The time it took for the barista to serve the girl was far more agonizing than the forty-five minutes that Loki had already been waiting.  His skin prickled as he watched her.  She hadn’t seemed to notice him yet, though she had looked around when she entered. He silently scolded himself for picking such an inconspicuous table to sit at; Loki was sitting at the table nearest the door so he could easily watch who entered and left the café.  However, this table was hardly noticeable to anyone entering, partly because a pillar enclosed it into a sort of nook, but also because when one entered they usually would head strait to the counter and not look behind them.

The girl plucked her coffee from the refrigerated display case the barista had set it on and dumped a few coins on the counter beside the hulking cash register, not bothering to get her change.  She once again looked around at the moderately full café.  It had a fairly easy to navigate lay out, black, marble tables, with either 4 or 2 black stools that were arranged next to windows in an ‘L’ shape around the counter; Which included a fortress of espresso machines, pots of coffee a wall of pastry cubbies, a sandwich station cut off from the world by a sneeze-guard and a small spot filled by the register and several dirty plates that were awaiting collection and cleaning.  The walls were a tan colour, smothered by black patterns and stripes, and the ceiling was painted black with menus scrawled across it in colourful chalk.  Hanging plants and small potted trees added life and a blaze of colour preventing the café from appearing small.

Finally the girl turned in Loki’s direction and swinging her purse that had been slipping off her shoulder back into place she shuffled over to the table sheepishly.She wasn’t thin, nor was she over weight, one could aptly describe her as ‘curvy’ she had long dark brown hair that fell to her mid back and  carried herself in an easy-going manner.  She put her coffee down on the table along with her wallet, which she had been clutching to her chest.  A playful but embarrassed grin tugged at her lips.

Loki watched her little shuffle and his quivering facial muscles triumphed over his defiant mouth, drawing the edges up into a smile.  Relief that she hadn’t forgotten him had washed over him and now he was just enjoying the elation of seeing her.  

“Sorry I’m so late.”  She said with a silly laugh as she slid-hopped on to the stood opposing Loki.  She took the top off her coffee and blew on it absently.  “ I must have lost my wallet when I went to that movie with you and Grant on Friday.  I spent like half and hour looking for it.”  She hunched and looked at the table, but remained gay.  “ How are you?”  She looked up at him smiling widely again remaining perpetually cheerful.

“ Good…  Good.”  Loki picked at the lid on his coffee; it made a hollow clicking noise.  Something inside him twinged when she mentioned the movie.  He thought back to Grants arm around her shoulder and a lump lodged itself firmly in his throat.  Paranoia once again tingled the back of his neck.  “ I’m just glad you came.  Don’t worry about being late…” He groped for a way to bring up the movie without just attacking the subject and coming of a prying.

The girl leaned against the pillar next to the table glancing out the picture window at the intersection busy with cars and pedestrians going about their Sunday business as she continued to absently blow on her coffee.  Then she met his eyes with hers, he was instantly sucked into their warm chocolate depths, the noise of other conversations, clink of cutlery, and cups on marble became muffled and his breath quickened unconsciously.

“ I’m so sorry about turning you into a third wheel” Her gaiety was gone and she was all emotion, all remorse now.  Her dark expressive eyebrows arched and her brow furrowed.  “ I really didn’t mean it to happen that way.”  She paused and looked at the table searching for words.  She looked up again and pushed off the pillar to lean on the tabletop toward him.  “ There was the whole situation with Shawn, and I was just…  I didn’t mean it to seem the way it did.  Grant was there… and I was tired and upset.  You understand…  Right?”

Loki almost sagged with relief.  He did understand he just wished she had leaned on him for comfort.  So long had he watched her, and either, had not been able, or not brave (or drunk) enough to tell her his feelings.  But, if leaning on Grant hadn’t been a gesture of intimacy, then perhaps he still had a chance.  His mind whirled at a million miles a second to try and think of the right words and the right context; while at the same time he tried to carry on the conversation.

“ Yeah I understand.  I just felt kind of weird, I thought you guys were hooking up.”  At this she crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out shaking her head and her long chestnut hair fall into her face, she quickly pushed it back into place.  He smiled wider and looked down at his coffee, taking a sip, taking his hat off, and running his hand through his hair and setting the old thing on the table top between them.  She began to babble about movies what had been on TV the night before and he nodded, smiled, and brooded inside him self running over all the ways to tell someone “I care.”