He stared at the back of his apron, lowering his eyes towards the taut leggings Kaveh wore to his shift. When he realized he was staring at the barista’s plump rear, Alhaitham quickly ducked his head down to hide behind his phone screen. He would rather die than get caught yearning for some pretty boy he barely even knew.
The line continued to move forward one at a time, and soon enough Alhaitham reached the front. He stood before the counter, greeted by the barista Kaveh with his nametag pinned neatly on the strap of his apron. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, not wishing to be rude while placing his order.
“Afternoon…” He spoke calmly as Kaveh began writing with a permanent marker on a coffee cup.
“Welcome to Puspa Cafe! How may I best serve you today?” Kaveh asked with a chipper tone of voice. He had a few strands of hair loosely hanging around his face that had escaped his ponytail during a busy morning rush.
“A cappuccino. No additions or changes. That is all.” Alhaitham answered, pulling out a few bills to hand over to Kaveh. He knew the total by heart, and he did not need to wait and hear it.
“Alright, sir. The name for the order is Alhaitham, correct?” Kaveh was already scribbling it down before the regular nodded his head. His fingers touched the keys of the register, ringing up the order with ease. He exchanged the funds, placing them into the drawer with a soft chime as he closed the sale. “I will have that out in a moment. Thanks for your continued patronage!”
Without another word, Alhaitham walked down the counter towards the pick-up station. He waited behind a few other people who were also patiently awaiting their name being called out. Gazing around the room, he was relieved that most of the customers were taking their orders to go. The tables were relatively empty with only a handful of couples or singular guests occupying different areas in the café. Alhaitham also noticed a small circular table towards the front window that was open and clean, so he decided to choose that one as his own spot.
“Order for Alhaitham!” Kaveh called out, needing to be heard over the soft jazz overhead and chattering of guests. He placed a top on the cup swiftly, then set the cappuccino on the counter top.
Slipping through the crowd, Alhaitham was surprised his coffee had finished so quickly. Perhaps it was due to being a simple order? He wasn’t certain, but he did not bother thinking too hard about it. Silently, he took his cup and grabbed onto the cardboard cover that protected his palm from the heat. Walking over to an open seat, he sat beside the window and stared outside at the rain that had just started. It gently beat against the glass, leaving droplets that slid down the window.
“Hmm…” He hummed to himself, a bit surprised by the weather. Precipitation had a low chance, so he had not brought an umbrella. He hoped that this gentle storm would clear and blow over by the time his break ended. It would be a pain to get his suit wet.
Reaching for his cup, Alhaitham grabbed at the top. However, he felt the lid slipping as he lifted the cappuccino. Reacting instantaneously, he placed the cup back down as the lid popped off of the top. The flimsy plastic lid sat in his hand, but luckily his coffee had not tilted over or spilled.
It was at that moment that Alhaitham noticed something different about his cappuccino. The foam at the top had been decorated in the shape of a heart. It was near flawless in execution. He stared at it in awe, surprised by the sight of such intricate foam art beneath a plastic top. His chest grew a bit too tight, and his pulse began thumping loud enough to echo in his ears. Lifting his head to stare back at the counter, his stomach began to flood with the fluttering wings of butterflies. Kaveh had been the one to complete his order. He had seen him preparing the cappuccino, but he had missed this special touch.
Why had the barista gone through such effort to decorate his cappuccino if he was going to cap it off? Also, why had he chosen a heart of all designs? Was it…purposeful?
Closing his eyes, Alhaitham took a deep breath. He had to consider the facts carefully, or else he might make a fool of himself. There was a chance that he was suffering from confirmation bias and seeing only what he wished to observe since he found Kaveh attractive. Yet, that did not seem likely. Alhaitham was not the type of man to be biased or ignore facts. He cared about the truth, whether it agreed with any of his preconceived notions or not.
Surveying the room, he tried to see if any of the other guests within the café had a similar design in their cups. There were none in his line of sight. Alhaitham also saw Kaveh away from the counter; he was wiping down a few tables with a washcloth. Across the room, the two men made eye contact. Both froze in place for a few seconds, staring back at one another.
Squinting his eyes, Kaveh caught on to the fact that the plastic lid was sitting in Alhaitham’s hand. At first, he thought nothing of it. People often opened their cups to add extra sugar or cream at their self-serve station. Then, it slowly dawned on him. His jaw opened and grew slack in shock as he placed the pieces together. Alhaitham never wanted excess sugar or cream in his cappuccino, so Kaveh never worried about him pulling the top off of his cups. That meant he was safe to place foolish designs on his cappuccinos to express the hidden desires in his heart.
Now, the cup was open. His cheesy foam art of a heart was on full display for Alhaitham to see.
