You:
Yep. Can't sleep: <

Rico:
Same. Hmm, coffee?

You:
Right now?

Rico is calling ...

My forehead crumples. “Hey,” I answer.

“Hi, good morning.”

His voice hits differently! I don't know what's with morning hour that causes it to be much deeper than the usual. I feel like a baby being dragged. How he pronounces the words gives me a comfortable feeling.

I stretch my lips a mile wide. “Same to you. But what - I mean, where can we have coffee? ”

“Hmm, wait for me in front of your gate.”

Immediately my eyes widened. “What?”

“Come on, my treat. At the coffee shop,” he chuckles.

“Okay.”

I immediately run inside the bathroom to check my face. The bags under my eyes are obviously prominent. My cheeks are slightly painted in crimson. My lips, pale shade of pink. My shaggy hair is all over the place. I try to smooth it down with water coming from the faucet but it seems like nothing has changed. I am wearing a loose shirt and a baggy pajamas. In short, I am not presentable enough but I still hold on to decency.

After I grabbed my hoodie, I tried my best to sneak out. My heart is palpitating with so much anticipation. I successfully did it without disturbing my Mom. Even though it was deep here outside, accompanied by insects flying on the pole of a street light, I still couldn't tear the smile off my lips.

I'm nervous to know. I don’t know if I can control myself to show him how I feel. He doesn't know that I am hyper at these kind of hours. Even when I lack sleep. Even when I forgot to drink my hot chocolate. Even when the wind chills my spine and arms. Even when there are no stars visible at the sky, I see rainbows everywhere. It's scary to think it's not true.

“So fast. I was planning to throw pebbles against your window,” he speaks.

Rico is already here. I didn't even realize it. Maybe because his footsteps are lighter when wearing simple slippers?

“Stupid,” I chuckle.

A few drops of water touched the side of his forehead. Did he take a bath? His eyes are still narrowed. The hawk's eyes looked even more so. The familiar scent of fresh mint invades my sense. The smell of him. His clean look even though a sleeve of a white dress is a bit wrinkled. He was also wearing pajamas.

I pout. Obviously prepared while I was, just like that.

I greet him with a timid smile. He smiles, too. He shyly scratches his nape. “What? Let's go?”

I nod. I can feel my heart thumping rapidly as I walked beside him. I consequently bite my lips whenever his right arm bumps against my shoulder.

We are just going ahead near our school but because of the silence, it seemed like we had walked too far. A pale shimmer of moonlight helps us along with the streetlights. There are already a few chickens crowing. The deafening noise of cricket enveloped our every step forward. The cold is still bearable. Faint exhales serve as the rhythm of our hearts as we take a step. The wind blows and I shiver a bit.

He slightly pushes the glass door when we arrive at the familiar coffee shop nearby St. Angelus Academy. We were immediately greeted by the cashier's warm greeting. I bow my head because of that. I feel like he is wondering why Rico and I are together at this time. Not to mention that there are only few customers here. They can see us together!

“Should I treat you the expenses?”

I grin and shyly shake my head. “I would like to agree only if I have no enough penny in my pocket.”

I nod my head. He smirks and dishevels my hair. “That's my girl. Now, sit there and wait for me,” he says and points out the table near the glass wall.

I am about to go there when the first words he mumbled just sink in. My eyes grow wider. I glanced at him again but he was already leaning over me and filling the coffee cup with hot water. But since I can see his side profile, the protruding of lips is visible to my sight, as if he's restraining himself to smile. His cheekbone is also prominent. His eye, painted with a ghost of humor. My knees softened as I walked towards the table. Maybe I am just over thinking again. That's my girl? That was so random!

My hands are sweating again so I grasp the fabric of my pajamas to hide my anxiousness. A fast pacing of a heartbeat. The bothering sound of the air conditioner inside. And the tensed beat inside my chest.

I tried to calm myself when he sat on the seat in front of me. We talked about a lot of things as we sip on our own mugs. There were times he smiled big but I doubt he realized that. He seems oblivious about it as his hawkish eyes stare at me. They twinkle as words escape from his lips.

All the time that Rico speaks, I just fully stare at him. The way his eyes turn a little bit wider whenever he tells the most exciting part. The way he gestures his hands a lot. I'm just dumbfounded. Especially if he asks for my opinion.

Maybe because I've been accustomed to be the listener rather than the speaker? But whenever I get to be immersed on the topic, I still open up despite the stuttering.

I want you to have him drink coffee then urge me to keep talking. I also find it cute whenever the coffee's heat accidentally scorches his tongue. Covering the clenched fist with his lips whenever he yawns. As well as the little she blinked every time a few strands of hair hit her eyes.

“The coffee’s heat seems to be fading. I'm getting cold, ”he said.

I watched him. He's only wearing a shirt. Compared to me wrapped up. I bite my lips as I observe how he slightly shivers. I blink when a stubborn idea came in.

I raised my elbows on the table and slowly my palms reached his face. I placed it perfectly on his jawline. His piercing eyes are just glued on me while I'm doing that. My hoodie is oversized so it covered my palm. I thought that it can at least suppress the cold. Our vision was right. I pouted.

“Do you still feel cold?” I ask him, watching how his eyelashes fan the parts above his cheekbones.

His lips protruded. “Not anymore.”

My cheeks warmed as I noticed our distance.

“Okay,” I said and removed my hands from his face.

“I feel cold all of a sudden, ”he said and then chased my hands back to his face.