Sammy smiled. “Hey there. Can I help you with something?”
“Ah - yes, actually,” Rafael said. “Sorry, this is probably a weird question, but do you remember me?”
From where I stood, I could see both of their expressions perfectly. Unfortunately, that meant I saw the disappointment in Rafael’s face when Sammy shook his head.
This is already not going well for Raf,I thought.At least Sammy doesn’t seem skeezed out.
“Sorry,” Sammy said.
“It’s okay,” Rafael replied. “You probably get so many customers, it’s understandable.”
Sammy tilted his head. “Did you forget something at the café, or…?”
Rafael laughed a little too loud. “Oh, no, um. Actually, I came here to see you.”
Sammy’s brows raised. “Me? What for?”
“Maybe this is too forward of me, but, um… I was wondering if you’d like to go get a coffee sometime?” Rafael said.
Sammy blinked. “At the café? We have coffee inside, if that’s what you mean.”
Oh no.It was like watching a car wreck - awful, but I couldn’t look away.
“N-no, I mean…” Rafael laughed nervously. “I mean, us going somewhere else. Like, um…”
I almost wanted to shut my eyes and ears so I didn’t have to experience the rest of this horrible scene.
Rafael finally got the words out. “Like on a date?”
The silence that followed was wretched. I almost regretted allowing Rafael to go through with this. I felt a flood of sympathy for my friend - who had not only embarrassed himself, but would probably never set foot in the café after this again - but also for Sammy, who had to deal with this. I braced myself, ready to intervene.
“Oh,” Sammy finally said, like he finally registered Rafael’s question. “You want to go on a date withme?”
I was surprised Rafael’s voice didn’t crack when he said, “Yes?”
Then Sammy laughed - but it wasn’t cruel or mocking. Even Rafael looked confused instead of hurt.
“W-what?” Rafael asked.
Sammy wiped a tear from his eye. “Sorry. I’m not laughing at you. Um, I must have given you the wrong idea. I’m actually straight.”
Both Rafael and I’s jaws dropped.
“You - you are?” Rafael sputtered.
Sammy nodded. “Yep. I have an alpha girlfriend. Sorry, man.”
Rafael was too stunned to reply.
“I probably do give off that kind of gay vibe though,” Sammy said with another laugh. “I will say though, you definitely have balls to ask me out like that. I’d be way too nervous to ask out a stranger.”
“Right,” Rafael mumbled, his face entirely red.
“Well, I’m still on company time, so I’m gonna go enjoy my break,” Sammy said with a smile. “See you.”
He walked away, and the both of us just stood there dumbfounded. Finally, we both broke into raucous laughter. It was what we both needed - to let go of our wound-up feelings and justlaugh.
“I can’t believe that just happened,” I said.
“That was crazy,” Rafael agreed.
I was glad to see him smiling, even though his big idea had ended up the way it did.
But our moment of joy was short lived when a familiar voice yelled at us from down the street.
“Hey, you! What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