Kaveh was overwhelmed with dread, so he quickly ducked away behind the counter. He had to hide and avoid making any more eye contact with Alhaitham. He felt ashamed for flirting so openly with a customer during his shift. He could get fired for that, and he needed this job badly. Hiding behind his coworkers, he did his best to stay out of Alhaitham’s line of sight for the rest of the time he was inside the shop.
Meanwhile, Alhaitham was stunned by Kaveh’s rapid dash to the counter. His view of the blonde was obscured for the rest of his break, which did leave him disappointed. While the coffee here was more than acceptable, he did stop here as an excuse to see the beautiful barista quite often.
However, he began analyzing these strange behaviors from Kaveh as if he were looking at a case in his legal office. The wide crimson eyes, nervous mannerisms, and bashful behavior were all signs of guilt. So what was Kaveh feeling guilty about then? The signs all pointed to one simple conclusion.
Kaveh was trying to flirt with Alhaitham by drawing a heart in his cup, but he had never planned to let his intentions be known. Hence, it was locked underneath the plastic lid.
A genuine smile crossed Alhaitham’s face as he sipped from his cappuccino. It tasted ten times better than usual with such knowledge in his heart. He decided to wait until his departure to make his own move.
Savoring his break by drinking his coffee slowly, Alhaitham got up from his seat once he reached his last sip. He went to toss out the cup and head back to the front counter where the tip jar sat. He approached it with his wallet out, but he paused before depositing the funds. Slipping the bills into the jar, he reached for a napkin and pulled out a pen from his pocket. He began scribbling a note, then cleared his throat to grab the attention of Kaveh in the corner.
“O-Oh! Did you need anything, sir?” Kaveh shyly walked over to the counter, glancing at the jar to avoid staring into those enchanting green eyes.
“I simply wished to offer my gratitude for another perfect cappuccino. You make the best ones in town.” He commented, clicking his pen closed and folding the napkin. “Although, there was something off about it.”
“Ah! Was it too strong? Watered down? Too much steamed milk?” Kaveh speculated, stammering over his words. He was afraid of this confrontation, but he braced himself for the worst.
Alhaitham shook his head, then placed the napkin on the counter. He gently slid it over towards Kaveh. “No, the taste was immaculate. I simply noticed some…ah, latte art? It was rather cute in the shape of a heart. Pretty flirtatious, too.”
Kaveh’s face began to heat up with a pink hue that covered his cheeks. He looked aside, nervously tugging on the bottom of his apron. “S-Sorry! I uhh, I like to practice my umm—my skills. It will not happen again.”
“Is that all? Here I thought you were flirting with a customer. Stuttering and blushing as you are.” Alhaitham grinned at Kaveh, catching him off guard. “Perhaps a tad unprofessional, but I have no major complaints about it. I wanted to simply warn you that others might not be so kind.”
Wishing to shrink on the spot, Kaveh’s heart sunk into his gut like a rock. “...Of course. My apologies. I…I will do my best to stay professional.”
“Have a good rest of your day then.” Alhaitham said, then glanced down at the napkin once more before leaving the register. He left Puspa Café, quickly scurrying off to his car to avoid the rainfall.
Once the coast was clear, Kaveh exhaled loudly and reached for the napkin. He went into the backroom, hiding away as there were no customers on the floor. Unfolding the napkin, he gawked at the sight of a handwritten note left inside. He did not believe what he was reading.
Kaveh,
I suppose I should have noticed your attempts at flirting sooner. That is my fault. I do not regularly engage in these types of activities. Still, I wish to set the record straight. It is improper for a customer and employee to flirt openly during a shift, so here is my number. If you have any interest in seeing me outside of the shop, text or call me when I’m out of my office. I will list my hours below. If I receive no correspondence, I will take that as a rejection and misjudgment on my part.
Alhaitham
Blown away by the note, Kaveh nearly ripped it from the tight grip he held on the napkin. He could barely process this news! Alhaitham was not grossed out by his poor attempts at flirting. In fact, he expressed an interest in meeting together for a real date! He took out his phone and shakily entered the number into his contacts. He had to think of a message to send tonight. It was best to strike while the iron was still hot. Kaveh had never been the type to play hard to get.
Hearing the sound of a bell ringing above the doorway, he popped back out to serve a new customer. Reciting his greeting, Kaveh began going through the motions of completing the order. He had the rest of his shift to contemplate the perfect text to send to Alhaitham. He couldn’t mess this up!
Squeezing a few flavor shots into a cup, he felt a bubble of excitement bursting out of his chest. This had to be the best shift he had ever worked. His love life was looking mighty bright as he carried the napkin in his pocket, smiling all afternoon.